Young directors see a bright business future
Jun 23 2009 by Alun Thorne, Birmingham Post
Over the next month, the Birmingham Post, in conjunction with the Institute of Directors’ Young Directors Forum, will be highlighting one of the region’s rising business stars. Head of Business Alun Thorne spoke to Clive Bawden, business development director at corporate finance adviser Catalyst and current chair of the forum in the West Midlands, to set the scene.
Recession, depression, doom, ruin, disaster, unemployment.
Words that figure heavily wherever one looks, and rightly so. Clearly, we are living through an unprecedented time in recent economic history and, sadly, one that looks like it still has some way to go.
Equally, life does go on and, over the next month, we are featuring five of the brightest and most inspiring young directors in the region, all of whom form part of the Institute of Directors’ Young Directors Forum.
As a worldwide association of members, the IoD reaches every part of the business community, from the largest public companies to the smallest private firms, with the Young Directors’ Forum (YDF), established in the West Midlands four years ago, just one part.
Created to provide events, training and representation for existing IoD members, typically those in the earlier stages of their careers as directors, YDF’s growth and influence during the last few years has steadily increased.
Indeed, so popular has it become that every other IoD region nationally has set about replicating the model.
Catalyst’s Clive Bawden, who has also been chair of the YDF since early last year, feels that in his day job advising entrepreneurs and corporates he is seeing the impact of the recession head on, particularly the impact of banking and credit restrictions on the businesses he works with.
Equally, though, as part of the leadership team for Catalyst, a business launched in the Midlands just over ten years ago, he has a role to play helping manage the business in what are unquestionably difficult times.
“For pretty much all of us within the YDF, this is the first time we have run a business through a recession and it is not something that we are taking lightly for one minute” Mr Bawden said.
“For a start, we owe it to our families, our friends, our employees, customers and suppliers to find a way forward despite all that is going on around us.
“The thing that has struck me most, as this year’s chair, is the positive outlook and sheer drive of the members that I represent and meet with regularly.
“Whilst I am clear in my own mind that this isn’t simply naivety or recklessness (since most of our members have already had to trim costs and workforces over recent months, something that no one ever takes lightly), it strikes me that my colleagues are simply taking change, and the need to change, in their stride.
“Indeed, the phrase I seem to hear most in conversation is ‘I see an opportunity’.
“There definitely are opportunities out there and thriving in Birmingham, as the five features this month will show.
“With a whole crop of younger entrepreneurs such as James Villareal, Matt Roberts, Jason Wouhra and Neil Edgington to name but a few, I’m sure that the future can be bright as Birmingham sees out the recession head on.”
