Advantage West Midlands Enterprise Board looking for new chairma
Oct 6 2009 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post
Bosses at the board of the regional enterprise support body are looking for a new chairman after the incumbent announced he would be standing down.
The Advantage West Midlands Enterprise Board needs a new chairman after the departure of industrialist Norman Price, who will be standing down after more than four years at the organisation.
The group said it was looking for an experienced business leader with the ability to bring the public and private sector together.
Debra Blisson, the director of business support and enterprise at AWM, said: “We are looking for a dynamic, inspirational chair who understands the regional economy and has a passion for bringing enterprise to the fore, whether that be in increasing starts-ups or encouraging companies, universities or employees to be more entrepreneurial in what they do.
“It is also important that they have experience and specific knowledge of currently under-represented groups, including women, young people, minority ethnic and social enterprises.
“Norman Price has done an excellent job in ensuring the Enterprise Board has developed from its formative years and is now playing a major role in driving forward the Regional Economic Strategy in the West Midlands.
“He will be a hard act to follow, but we certainly have the calibre of people in the region who will relish this opportunity.”
The Enterprise Board brings together a number of key organisations and private sector business leaders to advise Advantage West Midlands on enterprise issues.
It started life as a source of advice and guidance to Business Link. However, the board’s working remit has grown considerably to include the creation of four centres of expertise which are aimed at supporting young people, as well as minority ethnic, women and social enterprises.
Mr Price, who will be officially stepping down in December, will be keeping his positions as chairman of Birmingham Science City, the Regional Finance Forum and his role as business representative on the West Midlands Taskforce.
The Black Country entrepreneur said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my stewardship of the Enterprise Board and I am proud of what we have achieved as an organisation and how, importantly, we have not rested on our laurels and instead insisted that we continue to increase our remit and what we do.
“For instance, we now have groups that report to our main board, which focus on business support, start-ups and incubation, enterprise culture and economic research – the latter invaluable in shaping AWM’s regional economic strategy.
“This is a fantastic time to be joining and I firmly believe that the new ideas that will come with a new chair will see the Enterprise Board have an increasing say in how the West Midlands performs and how it creates more jobs and wealth.”
The Enterprise Board meets five times each year and the chairman or chairwoman will also be asked to attend some sub-group meetings, make a series of presentations and develop excellent working relationships with stakeholders, the AWM Executive and local business.
