Trowers & Hamlins partner and Head of the firm's Birmingham office is amongst six West Midlands-based leaders working in the private, public and third sectors have been named among the 100 most inspirational in the UK by business and finance adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP.
Grant Thornton’s Faces of a Vibrant Economy initiative celebrates some of the UK’s most exciting and dynamic organisations and whose leaders demonstrate excellence in two or more of the following areas:
- Purpose – investing in their workforce, connecting financial profit to social purpose and contributing to the wider community
- Growth – fostering a culture of growth, job creation and leading their organisation into new markets
- Innovation - solving problems, leaders whose products or services are disrupting the sector and challenging the status quo
This year these 100 leaders have been photographed by three aspiring student photographers who were selected as part of a nationwide competition to work with Getty Images for the project. These photos, along with profiles of the 2017 Faces of a Vibrant Economy, are available here.
The six Faces of a Vibrant Economy based in the West Midlands are:
Amardeep Gill, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins, Birmingham
Amardeep Gill confesses his commitment to the legal profession may be rivalled by his passion for improving public services. Amardeep is a nationally recognised specialist in commercial joint ventures, outsourcings, strategic partnerships and large scale public sector infrastructure and service contracts. His work spans the education, regeneration, leisure, aviation and housing sectors.
Tim Emrich, CEO, UK Power Reserve, Solihull
2017 has seen UK Power Reserve spearhead the national shift to a de-centralised ‘two-way’ power system. The innovation sees low carbon energy sources complemented by reliable energy sources, such as batteries and small, local power stations, helping consumers harness the benefits of renewables, and get involved in producing or managing their own power.
Paul Halsey, Managing Director and Co-Founder, Purity Brewing Company, Alcester
Established in 2005, award-winning Purity Brewing Company prides itself on brewing great beer without prejudice, with a conscience, consistency and attention to detail. Purity prides itself on being environmentally-friendly and, in the case of its unique wetland system, environmentally-enriching. Purity is guided by its Pure Eco values and a commitment to the local community and wider region.
Charles Rapson, CEO, School for Social Entrepreneurs, Midlands
Charles Rapson works with budding entrepreneurs, helping them to sharpen their business skills and strengthen their emotional resourcefulness. The group supports social entrepreneurs in their mission to build businesses that help break cycles of poverty and improve the life chances of people in disadvantaged communities.
Dan Zastawny and Imandeep Kaur, Co-Founders, Impact Hub, Birmingham
Dan Zastawny and Imandeep Kaur bring people together for the common good. The pair, along with four other co-founders and wider close-knit team, set up Impact Hub to make a difference in Birmingham and encourage individuals, businesses and organisations to increase their reach and drive meaningful change in society.
David Hillan, practice leader at Grant Thornton in Birmingham, said: “These individuals show us how business can be a force for good, and how creative approaches to public services and commitment to investing in people can drive superior results.”
This view is backed by a recent survey* commissioned by Grant Thornton of 1,000 CEOs and business leaders from UK mid-market firms, which revealed that company vision, culture and purpose is a top-five investment priority for more than a third (35%) of mid-market businesses. For high-growth businesses – defined as those which have grown turnover by 20% in the last year - this rises to 40%.
Hillan continued: “We are committed to continually building and connecting this network of inspirational leaders and their organisations so that they can learn, share ideas, teach others and ultimately continue to grow for the benefit of our economy and society.
“This began in earnest locally in January with our West Midlands Inquiry, which saw private, public and third sector leaders come together to create their vision for a greater West Midlands, a region synonymous with positive collaboration and thriving opportunities.
“A key element of our region’s growth prospects is to build on existing credentials and become a hub of advanced manufacturing. This would play to the existing strengths of the region, build on its history and put it in a position to lead in the future. There is a real sense of optimism that with the recently elected Mayor Andy Street on board, the private, public and third sectors can work together to get things done.”
