Our Board

The West Midlands area team’s mission is to:

• Work collaboratively with key partners in local areas in the West Midlands region and across central Government on Local Growth and Levelling Up opportunities, including devolution.
• Help connect national policy making and programmes with places.
• Based on a real understanding of local issues and opportunities, the team plays a critical function empowering decision-making in local areas and ensuring central Government decision-making is informed and shaped by local insight.
• We innovate, collaborate and challenge with a clear understanding of both the local and central Government contexts.

Prior to becoming CEO in 2021, Henrietta was Director of Policy & Strategic Relationships leading the GBCC’s research, policy, stakeholder engagement and campaigns activity as well as management of the GBCC’s top tier of membership: the Patronage group. Henrietta was appointed to the role in 2015. In 2018, she was appointed to the GBCC Board as an executive director. In 2019 she was named as one of Birmingham Live’s Brum 30 Under 30. Outside of work, she is a Trustee of the University of Birmingham’s Guild of Students and a graduate and supporter of the UpRising Leadership Programme. 

Find out more about the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

Henriette Breukelaar is the West Midlands Regional Director for the Canal and River Trust, looking after over 500 miles of canal and towpaths and the rich biodiversity they host. 

Before joining the Canal and River Trust Henriette was Chief Executive of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the city region.

She has a background in senior leadership in a variety of sectors including supporting start-up businesses as part of the Climate Knowledge Innovation Community, working in retirement housing with care, advanced engineering, innovation and regional economic development. Henriette started her career in the Netherlands in equalities and community regeneration.

Outside her day job, Henriette is Trustee at Birmingham Hospice.

Before joining the WMCA, Si Chun worked for Coventry City Council in a variety of roles, most recently, leading Coventry’s research, insight, and intelligence function. In this role, Si Chun transformed the Council’s approach to insight, analysis, and data through the development of a citywide intelligence hub and a ‘One Coventry’ approach to performance management. Through nurturing partnerships with local universities, Si Chun championed the development of a flourishing research and intelligence ecosystem in the city.  

Si Chun has contributed to the national conversation on the power of research and intelligence to make a positive impact on our society. Outside of paid employment, Si Chun is part of the Economy of Francesco, a global movement of economists, entrepreneurs and change-makers working to create an economy that works for everyone, with nobody left behind.  

Paula is experienced in setting up and running private/public sector partnerships with specific expertise in economic development and growth; listening to business and stakeholder views and bringing talented teams together to create a more dynamic and resilient economy, collaborating between private; public and education sectors.

Find out more about Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Delma was educated in Ireland and holds a First-Class Honours degree (Batchelors) in Commerce from University College Galway and an Honours Masters (MA) in Economics from University College Dublin and holds a Visiting Professorship with the University of Wolverhampton.

Delma established The Economic Intelligence Unit in 2002 and has been the Director of the Economic Intelligence for the last 20 years, alongside Director of the Midlands Engine Observatory since 2021. She utilises her excellent analytical abilities to translate complex information into meaningful messages and concise reports in order to support evidence-based debate at Strategic Board Level.

Find out more about The Economic Intelligence Unit and Midlands Engine Observatory.

Steve is an experienced Board advisor and, prior to his current role, he worked on over 100 transactions in the UK and overseas across public and private debt and equity markets. Steve has experience across a range of sectors including real estate, TMT, healthcare, consumer, manufacturing and business services. 

Steve has authored thought leadership for KPMG including The Road to Exit, a guide for entrepreneurs and management teams on how to plan for and maximise the value from a transaction; and Going Global, a guide for companies on how to pursue overseas expansion and optimise their international footprint.

Find out more about KPMG.

During this period, David has delivered successfully more than 70 research, consultancy and evaluation assignments for clients across the public, private and charitable sectors. These have included multi-national corporate clients, the European Union, UK central government, local and regional government, non-departmental public agencies and voluntary and community sector organisations. David’s priority is applied impactful research which makes meaningful connections between academe, policy and practice. His persistent focus on various dimensions of local and regional economic change is wrought of personal experience of deindustrialisation and includes a particular interest in both the automotive industry – its renaissance, transformation and low-carbon transition – and transport, especially the ways in which mobility shapes places, economies and communities.

Find out more about Centre for Business in Society.

Maria is currently Director for Midlands Connect, one of the largest and most successful partnership programmes in the country bringing together 23 Local Authorities and 9 Local Enterprise Partnerships across the Midlands from the Marches to the Wash.

In March 2017 the partnership published a 25 year pan-Midlands transport strategy for the region, therefore increasing economic activity and helping to power the Midlands Engine. Since its formation the partnership has secured over £17m support from government to accelerate the delivery of its transport priorities from 2020 and beyond.

More recently Maria has been working as Interim Director of the Midlands Engine, a partnership which aims to generate a step change in productivity, economic growth in the Midlands and help drive Britain’s post-Brexit growth.

As part of her previous role, Maria managed the WM Integrated Transport Authority’s input into the HS2 Hybrid Bill and was actively involved in master-planning activities around proposed HS2 Stations in the West Midlands.

• Find out more about Midlands Connect. 

With 30 years construction and property experience Simon helps clients make the best of their built and natural assets in relation to achieving their vision, strategy and key priorities. He has led and delivered a range of projects across the public, private and infrastructure sectors and has a deep understanding of the housing and regeneration arena. Simon is a Board member of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and Chair of the Executive Board of the City Centre Enterprise Zone.

• Find out more about Arcadis in Birmingham. 

Ben has previously worked across Further Education and Local Government covering strategic policy. Regularly working with senior leaders, elected members and leadership teams he specialises in public finance, public service markets, and economic development. Within these areas, Ben has covered Local Government reform, devolution, Brexit, Industrial/Growth strategies, HS2 as well as managing central government and parliamentary relationships. He has also worked on several wider projects around skills and the labour market. One of these was working on the Augar Review of Post-18 Education on behalf of a College Group based in Manchester and more recently the initial development of Greater Manchester’s Integrated education, skills and work system.

He has an MRes in Economic History, a PGDip in Economic Policy and had previously been a Board Member of AGE UK Staffordshire. In his own time, Ben attempts to do oil painting and working on his much-delayed PhD proposal on Local Government.

• Find out more about West Midlands Growth Company.

Nigel is part of the leadership team of Capgemini’s Analytics and AI capability and during his 29-year career in the analytics, business intelligence and data management domains, has developed and led technology consulting/services practices and overseen complex consulting projects in the UK and internationally. His client work covers a broad spectrum and includes digital and data solutions for Justice, Economic Development and Central Government.

• Find out more about Capgemini.

Lisa has represented local government on a range of regional and national boards including acting as Urban Advisor to the Regional Housing Board, developing for the Homes and Communities Agency its national Leadership of Place programme and whilst at PwC pioneered an area investment planning approach - more recently she has been a board member of Innovation Birmingham and Birmingham Retail BID. Whilst at the University of Birmingham she drew on her knowledge of regional and local context and work on place - shaping to serve as the policy lead on the Bishop of Birmingham’s Social Inclusion Process, providing the frame for the adoption of approaches to inclusive growth and active wellbeing within the City. She has engaged and published work on Leadership of Place and led projects nationally and internationally on the place shaping agenda and a range of sustainability topics. 

Having being elected as a Labour Councillor in Birmingham in 2012 - Lisa served as a  Cabinet Member from 2014-2018 providing  the strategic lead on environmental and sustainability policy and its implementation to address issues including climate change, carbon reduction, flood management, clean air zones, energy security and fuel poverty. She also had the strategic lead for the city’s parks and green spaces. As Chair of Birmingham’s Green Commission she was the driving force in the development of “Energy Capital” and in the delivery of subsequent projects including the development of the FBC for Birmingham Energy Supply Company and the City’s Air Quality Strategy – work she continues to take forward professionally through UK100 and her engagement with Energy Capital and related collaborations.

• Find out more about Lisa Trickett.

Midlands Innovation is a world-class research and innovation partnership, combining the collective excellence of leading universities in the heart of the UK. We unite the power of university research with the unique strengths of Midlands industry to drive cutting-edge research, innovation and skills development. 

Helen is a collaboration professional having spent seven years as Director of the Midlands Energy Consortium, where she played a key role in the successful £60m bid to establish the Midlands Energy Research Accelerator.  Helen has played a strong role in the Midlands Engine for Growth where she currently sits on both its Operations Board and its Innovation and Enterprise Group.

• Find out more about Midlands Innovation.

Tim will be leading our work with places, helping local partners collaborate on shared agendas at different geographic scales.

He is experienced in the design and running national programmes and of working with target audiences to make use of them. He has a focus on creative approaches to public services, having worked at Nesta on social innovation. He is a Non-Executive Director at Resonance, a leading social impact investor.

He has an MSc in transport planning and is currently studying for a MSc in transformational leadership at UCL researching the governance of mission-orientated innovation districts. He was Commissioner for the Mayor of London on advising on the future funding and financing of London’s green spaces. 

Find out more about PA consulting

He gets things done across complex networks and partnerships, leading our work with developer and public sector clients to develop and execute projects that have a real and lasting impact.

Current and recent assignments include leading industrial strategy for the West Midlands Mayor and country’s largest Combined Authority, creating the investment strategy for a major regional developer and leading our work with Liverpool City Region on the single investment fund.

Patrick was previously a Director in the UK civil service, working in the Cabinet Office and what is now the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

• Find out more about Metro – Dynamics.