Our Delegation
West Midlands Mayoral Mission to India

Richard Parker

Mayor of the West Midlands, West Midlands Combined Authority

Richard Parker is the Mayor of the West Midlands and Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Elected in 2024, Richard is focused on delivering his four key priorities: jobs, homes, growth and journeys for everyone.

Since taking office, Richard has championed the West Midlands as a prime destination for global investment and innovation. He has secured £5 billion for the West Midlands Investment Zone which will create 30,000 jobs in advanced manufacturing, green energy, and health-tech.

Richard is also leading efforts to deliver 20,000 new social homes over the next decade, while training local people for jobs in key growth sectors.

His Youth Plan is equipping the next generation with the skills needed to support business growth and drive the regional economy forward.

Additionally, he is working to transform the bus network, bringing it under public control, aiming to make it more efficient and reliable to better connect people with jobs, services, and opportunities. In addition, he secured £2.4bn of funding from government for transport infrastructure projects around the whole of the West Midlands.

Before becoming Mayor, Richard provided strategy, policy, and governance advice to public and private sector organizations. As a Partner at PwC, he played a key role in brokering the deal that led to the creation of the West Midlands Combined Authority in 2016.

A passionate advocate for devolution, Richard is committed to empowering communities and improving opportunity, fairness, and inclusion across the West Midlands.

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Neil Rami

Chief Executive, West Midlands Growth Company

Supported by central and local government, universities and a wide range of regional businesses, the West Midlands Growth Company was established in 2017 to expand existing businesses and attract new inward and capital investment and leisure and business visitors to the region. Its plans are aligned to the ambitions set out in the West Midlands Plan for Growth.

Neil led the trailblazing Business and Tourism Programme for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games; a unique partnership between DCMS, VisitBritain, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the West Midlands Combined Authority. Neil also conceived and led the UK Regional Investment Summit in October 2025, on behalf of the Mayor of the West Midlands, in partnership with His Majesty’s Treasury and DBT.

Previously, Neil held similar economic development and regeneration roles in Liverpool and Newcastle upon Tyne. He is a member of the UK Visitor Economy Advisory Council and a non-executive Board Member of the British Tourist Authority (VisitBritain) and Creative UK. Neil is also a former Governor and Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

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Jonathan Todd

Chief of Staff, West Midlands Combined Authority

Jonathan is Chief of Staff to the Mayor of the West Midlands. He has worked for over two decades at the highest levels of politics and policy in the UK. The Guardian described him as “a candidate to give millions of disgruntled Labour supporters a bit of hope” during the 2010 General Election and City UK later identified him as one of the UK’s 100 most influential economists, during his time as Chief Economist at a strategy and research consultancy. His consultancy work involved working with organisations like the Department of Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS), the BBC, and Edinburgh Festivals to assess and grow economic impact. He now brings this policy expertise to his work with the Mayor and seeks to deliver on the Mayor’s political priorities through the strengthening of the West Midlands’ economy.

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Karolina Kuszowska

Strategic Lead for the India Mission, West Midlands Growth Company

Karolina Kuszowska is a Strategic Lead at the West Midlands Growth Company, providing strategic oversight and leadership for the delivery of complex international activity across multiple workstreams and partners. At the core of her role is leading programmes and delivery across inward investment to drive economic growth for the West Midlands region. With almost ten years’ experience in inward investment and international programme delivery, Karolina leads flagship initiatives including the Global Growth Programme, supporting international businesses to establish and scale in the UK, and works closely with regional and global stakeholders to deliver high-impact outcomes.

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Jon Baty

Head of Inward Investment, West Midlands Growth Company

Jon leads the Inward Investment division at the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), the appointed economic development and investment promotion agency for the West Midlands Combined Authority. His team promote the region domestically and internationally, and facilitate inward investment aligned to WMCA priority sectors. Jon led the Inward Investment workstream of the Birmingham 2022 Business and Tourism Programme – a £23.4m two-year programme delivered in partnership with UK Government to drive an economic legacy from the B2022 Commonwealth Games. The programme’s success has fuelled a record level of FDI investment into the West Midlands; in each of the last three years, UK Government figures placed the West Midlands as second only to London in terms of FDI projects and jobs attracted per annum.

Jon joined the Growth Company in 2018 after holding a number of Senior Business Development and Consultancy roles in Professional and Financial Services with Gateley Plc, Grant Thornton and Barclaycard. In his time with WMGC, Jon has directly led dozens of major projects, including the successful bid to secure a major investment into Birmingham from Goldman Sachs, and a succession of major civil service investments from the likes of DfT, MHCLG and Visit Britain. Jon has led the transformation and professionalisation of the region’s Inward Investment division and instigated the creation of a number of tailored products and services to secure investment in priority sectors.

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Adam Titchen

Mobility, Manufacturing & Life Sciences Strategic Lead, West Midlands Growth Company

Adam graduated from Oxford University in 2013 and spent 5 years working in policy and business support with Make UK, the UK’s leading trade body for the engineering and manufacturing industry. He then moved to the West Midlands Growth Company, initially responsible for attracting and supporting investment in the advanced manufacturing and automotive sectors. He now heads the Growth Company’s work across advanced manufacturing, automotive, defence, life sciences and low carbon.

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Tori Colyer

Events Lead, West Midlands Growth Company

With 19 years’ experience in the events industry, Tori Colyer is a highly accomplished events professional specialising in the planning and delivery of complex, high-profile B2B and B2C events across the UK and internationally. Their portfolio spans conferences, gala dinners, sporting events, international trade and investment missions, virtual and hybrid programmes, brand activations and bespoke event programmes.

For more than five years, Tori has been a key member of the team at West Midlands Growth Company, where they lead on the design and execution of strategically significant events that support regional investment and economic growth. Career highlights include planning and delivering international sales and investment missions to India, North America and the UAE, coordinating the West Midlands’ role in the UK’s Regional Investment Summit, and overseeing the region’s high-profile presence at major property and investment forums including UKREiiF and MIPIM.

Known for their strategic approach, meticulous attention to detail and ability to manage complex stakeholder environments, Tori consistently delivers impactful experiences that drive engagement, profile and commercial outcomes.

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Jorja Barton

Events Executive, West Midlands Growth Company

Jorja is an Events Executive at West Midlands Growth Company with 3 years’ experience delivering high-profile events across the Midlands. She has supported the planning and delivery of major regional initiatives, including the Regional Investment Summit and adjacent Mayoral Dinner. In 2024, in her previous role, she also supported the launch of TOCA Social’s Birmingham venue, contributing to event planning, logistics, and on-the-ground delivery for a major new city destination.

In her role at WMGC, Jorja supports the planning and delivery of complex programmes and events, working closely with partners, delegates, and sponsors to ensure seamless coordination and strong outcomes. She brings a detail-driven and collaborative approach to her work, managing multiple stakeholders and priorities while maintaining high standards of delivery. Her ability to build trusted relationships and support effective engagement across programmes contributes to the successful delivery of WMGC’s major initiatives.

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Suzie Norton

Head of Commercial Partnerships and SRM, West Midlands Growth Company

Suzie Norton leads WMGC’s corporate partnerships and commercial development, ensuring West Midlands businesses are connected to opportunities that support growth and raise the region’s profile. Suzie has over 20 years’ experience working in senior leadership positions across a range of private and public sector roles. Her core expertise lies in formulating and successfully implementing strategies, securing £multimillion commercial and public investment, managing organisational change, navigating complex stakeholder relationships, and advocating at a high level across regional and national government. Suzie has been the Vice Chair of a national government agency and has occupied non-executive directorships throughout her career.

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Disha Sharma

DBT / FCDO Lead, Office for Investment (UK Government)

Disha Sharma is a UK Government official with over a decade of experience in global investment, economic growth and high-profile international engagement. She currently works within the Office for Investment, a joint unit between No.10 and HM Treasury where she secures and works on major domestic and international investments across priority growth sectors.

Disha has played a leading role in delivering the UK Government’s flagship investment events, including creating and delivering the UK’s first Regional Investment Summit, hosted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. She has also led senior programme and guest management for the International Investment Summit, working closely with Ministers, No.10 and global CEOs.

She regularly represents the UK internationally, working with global investors, pension funds and sovereign partners, and advises Ministers on investment policy, regional growth and strategic opportunities.

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Becky Frall

Head of Tourism, West Midlands Growth Company

Becky is Head of Tourism at West Midlands Growth Company, the economic growth agency and lead accountable body for the region’s local visitor economy partnership. With over 25 years of experience in the sector, she brings expertise across economic development, research, strategy and policy, alongside a strong track record in securing and delivering investment-led programmes with regional destinations. Becky is passionate about developing high-quality visitor experiences for both business and leisure travellers and in fostering strong, productive partnerships with industry.

From 2020, Becky led a high-performing team in collaboration with VisitBritain to deliver a successful programme that maximised the opportunities created by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This work leveraged the global profile of the event to strengthen international awareness of the region. A key strategic priority for Becky is growing overnight stays and visitor spend, while supporting tourism B2B engagement and trade partnerships. She works closely with industry stakeholders to develop international markets, including India, and to strengthen aviation connectivity through Birmingham Airport as a vital gateway to England’s business tourism hub and the wider West Midlands. Becky is committed to sustainable visitor economy growth that delivers long-term benefits for businesses, jobs and local communities.

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Rabia Raza

PR & Communications Manager, West Midlands Growth Company

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Jess Murphy

Project Manager, West Midlands Growth Company

Jess is an experienced Project Manager at West Midlands Growth Company, supporting the planning, coordination, and delivery of high-profile projects across key workstreams that promote inbound investment, trade, and tourism. Her work spans major events activity at both a global and domestic level, including mayoral-led international visits, sector-specific sales missions to key growth markets, and the delivery of the West Midlands’ presence at major real estate and investment events.

Working closely with partners across the public, private, and academic sectors, Jess plays a critical behind-the-scenes role in ensuring complex projects are delivered smoothly within a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment.

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Dr Julie Nugent

Chief Executive, Coventry City Council

Dr Julie Nugent joined Coventry City Council as Chief Executive in June 2023. She has a strong track record in attracting and delivering investment to support businesses, people, and communities. She has worked at senior level across a range of organisations, at national, regional, and local level – including senior roles in government, the voluntary sector and education.

Previously, Julie was Executive Director for Economy, Skills, and Communities at the West Midlands Combined Authority. She was responsible for delivery across economic development, employment and skills, health, and communities, and played a critical role in negotiating two devolution deals that resulted in more funding being released to the region. This included leading on the investment of over half a billion pounds into training and employment support programmes that have helped thousands of local people to get the skills and support they needed to secure good jobs.

She has also led on large-scale transformation programmes, overseeing the delivering of improved services to businesses and people.

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Ed Shedd

Chair, Create Central

Ed is inspired by his two great passions: The Telecoms, Media & Advanced Technology world and Sustainability. Three, if you count his lifelong passion for Aston Villa!

He sat on Deloitte ‘s European Executive, responsible for leading the European TMT practice – a scale business serving some of the largest and most innovative companies in the industry – the European Sustainability team, which he helped launch and scale, and the global Media & Entertainment team .All teams operating across many countries with global, regional and local impact, bound together by a shared sales & marketing strategy, and a common client philosophy.

Ed’s personal area of focus was in working with CEOs and their teams to deliver digital transformation and next zero, whilst building a circular, nature positive world. He was the Lead Client Service Partner for companies as diverse as Google, the BBC, ITV, Sony, Universal Pictures, Fox, RELX, Thomson Reuters and United Business Media.

He has deep experience in the Tech Platform, TV, Film, Gaming and Publishing sectors, as well as in advising companies on energy transition, sustainable food, circularity and nature positive business.

He is Chair of Create Central responsible for turbocharging investment into the West Midlands creative sector and is a Board Member of the Hay Festival Foundation helping to expand the Festival globally and digitally, and to increase the coherence and strength of its Sustainability programming.

He is a founder member of the TV production company, Monkey Kingdom, producers of the BAFTA award winning Made in Chelsea, co-founder of a sustainable café, Here, and a lifelong supporter and season ticket holder at Aston Villa, travelling in hope with his son to each home game.

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RT Hon Greg Clark

Executive Chair of the University of Warwick’s Innovation District

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Mark Lee

Professor of Artificial Intelligence, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham

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Andrew Pelham

Aviation Development Manager

Andrew Pelham is Aviation Development Manager at Birmingham Airport, leading strategic airline partnerships to expand the airport’s global connectivity. A key priority of his current role is strengthening air links between the UK and India, recognising the significant trade, investment, education, and diaspora ties between the two countries. He works closely with airline partners to identify sustainable route opportunities and develop long-term, mutually beneficial growth strategies that enhance direct connectivity to the Midlands region.

With over 20 years’ experience in aviation, he previously served in senior aviation development roles across several UK regional airport, where he led aviation growth strategy and negotiated commercial agreements with senior airline stakeholders to drive passenger and revenue growth. He has managed multi-million-pound airline portfolios and delivered network expansion for airport through strong, collaborative partnerships.

His earlier career spans aviation strategy development, airport slot coordination with ACL, and operational leadership in ground handling, giving him a comprehensive understanding of airline operations, airport capacity, and regulatory frameworks.

He is committed to building enduring partnerships with key carriers serving the India–UK market, supporting increased connectivity that can drive further economic collaboration, and long-term sustainable growth for both regions.

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Professor David Mba

Vice Chancellor, Birmingham City University

Professor David Mba was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University in October 2023. Leading the institution’s strategic direction and long-term ambitions, he has overseen significant change in his time at the helm, including the development of BCU’s Strategy for 2030.

An experienced senior leader, Professor Mba was previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise at the University of the Arts London. He also served as Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at De Montfort University and Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media. His earlier career includes senior academic leadership posts at London South Bank University and Cranfield University.

Professor Mba is chair of the Birmingham Cultural Compact, co-chair of Black Leaders in Higher Education UK, and a member of the Advance HE Board. Trained as an aerospace engineer, he holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Cranfield University and has published more than 300 academic papers. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

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Vijay Tank

Chief Commercial Officer, E.ON

Vijay Tank is the Chief Commercial Officer at E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions UK, leading efforts to deliver local, affordable, and low-carbon energy solutions. He is helping cities, businesses, and communities in the UK to lower carbon emissions, reduce costs, and create local jobs through heat networks, decentralised energy, and smart infrastructure. With a career at E.ON spanning over two decades, Vijay has held various leadership roles across Residential, Operations, Digital, Supply, and Finance sectors, including international experience in the Nordics. His prior positions at Scottish & Newcastle (now Heineken) and KPMG have further shaped his commitment to developing sustainable and affordable energy systems. Vijay holds a degree in Accountancy and Finance from Liverpool John Moores University and has completed executive leadership programs at London Business School, IMD, and Harvard.

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Natalie Keogh

Commercial Director, E.ON

In her current role as Commercial Director for Heat and Cities at E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions (EIS), Natalie plays a pivotal part in advancing E.ON’s mission to deliver energy systems that make life more affordable for customers today while enabling a sustainable future for tomorrow. EIS focuses on developing and operating local, decentralised energy infrastructure — including district heating, low‑carbon networks, and integrated energy solutions — designed to reduce energy bills, improve efficiency, and support long term resilience. By helping cities and communities transition to cleaner, smarter energy systems, EIS contributes to both immediate affordability and the wider goal of decarbonising urban environments.

Natalie brings structure to complexity, translating ambitious goals into practical delivery and ensuring that people and partnerships remain at the heart of progress. She believes that people make change happen, and that effective leadership is rooted in investing in the growth and development of others. Her approach blends calm authority with thoughtful communication, enabling collaborative cultures that thrive through change and deliver meaningful, sustainable transformation.

Natalie holds an engineering physics degree from Sheffield Hallam University and an MBA from the Open University.

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Kevin McCole

Managing Director, GEDU

Kevin, who has a passion for education and international partnerships, joined GEDU Global Education in March 2025 and leads the Group’s external relations, public relations and sustainability activities. Before joining GEDU Global Education, Kevin spent 16 years as Managing Director of the UK India Business Council, where he worked closely with governments, businesses, universities and other organisations in both countries on the UK-India FTA and, more broadly, to strengthen the business, education and people-to-people links between India and the UK. Prior to this, Kevin spent 19 years in the UK’s Diplomatic Service, where he served in The Netherlands, Malta, Romania, India, and in various London postings. In India, Kevin spent three years at the British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata helping strengthen the UK’s partnership with East and North East India.

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Professor Gurpreet Singh Jagpal OBE

Chief Commercial Officer, Aston University

Professor Gurpreet Singh Jagpal OBE is Chief Commercial Officer at Aston University, where he leads the University’s external and commercial portfolio, including international recruitment and development, transnational education and global partnerships, marketing, communications and student recruitment, alumni and development, and enterprise, entrepreneurship and business growth programmes.

Gurpreet plays a central role in shaping Aston’s growth, internationalisation and civic strategy, with a particular focus on building long-term global partnerships that connect education, skills, innovation and industry. His work supports Aston’s ambition to deepen collaboration with international universities, businesses and governments to deliver workforce-relevant education, executive development, student mobility and enterprise-led growth.

He leads Aston’s global engagement across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, working closely with academic leaders and external partners to ensure international activity is underpinned by academic quality, regulatory compliance and reputational strength. This includes the development of strategic partnerships supporting joint programmes, executive education and entrepreneurship ecosystems.

Gurpreet also contributes to Aston’s civic and regional leadership through active engagement with business, industry and public-sector partners across the West Midlands, supporting inward investment, skills development and innovation-led economic growth.

Previously, Gurpreet held senior executive roles at the University of Suffolk, UWE Bristol, London South Bank University, UCL, University of Birmingham and Birmingham City University, leading enterprise, innovation, employability and international engagement. He brings over 20 years’ experience in higher education leadership and was awarded an OBE for services to enterprise, entrepreneurship education and policy.

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Professor Pawan Budhwar

Aston University

Pawan Budhwar is the 50th Anniversary Professor of International Human Resource Management at Aston Business School and the Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor International, Aston University, UK. Between September 2020 – April 2023, he was Head of Aston Business School. He is globally know for his research in the fields of HRM, digitalisation, sustainability India.

Pawan is the co-founder and first President of Indian Academy of Management and served as an advisor to the Commonwealth Commission for six years. He is the Governing Board Member of Centre for Responsible Business (India) and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (UK), the British Academy of Management, the Chartered Association of Business Schools, the Higher Education Academy (UK), and the Indian Academy of Management. He has received millions of pounds of research grants over the years and numerous awards for his contributions to the field of business & management.

Pawan has served or sits on a variety of national and international advisory panels, has presented at the UK Parliament on India-UK trade relations and making female entrepreneurs cyber-ready, and was part of the UK government’s Department of Business & Trade Higher Education Mission to India in September 2023. In 2025 he co-chaired the Chartered Association of Business School’s Inaugural UK-India Dialog Conference (involving 33 Business Schools each from the UK and India).

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Shuja Bin Mehdi

Senior Manager, Industry Engagement & Partnerships, Visit Britian

With over 22 years of leadership experience in tourism and aviation, Shuja brings a strong track record in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and brand development across the public and private sectors. Currently leading VisitBritain’s industry engagment in India, he drives high-impact partnerships and integrated campaigns that increase inbound tourism and position the UK as a premier destination.

His earlier roles at the British High Commission, Air New Zealand, and British Airways have honed his ability to navigate complex environments, manage cross-functional teams, and deliver measurable outcomes. He excels at building bridges between government, trade, and media, with a focus on sustainable growth and market expansion.

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Ritu Varma

Country Manager, India, Visit Britian

Ritu Varma is the Country Manager India for VisitBritain, bringing with her over two decades of professional experience, with nearly 70% dedicated to the travel and tourism sector. She joined the VisitBritain team in 2025, with a strong mandate to further strengthen Britain’s presence and performance in the Indian market.

Ritu’s core expertise lies in tourism marketing, B2B distribution, market strategy, and capability building, supported by extensive experience in managing pan-India business operations and distribution networks.

Over the years, Ritu has been recognised for her people leadership capabilities and strategic thinking, successfully building high-performing teams and delivering sustainable market growth.

Prior to VisitBritain, Ritu has held key roles with leading global travel brands including Tourism Australia and Singapore Airlines, where she played an instrumental role in market development, trade engagement, distribution strategy, and training development.

A strong advocate of India’s long-term growth potential, Ritu is deeply committed to positioning Britain as one of the most visited and aspirational holiday destinations for Indian travellers. She firmly believes in India’s emergence as one of the strongest global source markets and works closely with UK stakeholders to help the travel industry unlock this opportunity.

Driven by a mindset of innovation and progress, Ritu believes that meaningful success is built through experimentation, learning, and continuous evolution even when outcomes are not always immediate ultimately creating sustainable and future-ready growth stories for the tourism sector.

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Disha Gupta

Associate Regional Director Recruitment, Birmingham City University

Disha Gupta is the Associate Regional Director – Recruitment for South Asia and the MENA region at Birmingham City University. With over a decade of experience in the international education sector, Disha has been associated with Birmingham City University for nearly seven years, during which she has played a key role in strengthening the University’s presence and driving sustained recruitment growth across South Asia.

Disha works closely with internal and external stakeholders to shape and deliver regional recruitment strategy, supporting long-term market development aligned with the University’s international objectives. Her work has contributed to increased brand visibility, market expansion, and strong student enrolment outcomes across highly competitive regions.

In recognition of her leadership and contribution to the sector, Disha has received multiple professional accolades, including the Women of Impact Award for Leadership and Excellence (2024) and the Indian Achievers Award (2025). She is also an active contributor to sector thought leadership, regularly authoring editorial commentary with platforms such as The PIE News, where she shares perspectives on student mobility, regional market dynamics, and global recruitment trends.

Through her role, Disha represents Birmingham City University in international forums and senior-level engagements, supporting the institution’s commitment to global collaboration and access to education.

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Prem Singh

Chief Executive Officer, Kabaddi Premier League

Prem Singh is a senior sports leader and social impact practitioner, serving as Chief Executive of the Premier Kabaddi League and Chief Executive of Kabaddi Scotland. He is widely recognised for his strategic leadership in developing Kabaddi as a modern, inclusive sport across the United Kingdom, using the game as a platform for community engagement, equality, and cultural representation.

Prem was the architect of the West Midlands Kabaddi World Cup 2025, the largest Kabaddi event ever staged in the UK. Delivered in partnership with local authorities, broadcasters, and international federations, the World Cup positioned Kabaddi on a global stage while demonstrating the power of culturally rooted sport to drive civic pride, economic impact, and social cohesion.

Under his leadership, Kabaddi Scotland has achieved formal governing body status and delivered nationally recognised programmes increasing participation among women, young people, and minority ethnic communities. He has worked extensively with universities, local government, equality bodies, and broadcasters to embed strong governance, safeguarding, and sustainable development pathways.

As CEO of the Premier Kabaddi League, Prem leads the UK’s first elite Kabaddi competition, combining high-performance sport with reinvestment into grassroots delivery. A committed advocate for race equality in sport, he regularly contributes to national policy discussions, conferences, and system-change initiatives, driven by a belief that sport should reflect, serve, and empower the communities it represents.

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Craig Flindall

Strategy Director, Warwickshire County Cricket Club

Craig is a visionary sports executive with a proven history of successful leadership in dynamic sports-related environments, with expertise and success in strategy development, financial acumen, masterplanning and delivering tangible business outcomes. With a demonstrated ability to drive meaningful change and embrace evolving landscapes, his approach emphasises working collaboratively with diverse stakeholder groups to inform effective, strategic decision-making.

He is currently Strategy Director at the iconic Warwickshire County Cricket Club (WCCC) and Edgbaston stadium which delivers £35m of annual economic value and supports 1,000 full time jobs from the 400,000 visitors it hosts every year. Within his role, Craig looks after the Stadium Masterplan and has successfully delivered the first two phases, including a new £32m pavilion, entrance piazza and 375 Built to Rent apartments. This work has now moved onto the £46m phase 3, including new stands, concourse areas and a 146 bed Radisson RED hotel which is due to open ahead of the 2027 Ashes series.

In addition, Craig is a Director of Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred competition and led the project work to execute the recent investment by Knighthead Capital.

Craig joined WCCC from Corporate Finance at EY having originally qualified as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG. He lives in Solihull and is a keen sporting enthusiast with running, cricket, golf and football being his main sporting passions. He is Vice Chair of the Derby County FC Supporters Board.

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Chris White

Chief Advisor, Manufacturing Technology Centre

Chris was the MP for Warwick and Leamington 2010-17. He served on the International Development and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committees and is the author of the Social Value Act.

Since leaving Parliament, Chris has worked at King’s College London and Loughborough University, and is now the Chief Advisor at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, based in Coventry.

He has recently been appointed by the Mayor of the West Midlands to be Chair of the Growth Taskforce and, amongst other roles, is also a Governor of the Warwick Schools Foundation.

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