James Farrow joins Midlands Leadership Awards’ judging panel
The judging panel for the Midlands Leadership Awards has today been revealed, with Curium Solutions’ director and co-founder James Farrow among the judges. The inaugural awards are being held at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham, on Thursday, November 15.
TheBusinessDesk.com has created the Midlands Leadership Awards to celebrate the people and organisations across the region who are role models for their teams and raise the bar for their competitors.
The shortlist will showcase the best qualities of modern leadership – of inspiration, collaboration and empowerment – and the winners will be revealed at an awards lunch. The entry deadline is Friday, September 14.
The Midlands Leadership Awards judging panel is:
- Anita Bhalla, chair, West Midlands Combined Authority Leadership Commission
- James Farrow, director, Curium Solutions
- Paul Faulkner, chief executive, Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
- Amanda Fletcher, managing director, The Nottinghamshire
- Mayank Shah, chief executive, Minority Supplier Development UK
- Mark Smith, executive director of business engagement at Aston University
- Katie Trout, director, Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP
- Alex Turner, joint managing director, TheBusinessDesk.com
Alex Turner, joint managing director of TheBusinessDesk.com, said: “Our judges, who are all leaders in their own right, bring a wide range of experience and knowledge. Their contributions will be vital in making sure the shortlist and winners represent the very best from across the Midlands.”
Change consultancy Curium Solutions are the headine sponsors of the awards, which are also being supported by Pertemps, MHA MacIntyre Hudson, Aston University and Future Faces Chamber of Commerce.
The award categories
The Leadership awards offer a great opportunity to recognise and showcase the achievements and success of businesses in the region. The 2018 Leadership awards are:
Young Leader – sponsored by Aston University
This award recognises the best leader aged under 35 (on December 1, 2018) for their ability to make a real difference in their organisation by bringing about positive change and inspiring others around them.
Best Leadership Programme
Successful companies know that leaders can be developed internally, not just hired externally. This award will go to the company or organisation that has delivered significant improvements through its successful leadership programme.
Empowering Potential – sponsored by Future Faces Chamber of Commerce
This award is for the leader who has inspired and developed people, unlocking potential they may never have known they had. The winning candidate will have helped their team or people in their team to beat their own expectations of themselves and/or the expectations of others.
Diversity and Inclusion Leader
Increasingly organisations are embracing the benefits of having a diverse workforce at every level and in creating an environment where everyone has a voice. The Diversity and Inclusion leader of the year will be the individual who has championed diversity and inclusion, whether inside their organisation or as part of an outside group or initiative, and worked to improve the opportunities for any under-represented group.
Public and Third Sector
The public and third sectors have been under pressure in recent years, requiring its leaders to be innovative and achieve more with less. This has required leaders who can overcome challenges, often under close scrutiny, and drive cultural change in their organisation.
Professional Services
The professional services leader of the year will be the individual who is showing strong leadership and having an impact in their firm or further afield.
Transformational Leader
Delivering change requires a well-executed plan, but to deliver transformational change requires the added magic ingredient of exceptional leadership. This award will recognise the individual who has achieved that, delivering measurable success in their organisation.
Company Leader (up to 100 employees) – sponsored by Pertemps
Leading small companies presents its own challenges, often requiring flexibility and a personal touch. This award will go to the best leader in a Midlands company which employs up to 100 people.
Company Leader (100+ employees) – sponsored by MHA MacIntrye Hudson
Leadership in a larger company requires effort to ensure the company direction and vision is managed and communicated, often across shifts, sites and even countries. This award will go to the best leader in an organisation which employs more than 100 people.
Leader of the Year – sponsored by Curium Solutions
This person will be selected from the other award winners and will be the person or organisation that embodies outstanding leadership and is an exemplar for the Midlands.
How to enter
Entrants should complete the entry form and return the forms to leadership@thebusinessdesk.com. The deadline for entries is Friday, September 14 2018.
Great leadership can also be demonstrated through roles with other bodies where the individual is championing the region, sector or under-represented groups.
Leadership happens throughout an organisation so applicants can be from anywhere in the organisation. At its core leadership is about mindset and behaviour, not always hierarchy.
