Chamber appoints new chief executive

Henrietta Brealey has been appointed the youngest chief executive in the 208-year history of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC).

She succeeds Paul Faulkner who, after six years in the position, is joining the Richardson family businesses. Ms Brealey, aged 30, was recently appointed chief strategy officer following five years as director of policy and strategic relations.

Her work at the forefront of the Chamber’s campaigns around Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic has been acclaimed by many stakeholders at regional and national levels and she has also provided in-depth support for Chamber patrons, the top tier of membership.

Ms Brealey said: “Paul has been a fantastic CEO of the Chamber and ambassador for the business community. He leaves big shoes to fill and I look forward to stepping up in April and continuing to drive the organisation, and the support and services we deliver for businesses, ever further forwards.

“It’s been 12 months like no other. In this critical moment, I look forward to continuing to work with our members and partners across the sectors to both stand up for local businesses’ interests through challenge and change and ensure that they are best positioned to tap into opportunities - locally and globally.

“It will be a real privilege to lead our talented colleagues here at Team Chamber. This is a proud institution with a long and influential history of being in business for local businesses. I am excited to take up this opportunity to navigate it through this next era.”

David Waller, chairman of the GBCC, said: “We are thrilled to name Henrietta as chief executive and her energy and drive speaks volumes for the direction the Chamber continues to head. Business support needs to be at the cutting edge with views on developments in the structural, strategic and cultural world of today and Henrietta is ideally suited to pick up that broad role.

“She will be perfect for continuing the leadership Paul has developed over the past six years, during which the reach, impact and  influence of the Chamber has grown remarkably.

“I would also like to express the gratitude of the board, membership, stakeholders and staff for Paul’s magnificent work over the past six years. He has set a firm foundation from which Henrietta and the team at the Chamber will be able to develop further.”

GBCC president Steve Allen said: “This is a richly deserved appointment for Henrietta. She has led the way in providing Chamber support for businesses in her position as chief strategy officer and policy director before that. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, she has ensured that informing, practically supporting and giving local businesses a voice are first and foremost in our work. 

“While some of that has been very visible, much more negotiation and engagement with stakeholders has taken place behind the scenes. I know her approach to really listening too, and caring about, the needs of our members and building trusted relationships with stakeholders make her the perfect person to lead the organisation moving forwards.”

Ms Brealey first joined the Chamber as a policy assistant in 2012 while completing her studies at the University of Birmingham. She went on to gain an MSc (Distinction) in Public Management 2012-2013 and a BA (hons) (1st Class) in English Literature 2009-2012.

She held the roles of policy adviser and policy and patron adviser before leaving in 2015 to join the National Housing Federation as external affairs manager for the West Midlands. She returned to the Chamber later that year in the newly-created role of director of policy and strategic relationships, making her one of the youngest directors in the Chamber’s history.

In 2018 she was appointed to the GBCC board as an executive director and earlier this year she was named chief strategy officer.