Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business

Become a Brumbassador and carry on the conversation. -- Over the past decade, Greater Birmingham’s economy has grown from £44.7bn to £71.2bn. But what needs to happen to keep it growing over the next 10 years? This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Birmingham Economic Review, produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. To mark it, the Chamber’s head of policy, Emily Stubbs, is joined by Taj Lalli, corporate finance partner and head of automotive at Bishop Fleming, to discuss the city-region's economy. Taj is the son of a pub landlord who grew up in inner-city Birmingham, and he has spent 25 years in the city’s professional community. He shares his view of an economy that is “more diverse than it’s ever been”, from advanced manufacturing to professional services and the creative industries. In this episode: • Birmingham's economy today • Getting it right for the next decade • Business confidence - stability, costs and exports • Helping businesses start, scale and succeed • Connecting young people with opportunity • The 2026 Birmingham Economic Summit -- More from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Sign up to the Greater Birmingham Business News daily newsletter. Follow on LinkedIn and Instagram. More from STEAMhouse Visit the STEAMhouse website. Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Become a Brumbassador and carry on the conversation. -- What makes Birmingham great? According to two of the city’s best-known champions, it’s the people and their stories. In this episode of Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Henrietta Brealey is joined by Anita Bhalla and PJ Ellis. Anita’s career has taken her from award-winning journalist, broadcaster and BBC leader to one of Birmingham’s most influential civic champions. She chairs B:Music - the company that operates both the Town Hall and Symphony Hall - and Birmingham City University. PJ has had a varied career as a lawyer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, broadcaster and event host. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio WM, chair of the Lord Mayor of Birmingham's Charity and co-creator of the Wit+Grit Podcast. In this episode: Anita's role in founding the BBC Asian Network PJ's philanthropic work - including co-founding LoveBrum Why Birmingham is “like a comfortable aunt” and how to sum up the city’s culture Hidden heroes and the Brummies who inspired them What they'd change about the city if they had a magic wand A taste test of the Brummie bacon cake from B:Eats at Symphony Hall -- More from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Sign up to the Greater Birmingham Business News daily newsletter. Follow on LinkedIn and Instagram. More from STEAMhouse Visit the STEAMhouse website. Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Become a Brumbassador and carry on the conversation. -- How well does the media tell Birmingham’s story, and how can the city’s businesses make better use of it? In this episode of Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business, BBC Radio WM presenter Ed James and broadcaster and journalist Marverine Cole join Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce's head of media and communications Dan Harrison to take a look at the state of Birmingham’s media sector. They discuss how the media landscape has changed during their careers, the roles of local journalism, independent producers and digital creators, and what key investments from organisations such as the BBC mean for the future. They also assess whether Birmingham is fairly represented by the national media, how the city can promote itself with confidence without ignoring its challenges, and how it can attract, develop and keep media talent. In this episode: Ed and Marverine on how the city has shaped their careers Their routes into broadcasting and how the opportunities compare with today The challenges and opportunities within the city's media sector BBC's new headquarters and partnership with Birmingham City University Is Birmingham represented fairly by the national media? How the city can tell its story better Advice for building a media career in Birmingham -- More from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Sign up to the Greater Birmingham Business News daily newsletter. Follow on LinkedIn and Instagram. More from STEAMhouse Visit the STEAMhouse website. Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Become a Brumbassador and carry on the conversation. -- The second episode of Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business focuses on technology in Birmingham. With Birmingham Tech Week approaching (19–23 October), the GBCC's deputy CEO Raj Kandola is joined by Jason Sahota, chair of TechWM, and Professor Hanifa Shah, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, Enterprise, Engagement and STEAM at Birmingham City University, to explore the strengths — and the gaps — in Birmingham's tech ecosystem. They discuss why the region excels in med tech, fintech and professional services tech, why "scale-up" is the missing piece compared with the US, and why a single physical hub for founders — like Austin or Paris — could change the game. In this episode: Birmingham's tech ecosystem - strengths and specialisms BCU's Future Founders Fund Why 'scale-up' is the region's real challenge Birmingham Tech Week - what it is and how it's evolved Support available for SMEs and founders Why Birmingham needs a physical "nucleus" for tech -- More from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Sign up to the Greater Birmingham Business News daily newsletter. Follow on LinkedIn and Instagram. More from STEAMhouse Visit the STEAMhouse website. Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Become a Brumbassador and carry on the conversation. -- Welcome to the first ever episode of Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business - the podcast championing Birmingham, brought to you by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and Steam House. In this first episode, the GBCC's CEO Henrietta Brealey is joined by Stuart Cain, chief executive at Edgbaston Stadium, and Alex Nicholson-Evans, city curator director behind Birmingham Light Festival, Birmingham Restaurant Festival and the new Birmingham Jewellery Biennial. Ahead of International Day of Birmingham on 24 September, Stuart and Alex share what's got them feeling bullish about the city right now - from the Jewellery Quarter's Worldcraft City status to Edgbaston's Ashes 2027 preparations and Birmingham's food scene. They also set out a simple call to action for every listener - share what you love about Birmingham and challenge anyone talking the city down. In this episode: What International Day of Birmingham is, where it came from, and what's on for 24 September What's got Stuart and Alex feeling bullish about Birmingham right now Birmingham's World Craft City status for jewellery and the new Jewellery Biennial Edgbaston's Ashes preparations and the new Radisson RED hotel Snack time - top picks from Birmingham's food scene -- More from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Sign up to the Greater Birmingham Business News daily newsletter. Follow on LinkedIn and Instagram. More from STEAMhouse Visit the STEAMhouse website. Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.