Chamber's youngest chief in 208-year history

Henrietta Brealey succeeds Paul Faulkner, who, after six years in the position, is joining the Richardson family businesses in Oldbury.

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 and she has also provided in-depth support for Chamber patrons

“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.

“I love this city region and working with the businesses that sit at the heart of what makes it such as great place to live, work and do business.

“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," she said.

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.”

Ms Brealey first joined the chamber as a policy assistant in 2012 while completing her studies at the University of Birmingham.

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.