Quartet of new business partners

The women in leadership network, launched to support and celebrate women in senior roles, provides opportunities for peer-to-peer networking, information sharing and offers inspiring events to help strengthen women’s voices, whilst encouraging and inspiring successful women.

Sarah Moorhouse, the Black Country Chamber’s new chief executive, and former chairman of the women in leadership initiative, said, “We are really excited to be partnering with every one of these well-known and high-profile businesses.

“There is a great deal of alignment in our missions – fostering entrepreneurialism among women and encouraging innovation that benefits society, because we know when we create opportunities for women, we see the ripple effect benefit her family and her community.

“Visible role models are essential. Female entrepreneurs and women climbing the career ladder are more likely to be inspired by seeing other women succeed. This means it is important to give platforms to female founders and women leaders and celebrate their achievements.”

Leanne Hailstone, local director from HSBC UK said: “This is a great opportunity to support, educate and elevate women in the local community. We really need to give women the platform they need to step into opportunities in business and at a senior leader level and take away the barriers that have historically got in the way. Working on this initiative, with the chamber is a great step towards achieving this in the Black Country.”

Ginny Leonard, work winning director for Balfour Beatty said, “Balfour Beatty has made strides over the years in becoming a truly diverse and inclusive business and as we enter a golden age of infrastructure – with projects such as HS2 and Hinkley Point C underway – there has never been a better time to join us.

“That is why we are delighted to support the Women in Leadership panel, to highlight the plethora of exciting and fulfilling career opportunities available for women across Balfour Beatty and to showcase our fantastic industry as a whole.”

Lauren Tunnicliffe, senior manager for marketing and communications at the British Business Bank, said: “Highlighting female entrepreneurs and supporting diversity and inclusion is a key objective of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.

“Alongside the British Business Bank, our fund managers are also signatories to the Investing in Women Code, so we’re delighted to support the Black Country Women in Leadership campaign. In supporting, we hope we are able to highlight some of the funding options available to women in business in the region.

“MEIF has made some significant investments into female led businesses across the midlands to date and looks forward to continuing to do so.”

Emma Johnson, partner at Birmingham-based Forresters, said: “We are delighted to be asked to partner with the Black Country Women in Leadership campaign. Women remain underrepresented in leadership roles within the legal profession but at Forresters we are working hard to change that. I will be using this platform to encourage and inspire other women in business and to show them that there is a path to senior positions in their chosen careers.”

On becoming a women in leadership partner, the chamber’s collaboration with HSBC, Balfour Beatty, Midlands Engine Investment Fund and Forresters will help women working in the region with quarterly networking events and virtual webinars dedicated to supporting to women in business.

The first Women in Leadership event of 2023 will kick off at 12 noon on Friday, January 20 at the West Bromwich Albion football ground.

The chamber is inviting everyone to come along and meet its new CEO, Sarah Moorhouse, and hear from each of the business partners about how effective their business sector is in striving to support, educate, and elevate women in the business community and give them the platform to step into business opportunities and leadership roles.

The event, including a two-course lunch with tea or coffee, is £20 for chamber members and £25 for non-members.