IoD Midlands Spring

Keep up to date at www.iod.com/westmids and at www.iod.com/east-midlands
News
I’m proud of the IoD’s role
in the Covid-19 response
Brian Hall
Chair, IoD West Midlands
Hello, and welcome to the Spring issue of
the IoD Midlands Magazine.
I hope you and your teams are faring
well as – fingers crossed – we near the end
of restrictions and look forward to some
sunnier times ahead.
It goes without saying it has been an
incredibly tough period for everyone, and
many have suffered grievously, through
human losses or financial ones created by
the lockdowns. But it’s hard not to feel
that the end is within our grasp and if we
hold our resolve, by summer we could be
viewing society as operating far closer to
normal.
During this past year the demands
placed on the IoD have been immense,
but I am very proud of all that we have
achieved. We’ve had to change the way
we work and how we serve our members,
but I’ve been pleased with the result and
what we have been able to offer. We
worked collaboratively across the region,
with the Mayor, the Midlands Engine and
with Chambers of Commerce, to make the
business case to power and ensure that
necessary support mechanisms were in
place. When the Government was looking
to understand the needs of business at the
start of the pandemic, the West Midlands
was a leading contributor to the IoD’s
response, and our suggestions helped
formulate Government business recovery
and employee funding packages.
The West Midlands has also been
instrumental in the creation of a new IoD
Export Group to help businesses looking
to trade overseas, and led the challenge to
insurers over how they were interpreting
business interruption insurance policies.
Throughout our engagement with
members it was clear that business leaders
understood the nature of the crisis and
their role within it, and while shutting
operations down and furloughing staff
was painful, it was necessary. All they asked
in return was clear information from which
they could make informed decisions.
Away from the bigger picture of a
national response, other parts of the IoD’s
membership service have also flourished.
I know from my own contacts with
members that many of you have used the
06
IoD’s legal and tax helplines during this
challenging time, as you looked to
understand the options available to your
businesses – with one member describing
the help he received as “simply brilliant”
– while the IoD research team has been
kept busy with inquiries.
What next?
However, now we are edging towards
the end of the crisis, what next? It’s clear
directors want to reconnect with the wider
business community. We are hopeful that
by summer we will have in place a full
schedule of events – both virtual and in
person – as well as a comprehensive diary
of local professional development
programmes. I’m sure I’m not the only
one who is looking forward to meeting up
once more.
To help you reconnect, we have
made some changes to the
branch structure of IoD West
Midlands over the past 12
months, to bring it closer to
its members and position it
to better match your
regional needs. You will see
details of this in this
magazine. First, on pg 5 we
introduce Andy Wilkinson, the
new chair of our city branch, IoD
Greater Birmingham. In many ways
Andy typifies the IoD membership in the
region: ambitious, digitally savvy and
youthful, brimming with ideas and driven
by a desire to make his business more
successful.
His branch is one of four that now
covers the West Midlands, alongside
Coventry & Warwickshire, Worcester &
“It was clear that business leaders
understood the nature of the crisis
and their role within it, and while
shutting operations down and
furloughing staff was painful,
it was necessary...”
More on IoD
membership
benefits, including
the information
service and tax and
legal helplines, see
pages 10-11
the Marches and the Black Country and
Staffordshire.
Second, our drive for IoD Ambassadors
continues, with a number of high-profile
appointments made. These hugely
experienced men and women are our
figureheads to whom you can turn for
guidance and advice on a host of issues
affecting your business.
You will also notice a call to arms for
more members to come forward and help
lead the IoD. There are more ambassador
roles available if you wish to contribute.
See more, from pg 28.
Finally, there is one more role we are
looking to fill: my own. My term of office
expires this summer and the search is on
for my successor. Whoever takes on the
role will be very fortunate; I’ve had a
marvellous time, despite the shadows
of first Brexit and then Covid
peering over my shoulder
throughout. It’s certainly
made it challenging – but
nevertheless, hugely
enjoyable. The best part
has been getting out and
about, meeting members
and hearing their stories
about leading their
businesses and how much
they achieved.
Hopefully, the new chair will take
over with Covid retreating in the rear view
mirror, with exciting opportunities on the
horizon such as the Commonwealth
Games and new opportunities for
overseas trade and exports through an
outward-looking ‘Global Britain.’
I look forward to introducing that
person to you in the summer issue.
www.iod.com/emidlandsevents