The work of the Observatory is directed by a Partnership Board that draws representation from across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Having a diverse board ensures our research links effectively to the needs of policy makers in the West Midlands.
Chair of West Midlands Regional Observatory Board
Richard Hyde is CEO of Brian Hyde Ltd, a hand tool distributor that was a previous winner of West Midlands SME of year. He is a non-executive director of Centro, the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority that handles a million passengers a day. He is Deputy Chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, a charity that manages, for the nation, one of the most important and popular heritage tourist attractions in the country. He was previously Deputy Chairman of Advantage West Midlands, the West Midlands regional development agency.
Members of the West Midlands Regional Observatory Board
Louise Bennett
Chief Executive
Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce
Louise's career has spanned both the private and public sector including Chambers of Commerce, the National Health Service and the retail industry. She has also undertaken lecturing on the Masters in Business Administration and run her own small business.
Louise is a graduate with a first class honors degree, is a qualified Human Resource practitioner and has a Masters in Business Administration.
Louise is a Board member of C&W Chamber, CW Chamber Training, Broad Horizons, Coventry Solihull & Warwickshire Partnership, Employment & Skills Board, Coventry Partnership, Warwickshire Public Service Board and Chair of Warwickshire Local Area Agreement.
Claire Edwards
Team Leader, Natural England
Regional Data & Intelligence Network Board Representative
Claire Edwards works for Natural England as the Regional Geographic Information Development Co-ordinator, overseeing GI within the West Midlands. She represents the wider Regional Data and Intelligence Network on the Board.
Richard Hutchins
Deputy Chief Executive, Advantage West Midlands
As Deputy Chief Executive, Richard Hutchins is responsible for leading Advantage West Midlands’ work in economic development.
The Economic Development Directorate focuses on the key areas of Enterprise, Business Support, Manufacturing, Access to Finance, Innovation, and Trade and Investment.
Prior to his role at Advantage West Midlands, he was an academic at Imperial College (Wye) and Newcastle University, where he researched, lectured and consulted in food marketing. Richard joined Advantage West Midlands in 2003 as Corporate Director for Skills and Sustainable Development.
Dave Marr
Deputy Regional Director, Sustainable Futures
Government Office for the West Midlands
Dave is Deputy Regional Director for the Government Office's Sustainable Futures Directorate, which deals with a wide range of thematic work from environment to regional policy. He is also the senior area lead for Coventry, responsible for identifying Government Office priorities for the city and a board member for both the West Midlands Regional Observatory and RegenWM.
Sharon Palmer
Chief Executive, Regional Action West Midlands
Sharon is Chief Executive for Regional Action West Midlands, having previously held the post of Deputy Director, and that of Policy & Research Co-ordinator since 2001. Sharon represents the community and voluntary sector on our board.
Sharon previously worked for Save the Children Fund on development issues both at home and overseas, Birmingham and Walsall local authorities and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Rose Poulter
Director of Policy
West Midlands Councils
Rose is Director of Policy for West Midlands Councils, which brings together all 33 local authorites in the West Midlands. One of the main aims of West Midlands Councils is to bring both the focus and the mechanisms for working together at a sub-regional or regional level where a collective aproach will bring about economic, social and environmental prosperity and drive added value.
Jammi Rao
Deputy Regional Director of Public Health
Department of Health, West Midlands
Jammi is a public health physician with 25 years' experience of the NHS. After training in clinical paediatrics and then in public health he worked as an NHS consultant, then spent fours years as a director of public health for a primary care trust before taking up his present post.
His present areas of responsibility include oversight of the public health information and intelligence function, local area agreements, alcohol harm reduction, and sustainable development in NHS organisations and implementation in the West Midlands of the recently published NHS carbon reduction strategy.
Jammi is a passionate advocate for the use of high quality research evidence in developing and implementing public policy.
Richard Riley
Executive Officer
Universities West Midlands
Richard is the Executive Officer for Universities West Midlands, which supports the Vice Chancellors and Principals of the 13 Universities and University Colleges in the West Midlands.
Richard was previously Regional Director of the Contact Knowledge Exchange and Corporate Development Director at Birmingham City University. Richard's earlier academic career included a six year period as Head of the School of Computer Science and Information Management and Associate Dean roles in business development and external affairs.
Steve Sawbridge
Regional Director, Association of Colleges – West Midlands
Representing the further education sector
Steve Sawbridge is Regional Director for the Association of Colleges in the West Midlands. Based at Wolverhampton Science Park, the Association represents the interests of 47 general further education, sixth form and specialist colleges in the West Midlands, and promotes their contribution to the region's economic and social wellbeing.
Prior to joining the Association of Colleges in June 2007, Steve was Head of Strategic Partnerships at the Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning.
Martin See
DIEA Manager (Midlands), The Environment Agency
Regional Data & Intelligence Network Board Representative
Martin is Environment Planning Manager (Data, Information and Environmental Assessment) with the Environment Agency's Midlands Region. He oversees development of the Agency's environmental evidence base to inform their strategic planning.
Martin represents the wider Regional Data & Intelligence Network on the Board and is currently Chair of the Environment Group at the Observatory.
Peter Shearer
Director, Business Partnership Unit, Aston University
Representing Business Voice West Midlands
Peter is Director of the Business Partnership Unit at Aston University, developing and managing the university's strategic links with business and the public sector across the West Midlands. This includes commercial deals involving university research, technology and knowledge transfer to companies; intellectual property and spin-out companies; European and regional funding opportunities; and leading the university's involvement with initiatives in areas such as innovation, science, skills, regeneration and growth of knowledge-based businesses.
Ken Taylor
Representing West Midlands Councils
Cllr Ken Taylor became Leader of Coventry city council in June 2004. He has been a councillor for the Earlsdon ward in Coventry for 18 years, and leader of the Conservative group at the council since 2003. From 2002 to 2003 he was also Lord Mayor of the city.
Ken has lived in Coventry since 1972, working for a number of multi-national companies such as Nestle and ICI in sales management positions. From 1990 until he became leader of the council, he was the Conservative party agent for Coventry's three parliamentary constituencies.
Richard Wilson
Head of the West Midlands Quality Institute
Regional Data & Intelligence Network Board Representative
Richard is Head of the West Midlands Quality Institute, an organisation informing quality improvements in the NHS.
Richard was involved in the creation of the Public Health Observatories, and the West Midlands A&E surveillance centre. His recent work interests included migration and populations, social marketing, scenario generation and information systems for quantitative and qualitative data.
Richard represents the wider Regional Data & Intelligence Network on the Board and is currently Chair of the Population & Society Group at the Observatory.