Our team

A former Lord Mayor of Birmingham and senior City Councillor, Sir Bernard has enjoyed a busy political and business career. He led the team which developed the International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall, and was instrumental in the development of Millennium Point.

Sir Bernard has been Chairman of the Alexandra Theatre, a Director of the BRMB radio station, and is a Trustee of the CBSO Benevolent Fund. He was the first Chairman of the Birmingham Convention and Visitor Bureau (now Marketing Birmingham), and served as Chairman for a range of local authority committees.

Sir Bernard continues to serve as Non-Executive Chairman for a number of Midland and London companies including CDI Group Ltd, Advantage Business Angels, Cerebrum Ltd and AbbeyQC Ltd. He is also a member of the Appeal Council at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire and a Patron of the Marie Curie Hospice, which is under development in Solihull.

He was the winner of the first IOD Midlands Non-Executive Director of the Year Award.

Sir Bernard started writing in 2002 when he published his first book, “Knight out with Chamberlain”. Ruth Pipkin first met Sir Bernard during her studies at Birmingham University when she worked as a researcher on the book. His second book, “Herzl’s Journey” was published in 2008.  It is now being made into a feature film.

Sir Bernard is a Freeman of The City of London and was knighted for public and political services in the New Year’s Honours of 1996. He received an Hon LLD (Birmingham University) in 1997 and an Hon DUniv (Birmingham City University) in 2000.