Business Commission West Midlands
The Business Commission West Midlands explores the key challenges and opportunities facing the region and sets out practical recommendations to help businesses start, scale and thrive.
The leading voice of the Greater Birmingham business community since 1813
Through research, advocacy and direct engagement with decision-makers, we turn real-time business insight into action—ensuring the voice of Greater Birmingham businesses shapes the policies and decisions that matter most. We keep our members informed of key policy and legislative changes, while championing their views to create the right environment for businesses to start, scale and succeed.
Our independent research informs decision-making at local, regional and national levels, while giving businesses the insight, clarity and confidence they need to understand the market, plan ahead and make informed decisions.
Advocacy
We champion the interests of businesses across Greater Birmingham, ensuring their voice is heard by local, regional and national decision-makers.
By engaging with policymakers and stakeholders, we help shape the conversations and decisions that affect our business community, influencing policy on the issues that matter most to our members.
Staffordshire Gateway Growth Panel
The panel is led by business, for business, working to identify opportunities for growth and influence the decisions that will support the long-term success of the Staffordshire Gateway economy.
Research
As the trusted voice of business since 1813, we deliver research that helps businesses, policymakers and stakeholders understand the opportunities and challenges shaping our region.
Through regular surveys, economic analysis and business insight reports, we provide an up-to-date picture of the Greater Birmingham economy, helping to inform decision-making, influence policy and support growth across the region.
Birmingham Economic Review
The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second city and a high-quality resource for informing research, policy and investment decisions.
Solihull Economic Snapshot
This report provides a snapshot of the economy of Solihull and insight into the real-world experiences of local firms.
West Midlands Quarterly Economic Snapshot
The Snapshot summarises the data collected from the quarterly economic surveys conducted by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce.
Briefings and Resources
We help businesses stay informed and prepared by providing timely updates on the policy decisions, legislative changes and emerging opportunities that could affect them. Our regular briefings and resources translate complex developments into clear, practical insights, helping businesses understand what changes mean for their organisation and make informed decisions with confidence.
Employment Rights Act
The Employment Rights Act represents a major set of updates to UK employment law designed to strengthen protections for workers and modernise workplace rights.
Cyber Local
By tapping into local know how, Cyber Local funds initiatives which support the growth of cyber security ecosystems, promote partnerships, and increase cyber security skills and careers opportunities.
Brumbassadors
Brumbassadors is a platform for amplifying good news and opportunities across business, culture and sport; the magic ingredients that make a great place to live, work and invest.
West Midlands and Warwickshire Local Skills Improvement Plan Progress Report June 2025
The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Policy Team has led the research and analysis underpinning the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for the West Midlands and Warwickshire, statutory documents funded by Skills England. Through collaboration with regional stakeholders, businesses and further education providers, the LSIPs aim to support delivery of skills provision to meet employer demand and facilitate regional growth.
Behind the Build: Software Development in the West Midlands
The Behind the Build report, a collaborative research initiative by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and local tech consultancy B13.ai, examines how West Midlands organizations approach software development and digital transformation.
Mastering the Future with Digital Skills
The Mastering the Future with Digital Skills report, a collaborative piece of research by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and Netcom Training convened insights on the current and future digital skills needs of over 550 employers across Greater Birmingham, Coventry & Warwickshire and the Black Country.
Latest Policy, Research & Advocacy News
The Policy & Strategic Relationships Team
The Chamber policy & strategic relationships team can be contacted about their work, sponsoring reports, commissioning research and participation in GBCC campaigns via the details below:
Raj Kandola
Raj Kandola is currently the acting Deputy CEO at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce supporting on the strategic and operational leadership of the organisation, ensuring continuity of executive functions, organisational performance and stakeholder engagement.
Previously Raj was Director of External Affairs tasked with covering the organisation’s research, campaigning, stakeholder engagement and media & communications activity. Specific policy areas of focus include transport & infrastructure, international trade, education and environmental policy. In addition, he is responsible for managing the organisation’s Patronage scheme and the GBCC’s media and news content operations, including external media engagement and production of the organisation’s print and online news material.
Raj is a member of the UCB Business School Advisory Board and a trustee of the charity United by 2022.
Prior to joining the Chamber in 2016, Raj worked in Communications for a former Shadow Minister and spent eight years in London recruiting staff across the financial services industry.
EMILY STUBBS
Emily Stubbs is Head of Policy at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, responsible for leading the strategic development of the Chamber’s policy, campaigns and research activity.
Most recently, Emily has authored the 2026 Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) for the West Midlands and Warwickshire, each a statutory document funded by Skills England. Through collaboration with regional stakeholders, businesses and further education providers, the LSIPs aim to support delivery of skills provision to meet employer demand and facilitate regional growth. Emily has lead the research and analysis underpinning both the West Midlands and Warwickshire LSIPs which featured insights from over 1,000 and 700 engagements with local employers respectively.
Prior to this, Emily co-authored the 2023 West Midlands and Warwickshire (joint) LSIP, and has authored annual Progress Reports, reflecting on the work undertaken by regional Chambers of Commerce, training providers and wider stakeholders to implement the recommendations of this Plan.
Emily also works with colleagues across the Chamber on the annual Birmingham Economic Review, produced by the Chambers in partnership with the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI, and on the delivery of bespoke business research projects investigating a wide-ranging topics, from transport connectivity to software development, producing high-quality resources for informing policy and investment decisions.
Within the Chamber, Emily is Co-Chair of the internal Business Growth Studio Curators Group, helping to shape the delivery of essential tools to help local SMEs thrive in today’s competitive landscape. She previously Chaired the Chamber’s internal AI and Digitalisation Working Group.
Prior to joining the Chamber in 2017 as a Policy and Patron Adviser focussing on education, employment and skills and business productivity, Emily graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Law. Emily is also an alumna of the Uprising Leadership Programme.
- Email:
- e.stubbs@birmingham-chamber.com:
- LinkedIn:
- https://linkedin.com/in/emily-stubbs/
JASON SIMPSON
Jason joined the Chamber as Patron Manager in June 2021 from Hampton Manor, home of Solihull’s first Michelin starred restaurant.
After achieving a degree in Hospitality Management at the University of Wolverhampton, Jason held a number of sales, marketing and management positions in the leisure, hospitality and Education sectors.
Jason has worked for TGI Friday’s, Esporta Health Clubs and more recently was introduced to Birmingham as sales manager at Hotel du Vin.
His roles at Hotel du Vin and Hampton Manor allowed Jason to build many strong relationships and connections to Birmingham businesses and was the perfect grounding for his role supporting the top tier of membership at the Greater Birmingham Chamber.
RUTH FLEET
Ruth Fleet joined the GBCC as Senior Policy Advisor in April 2025 to lead the policy and public affairs activity on the local and national economy, devolution, and innovation, including Artificial Intelligence and digitalisation. Ruth will be delivering research activities across these areas, with an initial focus on devolution in Staffordshire and the West Midlands Combined Authority, and international trade in the West Midlands.
Before joining the Chamber, Ruth worked across various roles in academic publishing, covering editorial, commissioning, and policy and external affairs. In her policy role, she supported a FTSE 100 business on issues such as AI and copyright, accessibility, and the Invest 2035 Industrial Strategy. She helped to raise the profile of the European Commission’s publishing platform, working closely with organisations like European Co-operation for Science and Technology, and was an advocate for open research practices.
Ruth holds a PhD in Hispanic Studies from the University of Sheffield, publishing her monograph on life writing by women political prisoners after the Spanish Civil War in 2021.
PAIGE BOWYER
Paige Bowyer joined the GBCC as a Policy and Research Analyst in September 2025. In this role, she conducts economic research and analysis to support the Chamber’s policy work and strengthen the voice of local businesses. Paige leads on the production of the Quarterly Business Report, sponsored by Birmingham City University, and the Quarterly Economic Snapshot, providing data-driven insights into business conditions and economic trends across the region. She also contributes to major research projects, including the Birmingham Economic Review, alongside wider research activity at the Chamber.
Paige holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Warwick, where she developed strong analytical and critical thinking skills that underpin her approach to economic research and policy analysis.
FRAN THOMAS
Fran is Policy Projects Coordinator at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), supporting the delivery of high-profile campaigns and initiatives designed to champion diverse business communities and drive growth across the region. This includes coordinating the Women Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition, which provides a platform for female founders to showcase their ideas to potential investors and collaborators, and managing the GBCC Black Business Collective, which fosters networking, visibility, and opportunities for Black-owned businesses. Fran project manages the Chambers’ Business Growth Studio campaign, supporting SMEs to scale and innovate, through the delivery of practical events and engaging accessible resources. She also contributes to the delivery of policy workload and wider GBCC campaigns, as well as working alongside Jason to support the GBCC Patronage programme.
Currently in the final year of a Project Management apprenticeship at Aston University, Fran brings together academic insight and hands-on experience to ensure the smooth and successful delivery of complex projects. Before joining GBCC, Fran gained extensive experience in administrative roles across both corporate and non-corporate settings, and spent over 10 years coaching competitive and recreational gymnastics, a role that honed her leadership, planning and organisational skills.
Fran’s mix of project management expertise, stakeholder engagement, and commitment to empowering others enables her to deliver initiatives that make a tangible difference to the region’s business landscape. Fran is passionate about continuous professional development and is committed to contributing to initiatives that drive inclusive economic growth.