Business leaders pay tribute to retiring Midlands Crowe partner

More than 80 business leaders and public figures from across the Midlands gathered at an early summer networking party to pay tribute to retiring Crowe UK partner Johnathan Dudley.

Dudley is currently National Head of Corporate SME Business at Crowe and will have spent 38 years at the audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm by the time he retires at the end of this month.

Guests gathered for the event at Crowe’s Birmingham office at One Colmore Row included Cllr Zaker Choudhry, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, and former West Midlands elected mayor, Andy Street.

Ross Prince, managing partner of Crowe in the Midlands and South West, gave a speech paying tribute to Dudley’s commitment to helping businesses and business leaders across the region over the last four decades.

He explained how Dudley had always had a strong reputation across the region for his passion about manufacturing and its importance to the UK economy.

For many years, he has run a regular survey of manufacturers, using the output to develop the “Manifesto for Manufacturing” and to continue to lobby on the sector’s behalf.

Prince said: “Johnathan has had a long and distinguished career that has seen him stand up as a champion of those in the manufacturing sector, SMEs and family businesses.

“His strong advocacy and campaigning for businesses has helped so many manufacturers to develop new approaches and grow, at the same time providing leaders with the right data and insight to influence government decisions.

“He has basically been dedicated to helping people succeed, both clients and colleagues, and if we all do that as a business community, that will continue to make the whole region successful.

“It was great to get people together for an early summer networking event and at the same time gave everyone a chance to celebrate Johnathan’s long and impressive career.”

Jonathan was recently named “Business Ambassador 2026” at the Greater Birmingham Chamber Awards, and “Innovation Thought Leader (Individual)” at the 2025 Innovation Awards.

He said: “It was great to see so many people turn out to our summer cocktail party, and I was humbled to have so much focus on my forthcoming retirement.

“While I’ve always enjoyed speaking up for business, for manufacturing and our region, this has only ever been made possible by the support, expertise, skill and continued shared passion of everyone here at Crowe.

I’m supremely confident that the work and initiative will continue here, long after I’m gone.”

The event included entertaining refreshments from a cocktail mixologist and lively jazz music from a saxophonist.

Guests were invited to name the hand-painted bull sculpture that Crowe bought in last year’s Bulls in the City event in support of Birmingham Hospice, with the winning name of “Gary” drawn from a hat.

Gary will continue to stand sentinel at the firm’s Birmingham office, underpinning Crowe’s bullish outlook for the future of the Greater Birmingham region.

Pictured: From left - Ross Prince Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Birmingham and Johnathan Dudley

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