Ruth Pipkin- Looking back on 25 years of BYPY

Photo credit: Birmingham Post

This year, we are celebrating 25 years of the iconic BYPY Awards. The awards highlight the exceptional talent and skills of young professionals across Greater Birmingham, while also giving the overall winners the chance to open doors in their careers that they might not otherwise have been able to open.

As part of these celebrations, we spoke to the overall winners of the awards, dating right back to the very first winner in 2001 to last year's winner.

Meet Ruth Pipkin, our 2006 BYPY winner.

Ruth is an experienced managing director with a demonstrated history of working in the public relations and communications industry. A strong business development professional, Ruth is skilled in event management, media relations, corporate and crisis communications, marketing, and digital marketing.

Read below to find out how winning BYPY felt for Ruth...

What category did you win?

I won the Marketing and Communications category and overall winner in 2006.

Tell us about yourself..

Born and raised in Buckinghamshire, I came to the Midlands to study history at the University of Birmingham, fell in love with the city and made it my home.

I have over 25 years’ experience in marketing and communications, having worked both in-house for the Home Office and in-agency before setting up Rewired in 2008.

I take the lead on strategy, crisis communications and stakeholder management for our clients, across both consumer and B2B. I am focused on achieving growth for the business whilst keeping the magic that makes Rewired special.

I’m a non-executive board director of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and chair of the board of trustees at University of Birmingham Guild of Students.

Where were you working for at the time of winning your award?

I headed up a small agency called Neon, a sister company to WPR.

What does your career look like now?

I am now co-owner and managing director of Rewired. I have run my own business now for 17 years and still feel as excited and ambitious about it as I did on day one. For the last 8 years I have run Rewired with my business partner, Harj Millington, and we both share a common vision to grow the agency and deliver the very best for our team and our clients. 

Outside of my role at Rewired, I really enjoy my non-executive and trustee roles and hope I can use my experience to benefit wider organisations and communities across the region.

What did winning BYPY do for your career? Have you had any other big achievements or award wins since?

Winning BYPY was a huge shot of confidence that started me on my journey to setting up my own business. It opened the door to so many influential people in the city who helped me to build my network and opened up opportunities for me, such as joining the Trustee Board at Birmingham Hippodrome.

That in turn opened my eyes to joining wider boards and organisations to share my skills and experience in addition to broadening my own experiences and outlook.

Why should people apply for GBYPY?

It’s so important to celebrate the contribution of young professionals to our city and region, not only in the work they are doing day to day, but also in the wider impact they make.

Applying to GBPY is an opportunity to shine a light on that success and to turbo charge your career through recognition, an expanded network, and the platform to express what really matters to you about the city, its communities and the sector you work in.

How did winning BYPY feel?

Winning BYPY was a huge surprise but an even bigger opportunity that has been truly lifechanging.