Suzie Branch-Haddow - 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 Suzie Branch-Haddow, our BYPY winner from 2009.
Suzie is a relationship maker who is passionate about connecting people together to achieve shared visions particularly in relation to improving opportunities for all. She is a proud mum to a young boy with learning disabilities who is in particularly non-speaking, who is also showing her to look at the world differently. Suzie is driven to convene and work with others to provide better opportunities for all those with disabilities.
She is also driven by actively playing a civic and commercial role within the West Midlands to support the region to thrive economically and socially and actively pursues this through current non-executive and voluntary positions in business, gender representation and disability.
Suzie is also our winner of the President's Award at the Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards 2024.
Read below to find out how winning BYPY felt for Suzie...
What category did you win?
I won the Marketing and Communications Category and the overall BYPY winner in 2009.
Tell us about yourself…
I am Vice Principal of External Development at Birmingham Metropolitan College, where I lead all external-facing activities.
I also serve as Chair of Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire, a collaborative network of colleges and training providers working together to bridge the gap between education and the regional business community.
In addition to my college and regional roles, I am a proud member of the Council for Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and a Regional Council member for the CBI (Confederation of British Industry), contributing my expertise to shape regional business strategy and economic growth.
An entrepreneur at heart, I founded my first business at the age of 24, offering marketing and PR consultancy to the professional services and education sectors. In 2013, I moved into Further Education, where I combined my passion for business with my commitment to supporting young people into successful careers.
My dedication to the region’s professional community has been widely recognised. I was the proud recipient of the Future Faces President’s Award in 2024 for my support of young professionals and was named Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year in 2009 for my contributions.
Outside of work, I am a volunteer Enterprise Advisor at Rigby Hall Special School in Bromsgrove, where my son is a pupil. I am passionate about creating better opportunities for young people with disabilities and supporting parents and carers in their career journeys.
At home, I enjoy a busy family life with my husband, my son, three step-adult children, a step-granddaughter, and a lively springer spaniel. I love nothing more than outdoor adventures with my son, spending time with my extended family, or simply unwinding in nature. Gardening, swimming, reading, and laughter are my favourite ways to relax and recharge.
Where were you working for at the time of winning your award?
At the time of winning my award I was working and running a small marketing and communications SME as a founding partner.
What does your career look like now?
As Vice Principal of External Development, I lead all outward-facing activity at the college. My work spans business development, apprenticeship recruitment, work experience, income diversification, stakeholder engagement, marketing, and schools liaison—building strong connections between the college, employers, and the wider community.
Transitioning from running a small SME to working in a large organisation and a different sector was a big shift, but there are clear similarities between my current role and the one I held when I won BYPY. At the heart of it all, I’ve always been a “relationship maker.” Connecting people to drive shared goals—especially around improving opportunities for all—has been the common thread throughout my career, and it’s what continues to inspire me every day.
What did winning BYPY do for your career? Have you had any other big achievements or award wins since?
Winning BYPY completely changed my career—there’s no doubt about it! I’ve said it many times, but it honestly changed my life. I wouldn’t be in the role I have now without it. One of my favourite moments since then was receiving the Future Faces President’s Award in 2024—it was such a surprise, but incredibly humbling and truly appreciated.
Why should people apply for GBYPY?
Because you just don’t know where it might take you – it totally opened my eyes to new opportunities, helped me build new connections and also see things in completely different ways!
How did winning BYPY feel?
Absolutely awesome! I still remember the feeling of complete shock on hearing my name and then the unbelievable feeling of having a room of over 700 people celebrating with me!
