Each of the new Deputy Lieutenants has already made a significant contribution to their local communities, national life, or both. Their backgrounds span community and charitable work, education, healthcare, major events and business - reflecting the breadth of talent and commitment found throughout the region.
The appointments bring the number of Deputy Lieutenants supporting the Lord-Lieutenant, as His Majesty The King’s personal representative in the West Midlands, to 77.
The duties of Deputy Lieutenants include supporting official royal visits, representing the Lieutenancy at citizenship ceremonies in each local authority area, supporting the Armed Forces — particularly reserve and cadet forces — and encouraging charitable and voluntary activity, alongside local initiatives that benefit communities.
They will also help promote nominations for the Honours system, The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, The King’s Award for Enterprise and the Young Active Citizen’s Award as well as assisting with a wide range of civic, cultural and social initiatives across the region’s local authorities of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton .
The Lord-Lieutenant said the appointments recognised the outstanding service each individual had given in improving opportunities and making a positive difference to the lives of others across the West Midlands.
“Each of these new Deputy Lieutenants brings a wealth of experience, dedication and commitment to public service. They represent the very best of the West Midlands — a place defined by strong communities, generosity, innovation and civic pride. I am delighted to welcome them to our team of enthusiastic and committed Deputy Lieutenants and look forward to the important contribution they will make across the region in the years ahead.”
The new Deputy Lieutenants are: (full biographies appear below)
Amrik S Bhabra MBE (Coventry) - Founder and Strategic Director of ADECS Maple Limited and Chief Executive Officer of the Nishkam Civic Association.
Professor Simon Brake (Coventry) - Chief Innovation and Engagement Officer & Group Lead for Research and Development at SWUFT NHS Group at Warwick Medical School.
Henriette Breukelaar (Birmingham) - Regional Director for the West Midlands at the Canal and River Trust, and Trustee of the Birmingham Hospice.
Martin Brostoff (Solihull) - General Counsel at the Boparan Group and Chairman of Trustees for Birmingham Jewish Community Care.
Dr Sarb Clare (Sandwell) - Acute Medical Consultant who clinically led the transition to the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Birmingham and current President of the West Midlands Physicians Association.
Paula Deas MBE (Coventry) - Deputy Chief Executive and Operations Director of Coventry and Warwickshire Business Partnerships for Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council and former Chief Executive Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Paul Faulkner (Birmingham) - co-founder of his own advisory business, Element45, Vice-Chairman of Barclays Bank in the Midlands and former CEO of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.
Garry Perry (Sandwell) - Associate Director for Patient Experience at the Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare Trust Group and former Mayor, Deputy Leader and Leader of Walsall Council.
Professor Zoe Radnor (Solihull) - Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at Aston University having held the positions of Pro Vice-Chancellor Global Academic Hubs and Pro Vice-Chancellor for the College of Business and Social Sciences.
Nicola Turner MBE (Birmingham) - Chief Executive of United by 2022, the legacy charity born from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The new appointments bring the total of Deputy-Lieutenants in the West Midlands to 77. Deputy Lieutenants retire from their role at the age of 75. The number of DLs is proportional to the population of the Lieutenancy area, the West Midlands being the second largest lieutenancy in the country with a population of more than 3 million.
