James Villareal Is First From Entrepreneurial Category To Win Birmingham Young Professional Of The Year

James Villarreal, Chief Executive Officer of Glide Utilities, became the first contender from the Entrepreneurial category to win Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY) at the event’s 10th anniversary awards ceremony. James Villarreal, 24, won the Entrepreneurial category despite stiff competition from Moo Moo Youth Marketing Director Tim Nutbeam, who received a special commendation from the judges. He went on to beat fellow category winners from the Financial Services, Legal, Recruitment and Training, Property and Construction, and Communications sectors to receive the coveted BYPY crown. A panel of judges, chaired by Michelin starred chef Glynn Purnell, chose James Villarreal, who founded Glide Utilities in 2006 with business partner Sandeep Krishan. The pair offered a solution to splitting bills in shared accommodation by billing each tenant individually. The other winners on the night were Katie Banks of Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham, who came out on top in the Communications category; Simon O’Neill of Ernst & Young, who triumphed in the Financial category; Pinsent Masons’ Matthew Heaton, who beat off contenders in the Legal category; Paul Dalton from Mace Group who led the pack in the Property and Construction category; and Joel Graham-Blake from Cultiv8 Solutions who took the title for the Recruitment and Training category. The event, which took place at the ICC, also saw Bernard Shepherd, consultant at law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing, accept his award for Inspiring Leader 2010. Amanda Porter, chairman of Birmingham Future and senior solicitor at Mills & Reeve, said: “All of the judges were really impressed with James’s drive and his enthusiasm for enterprise. “He is a great role model for young people in the region and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does during his year as BYPY 2010. “There were some really talented finalists this year and the Entrepreneurial category was particularly impressive, which is why we decided to publicly commend a finalist who hadn’t won, for the first time in the awards’ history.” Darren Walker, chairman of the BYPY committee and an associate at law firm Cobbetts, said: “It is fitting that as BYPY celebrates its tenth anniversary we are also celebrating the first ever winner to come from the Entrepreneurial category. “The awards this year really were a night to remember and I’m excited about what could be in store for BYPY during the next ten years.”

BYPY raises £5,500 for Future Foundation

Thanks to all those who entered the raffle at the 10^th Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards (BYPY).  The total raised for the Future Foundation on the night was in excess of £4,500.

This was topped up with another £1,000 pledged by the BYPY judges’ table after David Neale of JNJ Financial Management offered to add an extra leg onto his epic bike ride to Geneva.  David Neale is completing the ride for SENSE, but has dedicated the Birmingham to London leg of the journey to the Future Foundation.

The winners of the raffle were:

Jackie Hendley, KPMG;

Hilary Chilton, Realise Innovation Consulting;

Tracey O’Neill, Ernst & Young;

Colette Gregory, Glide Utilities;

Tony Kwok, NHS;

Morag Jackson, UHB;

Amy Griffiths, HBJ Gateley Wareing;

Ian Burrows, Brewin Dolphin;

Mike McMahon, Harvey Ingram;

Shirley Wilson, Deloitte;

Susan Cameron, BDD LLP; and

Gurpreet Jagpal, University of Birmingham.

Prizes were kindly donated by: jewellery designer KC; Cornish holiday provider Atlantic Reach; Birmingham’s Itihaas restaurant; City Nites; video and design company Red Box; Town Hall Symphony Hall; Cadbury’s World; Benjamin Ryan; Aston Villa; and Women in Property.

Tickets for BYPY 10 Selling Fast

Tickets for BYPY’s 10th anniversary are selling quickly and the committee behind the event is hoping that there will be more guests there than ever before.

The organisers are encouraging anyone who wishes to attend to book their place as soon as possible and have promised that this year’s awards ceremony will be more lavish than ever.

Darren Walker, chairman of the BYPY committee and associate in the corporate team at Cobbetts, said: “We’re thrilled with our ticket sales so far, particularly as it is BYPY’s 10th anniversary and we’re determined to have more people at the event than ever before to enjoy what will be the most spectacular BYPY to date.

“There are still some tickets remaining and we hope that those who haven’t yet bought theirs will join us in celebrating ten years of rewarding the region’s most talented young professionals.

“BYPY is always a fun event and a great networking opportunity. This year it should be bigger and better than ever before, with Suzi Perry from Five’s the Gadget Show compering and luxury goody bags from Brindleyplace for every guest.

“It will be a night to celebrate the fantastic achievements of Birmingham’s young professionals and to show how far the city has come in the past ten years.

The 18 BYPY finalists will battle it out on 27 May at the ICC, competing in the Communications, Financial Services, Legal, Recruitment and Training, Property and Construction, and Entrepreneurial categories.

This year’s overall BYPY winner will be chosen from the winners of each of the six categories.

The Inspiring Leader award, which recognises individuals who have inspired and mentored the city’s young professionals over the years, will also be presented on the night.

Tickets for BYPY are on sale priced £850 + VAT per table (or £85 + VAT per person for single tickets). To reserve your place please contact Claire Hawkins at the Birmingham Future office on 0121 632 2204 or via email claire@birminghamforward.co.uk.

Nominations sought for Inspiring Leader

The Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY) committee has received record nominations for its 10th year of awards.

The finalists have been selected and face a tough day of interviews with a panel of judges, chaired by Michelin starred chef Glynn Purnell, on 29 March.

The committee is now looking for nominations for this year’s Inspiring Leader award, which recognises the efforts of individuals who have made a lasting contribution to Birmingham’s business community.

Last year Alan Chatham, director at Birmingham Development Company, won this significant accolade.

Darren Walker, chairman of the BYPY committee and an associate in the corporate team at Cobbetts, said: “I would like to thank everyone who put themselves forward or who nominated someone else for BYPY 10.

“We have received record numbers of nominations for every category and I would like to wish all the finalists the best of luck for judging day.

‘We would now like your help with the BYPY 10 Inspiring Leader Award. During the past 10 years Birmingham’s young professionals have become Birmingham’s leaders and for the last five years the BYPY committee has strived to recognise those individuals who are knowledgeable, supportive and truly inspirational leaders with this award.

“If you have had first hand experience of someone who displays these qualities then please consider nominating them so they can receive the recognition they deserve.
“The Inspiring Leader Award is there to recognise Birmingham’s most influential business people so please give some thought to the people who have inspired you and nominate them.”

Tickets for BYPY are now on sale priced £850 + VAT per table (or £85 + VAT per person for single tickets). To reserve your place please contact Isabel Drabble at the Birmingham Future Office on 0121 632 2200 or via email isabel@birminghamforward.co.uk.

TICKETS SELLING FAST FOR BYPY 10

The rush is on to get seats for the city’s most prestigious awards evening as tickets for Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY) 2010 are now on sale. Tables for this glitzy awards ceremony, which aims to recognise the individual achievements of the city’s young professionals, are notoriously difficult to get hold of and the BYPY committee is advising everyone to book their tickets early to avoid disappointment.

The spectacular evening is set to take place on Thursday 27 May at the ICC and promises to be the biggest BYPY event of the decade. Guests will enjoy a three course dinner as well as some special entertainment to mark BYPY’s 10th anniversary with drinks and dancing available to all wanting to continue into the early hours.

The awards ceremony aims to unite high fliers from all over the city rewarding talented individuals across a wide variety of sectors from communications, entrepreneurial, recruitment and training to legal, financial services, property and construction.

All in attendance on the night will enjoy an excellent evening of entertainment and excitement, not forgetting the opportunity it presents to network with a lot of like-minded young professionals currently setting the Birmingham business world alight.

Tickets for BYPY are now on sale priced £850 + VAT per table (or 85 + VAT for single tickets). To reserve your place please contact Isabel Drabble at the Birmingham Future office on 0121 632 2204 or via email isabel@birminghamforward.co.uk.

If you think you have what it takes to enter BYPY or would like to know more about the event, please visit our website www.birminghamyoungprofessional.co.uk