Black History Month Series 2021 - Making History: Trailblazers & Visionaries in partnership with BCU

Due to popular demand, we are really excited to announce TAG Network Midlands upcoming Black History Month celebration event Making History: Trailblazers & Visionaries. 

This event will be showcasing Midlands-based Leaders, Entrepreneurs, and Young Professionals who have inspiring stories to share celebrating their successes and the positive impact their standing will have on fellow professionals and young people.

This Black History Month event finale will focus on the positive journeys of black leaders and established professionals within the region who aim to inspire their peers and the next generation by proudly occupying influential positions, breaking barriers and believing that anything is possible.

Panel Guests:

Yetunde Dania is an award-winning equity Partner & Head of Office at law firm Trowers & Hamlins’ Birmingham. She has spent eight years with T&H and helped to set up the Birmingham base back in 2011.  A property specialist, she has 25 years of experience advising on residential landlord and tenant disputes and non-contentious matters with a particular focus on representing social housing sector and private sector landlords. She is also on the advisory board of Common Purpose and the Care Leavers Covenant and is passionate about increasing the diversity and inclusion of the legal profession, regularly talking at events hosted by other firms and organisations focused on inspiring the next generation. Yetunde was named Lawyer of the Year by Birmingham Black Lawyers.

Dr Karl George MBE is a thought leader and internationally established consultant in governance. He is Managing Director of the governance forum and creator of the Effective Board Member programmes. He works with boards and senior executives in the private, public and voluntary sectors and has over twenty years combined experience in accountancy, business and strategic development.  He works with CEOs, boards and senior executives across the private, public and voluntary sectors delivering exceptional insight for corporate governance solutions. A seasoned non-executive, Karl’s expertise in governance alongside his qualified accountant status makes him a sought after adviser and board member both locally and internationally. Karl is well respected in the business community, regularly featuring in power lists. He was one of the first winners of the Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY) award and was among the founders of the Young Directors Forum at the Institute of Directors (IOD).  He is a founder member the Association of Corporate Governance Practitioners (ACGP) and developed a unique governance framework (GAP) and kite mark that was endorsed by the late Sir Adrian Cadbury which has been delivered to over 100 organisations nationally.  Karl was also one of the founders of the Young Directors Forum at the Institute of Directors.

Councillor Sharon Thompson currently works as Community Development practitioner for a well established charity, which helps individuals lead happy fulfilling lives by providing independent guidance, support and activities which help people through financial difficulty, isolation and/or social exclusion. Prior to re-joining the third sector, Sharon worked for Birmingham City Council for almost 10 years as a Neighbourhood Community Worker. During her time with the council she undertook additional roles such as District Playscheme Coordinator, managing the playscheme and inclusion budget which she allocated to third sector agencies to deliver play activities outside the school term. Sharon also spent 15 months on secondment as a Ward Support Officer administrating Community Chest Funding. During her employment Sharon has developed a lot of skills and has built knowledge and experience in a number of areas which will benefit the Soho Ward.

Inez Brown is head of Medical Accident Group, sister company of HCR, has been appointed chair of the West Midlands region of the Institute of Directors (IoD). Her appointment, to succeed Brian Hall, follows her presidency of Birmingham Law Society. In 2020, Inez was inaugurated as President making her the Society’s first black president in over 200 years. Inez has overcome obstacles herself to reach her position as partner and clinical negligence specialist with HCR’s sister company Medical Accident Group. She grew up in Smethwick and worked as a legal secretary for 15 years before she was able to train as a lawyer.

Dr. Willard Wigan MBE, born June 1957, is a world renowned British sculptor who makes microscopic art. His sculptures are typically placed in the eye of a needle or on the head of a pin. A single sculpture can be as small as 0.005 mm (0.0002 in). As a young boy, Willard found that both reading and writing did not come naturally to him. At that time autism, dyslexia and other specific learning differences were not well known. Convinced by his school teachers that he would amount to nothing and achieve nothing, he was used by them to demonstrate what academic failure looked like as he was unable to read or write. Willard’s mission was set from this young age to achieve greatness by showing the world that nothing could be everything. 2007 the boy who was told he would amount to ‘nothing’ was honoured by HRH Queen Elizabeth II with an MBE for his services to art. 2018 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Warwick in recognition of the significant contributions made to art and sculpture. Achieving two Guinness World Records for the smallest sculptures ever created entirely by human hand, he has been the subject of an award-winning TV documentary from Channel 4, been the guest of TV chat and radio shows worldwide and his work is exhibited across the World within the Ripley’s Believe it or Not exhibitions.​

This event will be presented by Denise Morris who is an accomplished entrepreneur, award-winning Networker, and CEO of TAG Network Midlands; an inclusive networking community and membership organisation that advocates the professional development of multi-sector Students, Graduates, Professionals, Entrepreneurs, and Leaders within the Midlands region. The organisation connects members of the Midlands business community with commercial opportunities, through networking events, training sessions, development workshops, and memberships.

Denise is also a qualified Development Coach. Since founding TAG Network Midlands in 2014, Denise has been committed to supporting the growth of individuals by creating a platform for young people and established professionals to elevate their potential through knowledge sharing, personal and professional development, mentoring, leadership development, and networking.  She also Vice-Chair of Birmingham Law Society's Professional Development Committee.

This session welcomes attendees to interact during the Q&A segment