Governance
Meet our Board Directors
Lawrence Barton (Chairperson)
I have been a Southside director since 2011, I am also an entrepreneur, businessman and community champion. I also hold a variety of prominent community leadership roles, including Festival Director of Birmingham Pride and Leadership Commissioner for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). In recognition for my community activism, in March 2020 I was appointed to be a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands.. Contact Lawrence
Wei Du (Director)
I am extremely honoured to be involved in Southside BID, connecting communities and businesses inclusively. I have a proven track record of successful restaurant management as managing director. I am deeply involved within the community and have led several fundraising projects to showcase Chinese culture. I am a trustee and active member of the Birmingham Chinatowns Lions Club and served as vice president for over 3 terms. Wei is also described as a pioneer, the first within the Chinese community to improve social mobility by partnering with local special needs school in Birmingham by providing work placements and opportunities for learners with learning disabilities. Wei is keen to continue his career journey and support young people within the region to gain valuable experience, training and employment opportunities so that they can generalise skills in a functional manner and promote the local labour market.. Contact Wei
James Wong (Director)
I am Managing Director of Chung Ying Restaurant Group and board director for the Chinese Community Centre, I am committed to preserving Chinese heritage and culture within the community. As Governor of Overseas Chinese Association School, I frequently engage with businesses and local groups to promote and support Southside District and the community. Contact James
Jo Kinsella (Deputy Chair)
Jo has managed the day-to-day running of The Arcadian since 2017, the base for more than 20 restaurants, seven bars, two coffee shops, two hotels, a comedy club and 15 other outlets.
The centre is owned and managed by LCP – one of the UK’s largest private owners of retail, industrial and office property. Contact Jo
Chris Sudworth (Director)
I joined Birmingham Hippodrome in 2017 and lead on programming for both our stages, our produced work, Hippodrome Associates and artist development activity; and oversees accessible performances, Learning & Participation. Contact Chris
Julie Eden (Director)
I am General Manager of Genting Birmingham Chinatown, I have been with the business for almost 34 years and worked her way through the roles to General Manager. Contact Julie
Steve Cross (Director)
My focus is to represent the community. I’ve lived in the Southside area for over 15 years and own property in the area. I’m a Chairman of iLand Apartments where I work with our Board of Directors, who also own apartments in iLand, to manage the development for the benefit of owners and residents. We focus on ensuring that we provide a community environment that is wholly inclusive. I also own a business in the area. Contact Steve
Dr Steve Ball (Director)
I am the Chair of Birmingham LGBT and Birmingham Pride Community Foundation. I was Artistic Director of Language Alive Theatre in Education (1986-2000); Head of Arts for Birmingham City Council (2001-2003); Associate Director at the Birmingham REP (2003-2021) and Director of Birmingham Arts School (2022-2024). I have been a Director of Southside BID since 2023 and have a keen interest in developing Southside's cultural offer. Contact Steve
Southside BID is a democratically elected, private, not-for-profit company. The company is governed by a Board of Directors who serve on a voluntary basis, setting the strategy for the company and providing oversight to its activities. The Board is composed of individuals working in local businesses from key sectors, including hospitality, property, and residential industries, representing both large and small enterprises. Representatives from Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police also sit on our Board as key public sector partners. See below for our current Board Directors
Operations Group
Reporting to the Board is our Operations Group, the sole working group within Southside BID. This group focusses on the practical delivery of our key projects and initiatives, in line with the strategy set out by the Board. The Operations Group is chaired by a Board Director and includes volunteers from local businesses, partners from relevant public sector organisations, and members of the Southside BID Team.
We are always eager to collaborate with individuals who want to contribute to achieving the goals outlined in our Business Plan. If you are interested in joining the Operations Group, Please get in touch with Julia Robinson.
How can I become a Board Director?
On occasion, spaces become available for people to join our Board. Eligibility to apply to fill a vacancy depends on the type of vacancy; for example, only people from the Chinese sector can apply to fill a vacancy created by a person from the Chinese sector leaving the Board. Board Directors will usually need to have been on a Working Group. When we have a vacancy, it will be advertised through our news letter. Applicants will be required to submit their application via email. A recruitment process is then undertaken by the Board’s Nominations Committee. If suitable candidates are identified, the Committee will recommend these candidates to Board for appointment. Directors will then be appointed by majority vote.
Our Director appointment Policy can be found here.
A list of current active members can be found on Companies House linked here.
How can I keep up to date with your activity
The easiest way to stay up to date is to join our newsletter. You can join our mailing list by using the form at the bottom of this page. Levy paying businesses can also request a copy of our Board minutes and our register of interests. If you would like a copy of our latest set of minutes, please email Julia Robinson.
Click here to read the Southside District Statutory Explanatory Note
Procurement
Southside BID needs to be agile and adaptable in the way it procures products and services. You can review our procurement principles here.