Friend of city gets accolade for support
A PROMINENT international business leader has been awarded the president’s medal at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce AGM.
Harry Reilly received the medal for his outstanding contribution to Birmingham, the wider West Midlands and international business for more than half a century.
He is honorary chairman of the Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce and a wellknown figure in the West Midlands business community.
Mr Reilly is currently the deputy chairman of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and is also a non-executive director of several other companies.
His previous roles have included senior positions in the automotive industry with BMW and Land Rover and he was the group managing director of carpet supplier Brintons. Mr Reilly has considerable experience in developing worldwide business structures and relationships, particularly in North America and the Far East.
He received the medal from incumbent chamber president Steve Allen who said: “Harry is passionate about Birmingham and the West Midlands and has been a friend of
the chamber for many years.
“His work and knowledge about trading internationally are unsurpassed. He has made a very significant contribution to our region in many different ways.
“He is not someone who seeks recognition for all the good work that he does which is one reason why I am delighted to award him the President’s Medal for 2020.”
Two Birmingham businesses
–
Assay Office and Sorion Electronics – were also recognised for amassing more than seven decades of chamber membership between them at the online annual general meeting. They both received a historic Acme Thunderer whistle manufactured by former president Simon Topman’s Birmingham firm Acme Whistles.
Mr Allen said: “One of the main themes of my term of office is inno
vation and I can’t think of a better place to come to here in the West Midlands than Sorion which is ahead in terms of the work it’s currently doing in the manufacturing sector.
“The Assay Office has been a member of the chamber as far as our records go back, for at least 55 years and I’m delighted to present this long-standing member award to such a historic institution.”