A meeting of minds by two leading business heads

University News Last updated 01 June 2012

A business academic from Birmingham City University has presented leading businessman and Chairman of JCB, Sir Anthony Bamford, with an International accolade for excellence.

Professor David Edwards, Head of Research at Birmingham City Business School and Director for the Centre for Business, Innovation and Enterprise, visited the JCB World Headquarters in Rocester to formally present Sir Anthony with the Gold International Award for Excellence – the industry’s top professional practice prize – in recognition for his and his family’s outstanding contribution to British Industry.

Professor Edwards also took the opportunity to discuss new research being undertaken at Birmingham City Business School. He said: “It was a great honour and privilege to meet Sir Anthony but also an excellent opportunity to discuss the new research being undertaken into mini excavator stability, excavators used for object handling, and trailer wheel detachment.

“Safety management within business is a growing area of research activity within Birmingham City Business School and the world’s largest professional body for plant and equipment research, OPERC, already funds a Professorial chair in this field - currently held by our Professor Gary Holt. Birmingham City University is clearly building an excellent international reputation in this field.

“Sir Anthony was most interested in this new research and no doubt there will be future opportunities to collaborate with JCB in the years ahead. Indeed, JCB have already offered to host this year’s PEMIC-12 event on 29th November 2012 and provide all delegates with a guided tour of JCB’s new heritage centre. An absolute must for any professional working within plant and equipment management. Such opportunities continue to affirm the industrial relevance and impact of research work being conducted within CBIE but also demonstrate the growing international reputation we now hold; this is with full credit to all research staff within CBIE.”

Birmingham City Business School is a leading practice-based business school with significant professional accreditation across its portfolio. It has outstanding links with business, working with, among others, builders’ merchants Jewsons, leisure company M&B plus retailer Spar. Teaching is underpinned with work experience and the School regularly attracts high profile speakers, such as explorer Lord Digby Jones, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, former-Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy and BSkyB head Jeremy Darroch

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