ICA19 Shortlisted Nominee.

Chief Executive of the Year

Deborah became Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority following a long and distinguished career in public services. She is passionate about equality and gender equality and an advocate both internally and externally. Deborah is regularly invited to speak at events and conferences particularly around women in business, diversity and diversity in leadership. In the last year she has spoken on no fewer than 23 occasions at events such as ‘Fawcett Society, Making Devolution work for Women’. Deborah is a trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Trust and Joseph Rowntree Housing Foundation and as a dedicated and passionate female advocate at the forefront of the public sector she recently received the First Women Award for Public Services. She is also listed in Local Government’s Chronicle’s “100 Most Influential in the Sector” and was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to local government.