Each month, we will put a team member in the hotseat by asking them some insightful questions about their career and interests.
This month, it is time for Adam Titchen, Sector Lead – Advanced Manufacturing to answer some questions. Here are the responses:
- What do you do at WMGC?
I head up the Advanced Manufacturing sector team at WMGC, so I am responsible for our work in attracting and supporting investments in this sector. The West Midlands is particularly strong in automotive and electrification so this takes up the majority of my focus.
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What do you like about working at WMGC?
The people at WMGC are fantastic to work with, which of course makes work that much easier. But it’s also nice to do a job where you feel you are making a difference to the people of the West Midlands.
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What is something clients in your industry have to deal with that you want to fix?
There have been too many headwinds for manufacturing in recent years for me to name. We’re seeing a devastating impact caused by the increase in energy costs, and the Growth Company will continue to work hard to connect affected businesses with lobbyists, policymakers and support organisations to do anything we can to keep business afloat.
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Where have you worked in the past?
My previous (and first job from Uni) was with Make UK, then called EEF (the Engineering Employers’ Federation). I was the account manager for the West Midlands membership base, working on customer retention and policy development.
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What's your background?
Prior to my work at EEF I studied German at Oxford University. With the exception of those four years I’ve always lived in Birmingham.
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What's your favourite quote?
I can’t find a source for it but I heard once that Michael Johnson (former 200m and 400m world record holder), when asked if he might run even faster if he adopted a more conventional running style, responded along the lines of: “if I ran like everyone else I’d be back there with them”. I’m also a bit of a poetry fan so have a few gobbets stashed away, but that’s for another time.
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What book are you currently reading?
The last book I read took me nearly two years so I haven’t started a new one yet. I’ve recently been listening to Marshall Rosenberg telling me about Nonviolent Communication on YouTube though, well worth a listen, especially the earlier ‘modules’.
- What are the values that drive you?
Effective prioritisation and intellectual rigour – always a work in progress of course.
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What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I’ve been trying to get my park run time down in recent months and am working on my Greek for a holiday later in the year. Otherwise my two children happily fill the remainder of my time!