Chamber Patrons Chamber Patrons Greater Birmingham Chambers’ leading supporters Game on: Michelle Chen


Local graduate is set to be a gaming star


A graduate from Birmingham City University has been named among the top 100 future greats within the UK games industry. Hsiao Wei (Michelle) Chen, aged


30, from Taiwan, features in the GamesIndustry.biz 100: Future Talent which honours the next generation of gaming programmers, artists, sound engineers, producers and publishers. Splitting her time between


gaming company Dibdib Studios in London and freelance work, Michelle sees games as the perfect avenue to balance both her technical and creative interests.


‘I’m proud whenever I finish a game and people get to play it’


Michelle was a student on the


video games enterprise and production postgraduate, which sits within Birmingham City University’s internationally recognised Gamer Camp finishing school. As part of her studies last year,


she created a point-and-click puzzle game about depression to promote mental health awareness, which became a semi-finalist in Stylist x Diet Coke Creator’s Collective. Unlike a traditional university


course, Gamer Camp students build real games from the ground up, operating in a studio environment over one year. Michelle said: “I’m proud


whenever I finish a game and people get to play it, and if it made them happy or made a little difference in their lives “I’d like to increase the ratio of


women working in the games industry. Part of what I do as a STEM Ambassador and Women in Games Ambassador is talking to young girls and encouraging them to pursue STEM and games as a career.”


24 CHAMBERLINK June 2018


Britain is celebrating Armed Forces Week from 25 June, and the Chamber is urging businesses to get on board and back the event. The week is a chance for the


public to show their support for both the regular Armed Forces and the Reserves for the contribution they make to the UK. Mrs Debra Barton, regional


employer engagement director of the West Midland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, said: “Armed Forces personnel are deployed in operational theatres around the world, often in dangerous and difficult conditions. They are helping other nations’ humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts as well as protecting the UK. Your support for them and their families is vital “The Armed Forces community is


diverse and includes Reservists, veterans, cadets and Service families. Anyone who has previously served is deemed a veteran regardless of age, and are a valued part of our society. “British businesses and the public


are recognising the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces community by helping them cope with life in the Services, as promised in the Armed


Contact: Henrietta Brealey T: 0121 607 1898


Business urged to back Armed Forces event


Armed Forces Day: A chance to support Britain’s regulars and Reserve Forces


‘British businesses and the public are recognising the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces community’


Forces Covenant. “Businesses are recognising the


skills Reservists can bring to civilian employment and are supporting them through measures promised as part of their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.” Reserve Forces day is on 27 June. Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “We passionately


believe in supporting the Armed Forces and Reservists and encouraging others in the business community to support and engage as well. “We actively promote the Armed


Forces Covenant In our newsletters and celebrate Armed Forces and Reserves Day through our media channels.”


Staggered work times ‘could ease congestion’


Working hours in Birmingham should be staggered to ease the congestion as work starts on more major developments in the city, like HS2. This was one of the subjects discussed during a


meeting of public sector and business leaders at a gathering of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) patrons. Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner, was speaking at a lunch hosted by law firm Pinsent Masons, where the principal guests were Deborah Cadman, chief executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and Sarah Middleton, chief executive of the Black Country Consortium. In a discussion about industrial strategy, Mr Faulkner


said: “Connectivity is so important. We know that there is going to be upheaval out there in the city centre for a few years as further huge developments like HS2 and the Curzon Street regeneration area take place. “We must get together to look at staggering our


working times. We know what the prize is but we are going to have to go through the pain.”


Wide-ranging discussion (L-R): Paul Faulkner, Deborah Cadman, Sarah Middleton, Greg Lowson (Pinsent Masons) and Saqib Bhatti, vice-president of the GBCC who hosted the lunch


Ms Cadman said that growth had to come through


the region working with business. She said: “We cannot generate any growth in the West Midlands without engaging with the private sector and I have been overwhelmed by the willingness of the private sector to come to the table.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72