LKB tops Insider Power 100 list
Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya is number one in Insider’s 2011 Power 100 list.
The founder and director of WMG - formerly Warwick Manufacturing Group - climbed to the top after his groundbreaking work in promoting joint ventures between business and academia and the huge amount of influence he wields over the regional economy.
Bhattacharyya's power broking skills played a huge part in the decision by India's Tata to take over Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and in October it was announced that JLR is to relocate its 170-person advanced research group to WMG as "part of a strategy to raise vehicle production from fewer than 100,000 to 300,000 a year".
Reflecting on the make up of this year's list, Insider editor Andy Coyne said: "If a week is a long time in Westminster politics, a year is a lifetime when it comes to our Power 100 list.
"Last year’s top man, Rolls-Royce chief executive Sir John Rose, is no longer in situ whilst many of those who held high positions in public sector organisations have either disappeared from the list completely or slipped down the pecking order as the coalition government has either abolished the organisations they work for or taken away or merged their powers.
"So who is filling the spaces they have occupied? It’s fair to say that those involved with the local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) have become more important players in the region, as have manufacturers whose companies are doing well in the world markets. Sometimes these are the same people."
Other business figures to feature in this year's Power 100 top ten include JLR chief executive Dr Ralf Speth, Hadley Group chief executive - and Black Country LEP chairman - Stewart Towe and SCH founder and chairman Sir Peter Rigby.
The full list is published in the July issue of Midlands Business Insider, which is out this week.
