Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has appointed new leadership to steer the business body on an interim basis.
Chief financial officer Helen Bates and director of external affairs Raj Kandola will take over the reins of the organisation until next spring while incumbent chief executive Henrietta Brealey is on maternity leave.
Ms Bates has been the Edgbaston-based chamber's chief financial officer since 2017 and is assuming the role of managing director - taking on overall internal leadership responsibilities.
She has previous experience of acting chief executive roles at Birmingham's Hippodrome theatre and the Festival City Theatres Trust in Edinburgh.
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Mr Kandola becomes interim deputy chief executive and will oversee all of the chamber's external activities, including acting as the organisation's most senior spokesperson and representative with members, partners and stakeholders.
He has been director of external affairs for just over two years, having joined the chamber in 2016 as a senior policy advisor before becoming head of policy and strategic relationships in 2021.
Ms Brealey, who will begin her maternity leave next week, said: "I'm even more excited to take on this new adventure - becoming a parent - knowing the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce is in such capable hands while I'm away.
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"Both Raj and Helen are talented leaders who share my dedication to the mission of the chamber.
"Raj brings a wealth of experience in shaping and leading key areas of our work, along with deep expertise in stakeholder, partner and media engagement.
"Helen is a trusted executive with a strong track record in organisational leadership and management, including previous interim chief executive roles. Together, they'll be a formidable team."
Ms Bates said: "I'm excited to be stepping up, alongside Raj, to lead the chamber and keep the seat warm for Henrietta.
"We have a talented team and I look forward to working with them over the coming months to ensure we remain on track to deliver on our strategy and goals."
Mr Kandola added: "It's an honour to be asked to lead the chamber alongside Helen over the coming months.
"Henrietta's are big shoes to fill but I'm looking forward to leading our external activities and maintaining the momentum she has created."