Sir John Crabtree

John has been our Non-Executive Chairman since 2010 and advises the board at a strategic level. His experience in other professional services companies and a range of creative and cultural organisations, is invaluable in helping the board to make decisions about the future of the practice.

He was Chair of the Birmingham Organising Committee for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is the current Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands. He is also a former President of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry and in 2003 was voted West Midlands Businessman of the Year. The following year he was voted UK Lawyer of the Year and has received lifetime achievement awards from the Birmingham Law Society and the Birmingham Post. John has also received honorary doctorates from the University of Birmingham and Birmingham City University.

John was knighted in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to sport and to the community in the West Midlands.