The Good Business Forum

Sara Blair-Manning

Chief Executive, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Sara is a visionary and creative leader of heritage and cultural visitor attractions and large-scale capital projects.

With over 30 years of ethical leadership, she delivers success by working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders. Passionate about diversity, inclusion and education she has been successful in establishing and managing effective, multi-disciplinary and diverse teams of staff and volunteers. She believes that a high quality, creative and accessible visitor-offer leads to a strong sense of community ownership and long-term support of local assets, leading to successful place making.

Sara is currently leading a £19m heritage investment and change management project at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Philip Nell

Strategic Director of Place, Prosperity & Sustainability , Birmingham City Council

Philip has had an extensive career in the private sector holding senior real estate and investment roles at Aviva Investors, Federates Hermes, and most recently LaSalle Investment Management, where he was Head of UK Real Returns Assets.  Over his career to-date he has had responsibility for over £17 billion of real estate assets, including over £1 billion of developments, acting on behalf of both UK and overseas capital.

As Strategic Director of Place, Prosperity and Sustainability at Birmingham City Council, Philip leads a large team responsible for place and inclusive growth, including planning, transport, sustainability and property services. Inclusive growth within the City remains a top priority for the Council, and through working in collaboration with private and public sector partners, Philip’s team remain focused on delivering the full potential of Birmingham for its citizens, its businesses and its future sustainability.

Harvir Sahota

Founder and CEO, Mahirs Group

Harvir Sahota is the Founder and CEO of Mahirs Group, an award-winning catering company specialising in Punjabi and South Asian cuisine. Through initiatives like the Mahirs Foundation and the Mahirs Culinary & Hospitality Training Academy, Harvir champions social impact, skills development, and community empowerment.

Aligned with a vision of profit with purpose, Harvir has implemented responsible business practices across Mahirs Group, focusing on environmental sustainability, ethical sourcing, and waste reduction. By blending business growth with a commitment to Environmental & Social Governance (ESG), he demonstrates how businesses can thrive while driving meaningful social and environmental change.