Solihull Chamber president earns Manager of the Year accolade

Tony Elvin, general manager of Touchwood Shopping Centre and president of Solihull Chamber of Commerce, has been named as 'Manager of the Year ' at a major industry awards.

Tony came out on top in the Large Centre category of the 2022 Sceptre Awards - an annual celebration of the 'cream of the crop ' in the shopping centre industry.

The event gathers sector-leading professionals and organisations, highlighting and awarding those who have particularly contributed to the growth of the shopping centre industry.

Tony 's management of Touchwood has been crucial to its success and across his four years as general manager, he has always prioritised the importance of managing with and through people.

Touchwood Solihull works closely with regional stakeholders including community groups, the local council, the Solihull Business Improvement District, and, of course, their guests, to ensure they are providing a unique, and elevated shopping and dining experience throughout the year.

Tony said: “Any award win like this, requires a huge team effort. From my local Touchwood crew, to our leasing team, a proactive and supportive landlord, asset management team and head office at Workman, we are all on the same page, trying to create the best possible experience for our guests. All of this happens within the most collaborative town centre environment possible.

“With 95 per cent tenant occupancy and footfall, retailer sales within single digits of pre pandemic levels, thanks to our guests, we 've got something good going that isn 't necessarily happening everywhere else. ”

Gareth Soar, partner - retail property management at Workman LLP, said: “We are delighted for Tony and this well-deserved award win.

“Tony has done an amazing job in ensuring that Touchwood has remained a busy, compelling and high-quality retail and leisure destination.

“Most impressively he 's managed to achieve that whilst driving a keen focus on sustainability, diversity and inclusion. We 're very proud of Touchwood 's achievements and excited to continue working with Tony and the team on this journey. ”