Sir Andy Street CBE served as the first Mayor of the West Midlands from 2017 to 2024, helping to establish the West Midlands Combined Authority and oversee a huge influx of public and private investment into his home region.

Prior to that he was managing director of John Lewis (having started his career there as a graduate trainee), guiding the employee-owned business to one of the most successful spells in its history – culminating in the department store chain being named the most trusted brand in Britain.

He currently chairs Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and previously chaired the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. He has also served as the lead non-executive director for the Department for Communities and Local Government, as well as a member of the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group. He was awarded a CBE in 2015 for services to economic growth, and was knighted in 2025 for services to public service.