Richard Paterson is Director of Finance and Company Secretary for Birmingham Museums Trust and also finds time to act as LoveBrum’s Finance Trustee, overseeing the charity’s financial and governance responsibilities.

LoveBrum would not be able to operate without its incredible board of dedicated trustees. Each of them plays a vital role in helping spread understanding and awareness of our charity, and also supporting HQ with their various expertise.

Find out why Richard loves Brum…

What’s your background and where are you based?

I have worked in Birmingham for the last 8 years ago having spent most of my working career working round the country in various finance roles for some of the country’s biggest companies.

I’m now Director of Finance and Company Secretary for Birmingham Museums Trust; the largest independent charitable trust of museums in the United Kingdom. The Trust manages nine of Birmingham’s museums including Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Thinktank, Aston Hall and the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter to name just four. In addition, we also manage the city’s world class museum collections on behalf of the people of Birmingham.

When I’m not working at BMT, I also have my own consulting business that supports small businesses and charities to become more successful and sustainable.

What does your trustee role entail?

I am the Trustee with overall responsibility for finance. My role is to ensure that the Board carries out its financial and governance responsibilities and we remain compliant with relevant legislation and charity commission best practice.

I’m lucky enough to have been involved with the charity from pretty much the start and have seen it grow over the last 5 or so years. It’s amazing what we have achieved in such a short space of time.

Why do you Love Brum?

Birmingham is an amazing city and it’s very hard to pick one thing out that makes the city great. However, if I had to pick two, I would say:

It’s enterprising spirit. They called Joseph Chamberlain the best prime minister Britain never had. But if the Victorian statesman missed out on the top job, the care he lavished upon his adopted home was ample compensation. Birmingham’s transformation into the most ambitious city-state in Britain is still much in evidence today.

It’s cultural offer. The city is blessed with comfortably the best cultural scene outside of London. From the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Town Hall and Symphony Hall; not to mention the museums and art galleries I have already mentioned…the city really has it all. It is impossible not to find something
incredible happening in the city every single day and not many cities in the world can boast that.

What projects are you passionate about?

Like most people, I really struggle to pick one type of project.

However, the thing that stands out most about LoveBrum for me is its place in the overall ecology of the city. Over the last 5 years, we have found a niche for ourselves and now play a small, yet important role in placemaking – which is largely community-based participation. We want to engage the people of the city, encourage participation
and make people proud of being Brummies.

Preferred social media handle?

@thecommercialfd | @RPATS2 | @BM_AG