L-R: Nassim Belbaly and Petro Nicolaides
Commercial & Business Executive Petro Nicolaides, who also acts as special advisor to West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, has been awarded a professorship by Birmingham City University.
The prominent Brummie will be conferred the title of Visiting Professor at the University’s business school in recognition of his entrepreneurial expertise and community leadership.
In addition to being a high profile figure within business and politics, Petro also holds community roles within the NHS and education sector.
He describes himself as ‘an unashamed West Midlander,’ whose grandfather came to the region from Cyprus eighty years ago. Petro says his first experience in business was at the age of 13.
He went on to graduate with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1995 from the University of Central England, which later became Birmingham City University (BCU). He has subsequently run a number of businesses.
Nassim Belbaly, Director of Birmingham City Business School, said: “Petro has unrivalled expertise across a number of business sectors, which will be of huge benefit to our students. We are delighted to welcome him back to University life.”
Petro commented: “It will be a huge honour to share my experiences with students who are in a similar position that I found myself in 25 years ago. I’m an unashamed West Midlander and proud Brummie!”
Petro will continue in his current role with the mayor, as well as being chief executive of the group of companies he heads, offering advice to SME’s. Many of these companies are based in and around Solihull, where Petro lives.
He is a Governor at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Birmingham; Governor of The Arden Academy and Chairman of the Greek School of Apostolos Andreas. He is married to wife Nicola and has three children.
