HR, Recruitment and Training

Kam Vara (32) is division leader at Katie Bard (The Angela Mortimer Group Plc). Originally from the South-East, Kam fell in love with the city of Birmingham and gained her MSc in Human Resources Management and Business Administration at Aston University Business School. After joining Katie Bard in 2001 as a graduate trainee, Kam hasn’t looked back progressing through the company before assuming a leadership post in 2007. Kam is passionately committed to raising the importance of Asian women in business and is a member of the IAB(Institute of Asian Business). As an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, she has also been invited to join the Birmingham Chamber Executive Club through her contacts with the IAB.
 

Penny Trotman (35) is senior consultant at eNL Legal Recruitment. She is responsible for helping coach candidates and identifying firms with a desire to grow organically. Passionate about supporting charities, Penny is part of ‘The Young Variety’ fundraising team and helped set up and chair an independent charity dedicated to raising money for Birmingham charities with little public profile in 2002. Penny has since been involved in helping improve life chances of children and families in the inner city areas through her work with an independent business focused on Government Initiatives; The Core Offer and Every Child Matters.

Etta Parkes (31) has been the operations manager for not-for-profit project Graduate Advantage since 2008. She leads a large team dedicated to delivering work experience placements to graduates across the West Midlands. Alongside overseeing and managing the operations of the main Graduate Advantage Project, Etta has also managed several niche graduate recruitment programmes, targeting specific areas of Birmingham. Etta also volunteers on an annual basis through BXL, Education Partnership for Birmingham and Solihull, undertaking practise interviews for Year 11 students. Following successful completion of her CIPD course, Etta was invited to lecture on the Professional Development Scheme at Solihull College and has delivered evening and weekend sessions to professionals in HR across Birmingham.