Partners involved in organising the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have appointed a Director of Legacy for the major international event.

Nicola Turner MBE started the new partnership role last month and will lead the planning and delivery of all legacy programmes associated with the largest sports and culture event ever to be staged in the West Midlands.

Joining the Birmingham 2022 partnership from the Universities’ regulator, the Office for Students, where she was Head of Access and Participation, Nicola previously led a £70million portfolio of policy initiatives, to improve jobs and skills, access to and participation in Higher Education, and equalities, diversity and inclusion.

In 2015 she received an MBE for services to the West Midlands, following her work on SME growth and graduate retention.

Nicola said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be taking up the Director of Legacy role for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. I want local people and businesses to look back on the event with pride and to be able to point to the positive changes that it brought to Birmingham and the region. I’m looking forward to working with all the Games partners, whose commitment to delivering a fantastic event, with a strong legacy, has impressed me.”

Building on work already done by the key partners leading on this area of the Games, including Birmingham 2022, the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority, Nicola will be responsible for galvanising the partnership.

She’ll also ensure that legacy is properly resourced and prioritised throughout the planning of the Games, to allow the city and region to maximise the huge opportunity provided by staging the biggest event to be held in the UK for ten years.

Nicola will also be working closely with the Legacy and Benefits committee (LAB Committee). Chaired by John Crabtree, this committee was expanded earlier this year to incorporate five community representatives.

John, who is also Chairman of the Birmingham 2022 board, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Nicola into the team. In Nicola we have appointed someone with a great deal of experience of leading programmes that have delivered national and regional impact, and she has a great track record of working on complex partnerships.

“We’ve known for a long time that this would be a crucial role, but it has taken on a renewed importance in recent months. Birmingham 2022 has a key part to play in the recovery plan for the West Midlands over the next couple of years, as well as being an obvious way that we can support local people across the region and bring communities together following the devastating global pandemic.”

The Director of Legacy role is co-funded to reflect the partnership’s equal interest in legacy and Nicola will oversee the continuation of support and the delivery of legacy programmes post-Games. She’ll work alongside each organisation’s legacy lead, whose close collaboration on developing a detailed legacy plan is already ensuring that the city and region benefits as much as possible from the hosting of Birmingham 2022.

Nigel Huddleston, Minister for Sport, Heritage and Tourism said: "Delivering a fantastic legacy for Birmingham, the West Midlands and the whole of the UK is right at the heart of why we're hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

"Nicola's appointment will help to ensure we can meet this ambition, as we place Birmingham 2022 at the centre of the economic, cultural and social renewal of the city and the West Midlands over the next few years."

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Since day one of the bid process for these Games, I have been clear that Birmingham 2022 will be more than just 11 days of sport - that’s why it is so important we have the right people in place to maximise the legacy from the event.

“Nicola has a great deal of experience operating in the West Midlands and will add an immense amount of value to the work already being done by councillors, officers and the other Games Partners to unlock the benefits the Games will bring.”

Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said: "It is now more important than ever that we make the most of the opportunities from hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and that we ensure it has a lasting impact on our region.

“As well as inspiring the next generation of athletes, we want to create long lasting transport, housing and sporting infrastructure and equip local people with skills, jobs, and confidence to help demonstrate to the world that the West Midlands is a place to visit and do business.”

For more information about the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, including the planned legacy for the Games and the benefits that this event is bring to Birmingham and the region, please go to www.birmingham2022.com