December 2007
BSSEC Co-Chair honored by University of Birmingham

Steve Walker, the Co-Chair of BSSEC and Chief Executive of ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust) has been made a Doctor of the University of Birmingham in recognition of his work as a champion of enterprise in the City. ART was the first locally targeted Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) established in the West Midlands.  Its mission is to alleviate poverty by supporting enterprise in disadvantaged areas of Birmingham.  It provides finance for enterprise, when the banks have said “no” - either lending alone, or putting together a package of finance, which may include partial bank funding.

From modest beginnings, ART has grown to be recognised 10 years later as the UK’s leading locally targeted CDFI and Steve has come to be recognised as one of the UK’s foremost practitioners and innovators in the social finance and micro finance sectors. 

In his acceptance speech Steve said: “The doctorate has been a wonderful Christmas surprise and is greatly appreciated – particularly as I have lived and worked in and around Birmingham all my life.  The success of ART and my own development would not have been achieved without a team effort and a continual process of learning.  I fully appreciate the support of my family, friends, colleagues and business mentors from the public, private and third sectors in which ART operates.  I hope that many of the students graduating from the University of Birmingham this December will choose to remain in the City and forge careers here – some may even become entrepreneurs and business-owners, one day seeking money from ART.  Whatever they do, I would encourage them to continue to seek advice and support throughout their working lives as there is nothing to be gained from going it alone in life!” 

Click here for more information about ART

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