Richard Parker is the Mayor of the West Midlands and Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Elected in 2024, Richard is focused on delivering his four key priorities: jobs, homes, growth and journeys for everyone. Since taking office, Richard has championed the West Midlands as a prime destination for global investment and innovation. He has secured £5 billion for the West Midlands Investment Zone which will create 30,000 jobs in advanced manufacturing, green energy, and health-tech. Richard is also leading efforts to deliver 20,000 new social homes over the next decade, while training local people for jobs in key growth sectors.

His Youth Plan is equipping the next generation with the skills needed to support business growth and drive the regional economy forward. Additionally, he is working to transform the bus network, bringing it under public control, aiming to make it more efficient and reliable to better connect people with jobs, services, and opportunities. In addition, he secured £2.4bn of funding from government for transport infrastructure projects around the whole of the West Midlands. Before becoming Mayor, Richard provided strategy, policy, and governance advice to public and private sector organizations. As a Partner at PwC, he played a key role in brokering the deal that led to the creation of the West Midlands Combined Authority in 2016. A passionate advocate for devolution, Richard is committed to empowering communities and improving opportunity, fairness, and inclusion across the West Midlands.