John Crabtree OBE is a former President of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry. He also served as a Director of Advantage West Midlands, the former regional development agency for seven years until its abolition in 2012.

In 2003, he was voted West Midlands Businessman of the year, the following year he was voted UK lawyer of the year and has received life-time achievement awards from the Birmingham Law Society and in 2012, the Birmingham Post. John has also received honorary doctorates from Birmingham University and Birmingham City University. John was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant in 2005 and he was High Sheriff of West Midlands in 2006/2007 and then on 3rd January 2017, John was appointed by Her Majesty The Queen to be her representative and became Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands.