John Crabtree

Sir John Rawcliffe Airey Crabtree, (born 5 August 1949) is an English lawyer and businessman, a former High Sheriff of the West Midlands and former Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands. He is chair of the organising committee of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and holds or has held a number of business and charity directorships and chairs.

Early life

Crabtree was born on 5 August 1949 to Norman Lloyd and Joyce Mary Crabtree, and was educated at The Downs School, Colwall, and Radley College. He graduated in law from the University of Birmingham in 1972.

Career

Crabtree joined the Birmingham solicitors Wragge & Co in 1973, retiring as a senior partner in 2003.

He served as a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands county in 2005, and as High Sheriff of the West Midlands in 2006/2007. He gave an address at the games' closing ceremony. He is scheduled to retire as Lord Lieutenant on 5 August 2024, with Derrick Anderson named as his successor.

He is a special adviser to White & Black, the corporate and technology law firm founded in 2007 by Phil Riman. He holds a number of business directorships, including chairmanship of Glenn Howells Architects. He is president of the Heart of England Community Foundation, and a past chairman (2008–2017) of the charity Sense, The National Deafblind and Rubella Association, and of Birmingham Hippodrome (2001–2017).

Honours and awards

Crabtree was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2007 Birthday Honours for services to SENSE. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University He was voted "Lawyer of the Year" in the 2003 Legal Business Awards. In 2012, he was given a lifetime achievement award in the Birmingham Post Business Awards. In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).

Personal life Crabtree and his wife, Diana, live in Crowle, Worcestershire. He is father to three daughters and three sons.