Mike Adams

: I am working to change the conversation about disability by making it a commercial opportunity for business. The consumer spending power (Purple Pound) of disabled people and their families is making people sit up and acknowledge this huge, but untapped disabled market. Alongside my team, we are providing the answers on all things disability from disabled customers, employees, Board responsibilities and tooling up senior leadership teams. As a disabled person myself, I have turned my lived experience, knowledge and expertise into Purple Tuesday, which provides a range of consultancy and training services to support organisations from across the private, public and voluntary sector. Purple Tuesday is an internationally acclaimed initiative to transform the customer experience for disabled people. In 2019, I was listed in the UK Power List 100 most influential disabled people, and co-authored “Leading from the Front” – a seminar report with KPMG to equip Boards on disability. One of my most proud achievements was being awarded with my OBE for my services to disability in 2012. I have over 25 year’s experience in the field of disability, which includes leading a user-led disability charity Essex Coalition of Disabled People (ECDP), being part of the senior management team at the Disability Rights Commission and Co-Director of Coventry University’s Disability Research Centre. In 2013 I chaired the Government’s national Access to Work Expert Advisory Panel which produced over 20 recommendations for the Government’s flagship disability employment programme.