Launch of major growth initiative for the North
BUSINESS North, a new group comprising senior industry leaders from across northern England, will hold its inaugural meeting later today as creating economic growth in the region hits the top of the agenda.
The group will aim to provide ideas, challenge and support for the Government’s Northern Powerhouse agenda. One of its first tasks will be to respond to the newly created Transport for the North proposals.
The establishment of the CBI-backed Business North group reflects industry leaders’ desire to play a more active part in helping the Northern Powerhouse progress.
Speakers at the group’s first meeting will include CBI director-general Carolyn Fairbairn; Chris Hearld, KPMG regional chairman; Ed Cox; IPPR North director, David Brown; Transport for the North chief executive and Vivian Hunt, McKinsey managing partner, UK & Ireland.
In her opening remarks at the Business North meeting, which will take place at KPMG’s Leeds offices, Fairbairn will say: “Whether it’s the Nissan plant in Sunderland producing more cars than the whole of Italy, a super-port in Liverpool attracting more than £1bn of investment, financial services in Leeds, or Manchester launching the first direct flights to China outside London – the North is home to many exciting developments.
“With the Government’s devolution agenda opening up many new possibilities, business has both the enthusiasm and the capability to engage with government at all levels to ensure that the voice of business is heard and acted on.”
Hearld said: “For a number of months, in our conversations with those running businesses across the North, there has been consensus that the Northern Powerhouse is a business issue.
“The formation of Business North now demonstrates the appetite of corporate leaders to speak with one voice at the heart of the debate about maximising the north’s economic potential.”
Cox said: “Our research has shown an unprecedented appetite amongst Northern businesses for the Northern Powerhouse agenda but also a frustration that to date the opportunities to get involved have been limited.
Brown added: “Central to the Northern Powerhouse vision is transforming the North’s transport connectivity to create a unified, single economy.
“To achieve this, it is essential that the North’s transport network serves the needs of northern enterprise, connecting businesses, granting growing organisations access to a wide talent pool and allowing for the efficient movement of freight to make our region competitive on a global platform.”
Hunt said: “The regional economic disparities in the UK are widely known. Yet, the North is home to tremendous assets: world class universities and research; outstanding businesses and entrepreneurs; strong, diverse and complementary sectors; and ambitious civic leadership.”
