Wade-Smith to fashion business revival
LIVERPOOL City Council has appointed David Wade-Smith to the newly-created role of business advisor to the cabinet.
The move has been made in a bid to create stronger links between the council and the city’s business community.
The council said Mr Wade-Smith, who co-founded the clothing retailer Wade Smith with his brother Robert in 1982, will give businesses a voice at the heart of local government. The role is unpaid and as an unelected member Mr Wade Smith will not be able to vote.
He said: “Liverpool as a city – and as a brand – is famous all over the world, and it’s vital we capitalise on that. The public and private sector have to work as one to sell this city as a leading global destination to live and work in, to visit and to invest in.
“I’ll be making it a priority to work closely with the council and the business community to further boost our visitor economy, as well as looking to the future by promoting our creative, digital, and science industries. There are so many strengths within our business community and there’s so much more we can do to promote traditional areas such as financial services, professional services and manufacturing.”
Mr Wade Smith, also the founder and chairman of loyalty card business Livesmart, is a board member at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, and was a founding member of the board of Liverpool Vision. He served as chair of tourism for Merseyside at The Mersey Partnership from 2004 to 2009.
Council leader Joe Anderson, said: “This is a hugely important appointment which sends out a strong message that we are committed to working closer than ever with the private sector. It’s about making sure local businesses have the opportunity to shape and inform policy and that the city council takes their views on-board at every step of the way.”
