MIPIM 2011: Manchester will speak with one voice, say leaders

A NEW promotional strategy framework is being developed for Manchester which will provide a unified voice for the city within its promotional activities.

The framework, which is currently undergoing consultation, was announced by Marketing Manchester’s chief executive Andrew Stokes as part of a shake-up of leadership functions currently being concluded in response to public spending cuts and the winding-up of the regional development agency.

The announcement was made at the first of a series of presentations being given by Manchester and its partners at the annual MIPIM property conference in Cannes this morning.

Introducing a session titled Manchester: A Vision for Leadership, the council’s chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein said: “We still have enormous ambitions for Manchester and there’s absolutely no shortage of our commitment to bring forward innovative strategies to move the city forwards.”

MIDAS chief executive Angie Robinson spelled out the city-region’s importance to the UK economy, stating that it is responsible for 5% of the UK’s GDP and for 50% of the North West region’s output of around £120bn – the 12th-largest of any European region.

Stokes said that the city’s leaders had “long ago started a collective vision for leadership” which will culminate in the appointment of the new Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) board.

Stokes also said that more than 90 applications had been submitted for the nine board positions – four of which will go to members of the AGMA family and the remaining five will be taken up by representatives from the private sector. Interviews for board members are still taking place and a decision on appointments is expected later this month.

Public sector funding cuts have led to a restructuring of the so-called “Manchester family” of quangos, with organisation such as Manchester: Knowledge Capital being merged with New Economy Manchester while regeneration body New East Manchester was subsumed into Manchester City Council’s operations.

Moving forwards, Robinson said that three key organisations will be responsible for delivering different aspects of economic development functions.

New Economy Manchester will handle research, strategy and evaluation briefs while MIDAS will oversee the business growth, trade and inward investment role. Marketing Manchester will be responsible for an over-arching strategy for marketing, communications and tourism.

Robinson said that although the government had decided to centralise the inward investment function for the UK as a whole, it would continue to lobby to sub-contract responsibility for promoting the North West region.

“We believe it would be better delivered at a local level.”

She added that Manchester’s city-region needed to ensure it would benefit from the legacy left behind by the North West Regional Development Agency and its position as “the principal attack brand for the region”.

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