Manchester aims to raise its game in India

MANCHESTER has all the tools to woo further inward investment from India, but needs to showcase its business credentials in a more effective way, the head of the UK India Business Council has said.

Tim Newns, the chief executive of MIDAS – the city region’s investment agency, told a major business event at Emirates Old Trafford on Thursday, that his team were focused on addressing “static” inward investment levels over the last few years, and to address perceptions that Manchester is “more about football than business.”

MIDAS’ research of 120 Indian companies revealed that just 24% see it as a business location, whereas more than twice this number, 52%  see it as a football city.

“We know we need to raise our game in India, but we know that when we tell the Manchester story people listen, invest, and then re-invest.”

Newns has been working closely with the UK India Business Council on helping Manchester raise awareness of its strengths in four key sectors – life sciences, creative and digital, information technology and financial and professional services – along with its universities and connectivity.

Patricia Hewitt, the former Business Secretary, who now chairs the UK India Business Council was one of the speakers at the conference. She said Manchester was a “natural fit” with India, given its strong heritage of innovation and world firsts.

She said: “I think everyone is aware of the extraordinary exciting opportunities that existing in what is rapidly becoming one of the world’s major economies. I think there is one quality that is missed though, and that is the ability to innovate.

“For many this innovation is frugal innovation, because of a lack of resources, but I have noticed there is an extraordinary ability to make something out of almost nothing. For Manchester with is own track record of innovation there are many similarities and opportunities.”

While there are a plethora of opportunitues, she also warned of a threat from India, if UK businesses fail to engage and build networks and partnerships with India.

“Any company that aspires to be world class needs to be engaging with India, I think there’s a growing risk that India will be producing the competitive threat and dominating in future.”

She said the UKIBC had hosted a high-level dinner recently with the leaders of some of India’s biggest companies and had invited MIDAS to “tell the Manchester story” and the response had been “amazing”.

“What this tells me is that Manchester just needs to tell its story – there is no problem here with the product. Get out there,  see India’s business leaders, make the connections and build the relationships, and the business and investment will come.”

The audience also heard from BDP – the North West architects practice – which opened an Indian office five years ago.

Director, head of urbanism and chair of the firm’s New Delhi office Francis Glare said: “We are living amd walking proof that a Manchester company can go to India and make success of it.”

He said it had taken five years to create a stable and profitable business, adding: “It has taken time to establish ourselves, and we have won business across several sectors, but this is not a market where  you can get overnight results.”