O’Neill to make first big speech at Chamber dinner
THE new Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Jim O’Neill will deliver a keynote speech – his first since being appointed – on devolution and the Northern Powerhouse in Manchester.
The event is the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce annual dinner on June 25 at The Point, Emirates Old Trafford.
Lord O’Neill will be joining Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese at the dinner hosted by TV’s Pointless host Alexander Armstrong.
Chief executive of GMCC Clive Memmott said: “We are delighted Lord O’Neill and Sir Richard are our main speakers at this year’s annual dinner.
“This is a crucial time in Greater Manchester’s history and the focus of the evening is firmly on the opportunities and challenges that flow from devolution in Greater Manchester and the vision to broaden this and create a dynamic new, highly connected labour market in the North.”
O’Neill, who grew up in Gatley, worked for Goldman Sachs from 1995 until 2013, spending most of his time there as chief economist.
He is widely credited with coining the phrase “BRIC countries”. He chaired the Cities Growth Commission in the UK until October when it provided its final recommendations. O’Neill is honorary chair of economics at Manchester University.
He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the international economic think tank, Bruegel, and on the economic advisory board to the IFC, the investing arm of the World Bank.
