Transatlantic alliance as tech firm picks city for UK headquarters

AN American technology company has chosen Liverpool for its UK headquarters after ties were made during a trade mission to the US led by city Mayor Joe Anderson last year.

Tanveer Patel, chief executive of Alabama-based medical technology company ConcertCare, came to Liverpool to progress talks with the city’s inward investment team over plans to open a UK office.

Patel, who was recently named one of the 100 most influential people in the US, met Mayor Anderson and officials from Invest Liverpool during the visit.
She told Mayor Anderson that ConcertCare expected to open its Liverpool HQ this year as the business pursued its expansion plans.

Patel first met Mayor Anderson and officials from Invest Liverpool during a trade trip by a Liverpool delegation to her home city of Birmingham, Alabama, last October.

The two cities signed an economic twinning agreement which aims to link cities with economic, cultural and educational similarities.

ConcertCare  provides consultancy services and integrated technology solutions to the health sector to help practitioners improve efficiency and patient outcomes. It already works with the US’s biggest healthcare provider and, through its Indian office, with India’s third largest healthcare provider.

Patel said: “Our choice of Liverpool is a direct consequence of that trip last year and of the Twinning Agreement. The Invest Liverpool team and the Mayor’s office presented a compelling rationale as to why we should choose Liverpool as our UK base.

“We’re a rapidly growing business and anticipate doubling our staff numbers year on year. We’re currently running at a headcount of about 60 but plan aggressive investment and growth over the next five years. Liverpool can and will play a key role in that.

“This week’s visit is about validating our strategy and about renewing old relationships and forging new ones. We aim to turn the key on our Liverpool presence as soon as possible.

“The UK’s health challenges and opportunities are much the same as those in the US – growing demand driven by demographics and life expectancy, set against the opportunity for practitioners and public health bodies to invest in innovative telemedicine which can significantly improve patient outcomes and deliver efficiencies.”

Mayor Anderson said: “Reaching out to potential overseas investors is a critical part of our city’s growth strategy and it is hugely encouraging to see that activity begin to reap rewards so quickly. ConcertCare is exactly the kind of high value business which we wish to see in the city, operating at the cutting edge of technology in an area of huge growth potential.”

Ellen Cutler, director of Invest Liverpool, added: “Liverpool’s relatively low cost base and its talent pool are key selling points as we target international businesses. Two of the city’s strongest assets – the health/life sciences and digital/creative sectors – are key reasons why Liverpool is an attractive location for ConcertCare.

“We have globally recognised university research excellence in terms of life sciences, world leading innovation and the second fastest growing tech cluster in the UK with a strong talent pipeline.

“The Invest Liverpool team will be working with the company over the coming months to ensure their UK launch is a success and to assist them in their UK business growth ambitions.”