Business expo revealed as part of 2022 Commonwealth Games bid

Paul Faulkner, chief executive, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

Plans for a business expo to sit alongside the 2022 Commonwealth Games have been revealed by Birmingham’s bid team.

Its Business Expo 2022 programme is a five-year enterprise and industry project to showcase the best of UK industry and business to a global audience – focusing on the “Commonwealth nations and key global markets from the USA, Middle East, China and non-Brexit Europe”.

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and member of Birmingham 2022 bid team, said: “The business community in Greater Birmingham will fully support this initiative.

“It presents a huge range of opportunities for all businesses and the bid itself will bring a focus on Birmingham at a time when it is driving its importance on the global stage.

“The Games are recognised as having the potential to generate in excess of £390m for the local economy, create thousands of jobs and catapult the region onto the global stage.”

The business programme would have four elements – a four-day business expo in 2022, an associated thought leadership conference, smaller regional expos in 2019 and 2021, and an education and technology programme developed in conjunction with university partners and school partnerships.

Business leaders lending their support to Birmingham’s bid include HSBC chief executive Antonio Simoes, Sir Dominic Cadbury, Aston Martin chief executive Dr Andy Palmer and St Modwen chief executive Mark Allan.

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