Departing IoD chair calls for regional action
BUSINESS needs more action and less talk on regional government from whoever wins the coming General Election, Institute of Directors West Midlands regional chairman Richard Boot has warned.
As he prepares to hand over the baton to businessman John Rider after three years in the post, Mr Boot called for “a solution that suits us here in the West Midlands”.
Mr Rider, an IoD member for 16 years, takes over on April 1.
Mr Boot said his term in office had been “a roller coaster of a time, particularly as the full force of the economic downturn hit home”.
And he cautioned: “It was an impact which, sadly, revealed that on so many counts we do fare very badly in the West Midlands compared with other UK and European regions.
“Nothing, of course, is simple. I wish that the cause of this underperformance was clear and readily fixable. It is a deep-rooted, complex and multi-faceted problem but perhaps no great surprise in the absence of a clear industrial policy from successive Governments, a lack of cohesive long-term planning and seemingly interminable delays getting key issues executed.
“But business itself must do more to generate growth and respond to the changes in the global economy and to seize the opportunities created by new technologies and markets. Both private and public sector players have all made great progress in many areas and at this critical time the stakeholders in the regional economy need to work and pull together to get us back on track.”
He said the IoD always sought to work closely with Government and local agencies and had thrown its weight behind Business Voice WM. He said: “Whichever party wins at the next election, the Government needs to produce an early and clear model for the development of economic strategy and an efficient mechanism for regional government and executing large and complex projects. No more talking, please!
“Whether this includes a redefined role for our regional development agency or a better and constructive engagement with local government , we need a solution that suits us here in the West Midlands and continues the achievements already made.
“I have no doubt that business organisations and people need to be even more involved, particularly those individuals with the power base and resource of large organisations, if we are to resolve the systemic problems in the region. “Notwithstanding this turmoil, the IoD is, I think, in good shape, with an active events programme across the region and ambitious plans in place to continue to support its membership.”
Mr Boot was previously IoD chairman from 1994 to 1997, when he was a partner with KPMG’s Birmingham office. He is now chairman of Active Human Capital Group, the Birmingham and London-based executive recruitment and board advisory business.
Mr Boot has also been the IoD’s national representative on the Regional Economic Council, jointly chaired by the Chancellor and Businessn Secretary Lord Mandelson.
