Midlands Engine foreign investment hub to be set up in Birmingham

A REGIONAL investment hub that has the job of delivering more high value foreign investment projects into the Midlands region will be housed at Birmingham’s Baskerville House.

The Midlands Engine foreign investment hub will bring together the Midlands region’s 11 local enterprise partnerships and staff from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).

It will be responsible for creating 1,400 jobs and bringing £15m of foreign investment into the region over the next three years. The hub will develop collateral and messaging for the Midlands Engine so that UKTI staff can promote the region’s foreign investment offer overseas.

Midlands Engine chairman Sir John Peace said: “During a period of economic uncertainty this is an important part of our plan to keep the Midlands’ economy strong and its future bright – ensuring the region continues to be a major player on the global investment stage.”  

The hub will be based within the existing Birmingham Business Hub, operated by inward investment agency Marketing Birmingham and currently comprising growth capital provider Finance Birmingham, the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) and business support providers the GBSLEP Growth Hub and Winning Moves.

 

Neil Rami, chief executive of Marketing Birmingham, added: 

“Joining forces with the Midlands’ LEPs and UKTI experts here in Birmingham is an exciting prospect. Since moving to the Birmingham Business Hub in 2011, we’ve been able to collaborate more closely with public and private sector bodies across the city, resulting in record levels of foreign direct investment and more jobs being created.

 

“This new hub at Baskerville House will raise the bar further. It will enable the whole of the Midlands to come together and showcase its investment opportunities on an unprecedented scale from one easily accessible, central location.” 

 

The hub is expected to be operational at Baskerville House by autumn 2016.