Brooks sets out on visionary plan to boost businesses
PLANS are being spearheaded to bring inward investment to Yorkshire and help businesses thrive.
Director of enterprise at Leeds Metropolitan University, Dr Roger Brooks, is putting the wheels in motion to create an “innovation model” and create a consortium of local businesses, Leeds City Council and Yorkshire universities to provide orchestrated support to the region’s companies.
Brooks, who joined Leeds Met last September, is encouraging businesses to work in partnership with other firms in their supply chain, to ensure they are performing at the highest level.
He said: “I am extremely keen to drive an innovation model in Yorkshire.
“It is about improving the businesses we have got here and if Leeds Met can support the Council in providing an innovative culture in the Leeds city region, then that will make Yorkshire an attractive region for businesses to relocate to be that overseas or elsewhere. But, we have got to make sure the skills are here collectively first and this is where the innovation model can help.
“We want to work with Leeds City Council and other universities in Yorkshire to bring the consortium together to solve and support problems in the supply chains.”
Before starting his role in Leeds, Brooks was the director of innovation for the Global Technology Cluster at Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Here, he designed and led a consortium of local businesses, universities and councils to drive progression in businesses within the supply chains led by Rolls Royce, Toyota, Bombardier and JCB.
“We know this model works, so it is an absolute no brainer to bring it here,” he said.
“I think Leeds Met has got the skills-set to bring this consortium together and that is very exciting.”
Brooks said that whatever the sector, businesses can get involved and have support to help them solve their problems.
Whether it is the food and drink industry, financial services, professional services – Brooks said it is possible to use university consortiums to solve their issues.
He said: “These problems can be absolutely anything. A company might be struggling to take an engineer to management level or need help with how their operation runs.
“I find the businesses in Yorkshire vibrant and highly aspirational. They want to be excellent at what they do – they want to be the best. University consortia can help here and with the right contact problems navigating universities effectively will dissolve.
“My fear is that businesses will move away from the area if they don’t receive the help they need and attracting new ones will be more difficult. I think this is a real strategic issue. Other councils started this journey two years ago. But, Leeds City Council are responding and this model would really help them catch up.”
Brooks said he is in talks with Leeds City Council and said there are already businesses who have said they are interested in getting involved.
He said: “It is a very exciting time and if we can secure collaborative relationships and get closer to the region’s businesses, we will create a very innovative culture in Yorkshire.”
