A region’s economic future in focus – Midlands leaders join for inaugural Economic Summit

• Meeting will see over 450 local leaders join together in the biggest Midlands-wide business forum in history
• Summit will examine the state of the Midlands economy and explore solutions for future growth
• Keynote speakers include Mayor of West Midlands Andy Street, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Pat McFadden, and Midlands Engine Chairman Sir John Peace
• Summit promises an unprecedented diversity of attendees in terms of business size, sector, geography and ethnicity

In a landmark opportunity for pan-regional collaboration, on Wednesday (7 June) 450 leaders from across the worlds of business, academia, local and national politics will congregate in Birmingham for the first Midlands Economic Summit. 

The summit marks the biggest Midlands-wide business forum in history, presenting an opportunity to shape a region-wide response to the economic challenges and opportunities facing the Midlands.

Attendees and speakers will come from a wide diversity of localities, business-sizes, sectors and ethnicities, celebrating the Region’s diversity and drawing on this expertise to identify solutions to future economic growth and prosperity.

As part of the event’s line-up, attendees will hear from speakers from across the political spectrum. Regional figureheads including Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street will join national heavyweights including Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Pat McFadden MP and Shadow Levelling Up Minister, Alex Norris MP.

Major keynotes will also be given by figures including Midlands Engine, Chairman Sir John Peace, and business leaders from major firms including DHL, EY and SmartParc, as well as think tanks such as the Institute for Government.

The summit comes at a crucial time for the Midlands region, as recent evidence from the Midlands Engine partnership and Centre for Cities demonstrates that boosting productivity in the region’s cities could increase the economic output of the Midlands by £18bn per year. Business leaders will also be given the platform to collaborate on opportunities detailed in the recently updated Midlands Investment Portfolio, which holds £33bn of regional investment opportunities, as well as work towards recommendations for Cluster development in the Midlands Engine’s recently released report on Exploring the Investment Potential of Midlands Clusters.

The Midlands Economic Summit has been organised by events experts Nachural and the Business Influencer, with the Midlands Engine as its headline sponsor. It will be held from 09:00 on Wednesday 7^th June, in the Vox Centre, Birmingham.

Sir John Peace, Chairman of Midlands Engine said of the summit:  “The Midlands Economic Summit provides the perfect opportunity for regional organisations to build on existing collaboration and demonstrate the effectiveness of our pan-regional partnership.  

“I look forward to this important chance for us to showcase the willingness of business in the Midlands to work together – to build a green economy, attract investment and address our skills shortage, so we cain have a transformational impact on the lives and livelihoods of all 11 million people who call our region home.”