Driving Investment, Powering Growth: Businesses from across the region attend the Midlands Economic Summit 2024

Caption: Sir John Peace, Chairman, Midlands Engine; Anne Davies DL & Ninder Johal DL, CO, Nachural

Business leaders came together in Birmingham for the second Midlands Economic Summit – the biggest Midlands-wide business forum, presenting an opportunity to shape a region-wide response to the economic challenges and opportunities facing the region.

Driving investment

The Summit focused on how to drive investment into the region – hearing from businesses who have done exactly that. Other speakers showed collaboration in action – most notably on the subject of a proposed Midlands Green Bond (currently at feasibility stage) which has the potential to offer local authorities access to cheap, long–term finance for sustainable projects.

The event also featured international perspectives from the Ambassador of Germany, HE Miguel Berger, and the Consul General of India who discussed how being at the heart of the UK makes the region a strong place to do business.

Other major keynotes were delivered by figures including Midlands Engine Chairman Sir John Peace, and business leaders from major firms including Horiba MIRA, Hello Fresh, WM5G, Prologis UK, SmartParc, East Midlands Airport, Midlands Connect and many more.

The collaboration of public and private sector to drive growth

The Summit was delighted to welcome on stage the two newly elected Mayors of the West and East Midlands, Richard Parker and Claire Ward. They discussed the importance of continued and consistent partnership with the private sector to ensure the Midlands receives the investment it needs to drive growth and prosperity.

Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said: 

“As Mayors for the West and East Midlands, Richard and I will be working closely with businesses and other regional partners to attract investment that delivers for people across the Midlands as a whole – creating good jobs, decent homes and a transport system that works for all.”

Sir John Peace, Chairman of Midlands Engine said of the summit: “Now in its second year, the Midlands Economic Summit again provided the perfect opportunity for regional organisations to build on existing collaboration and demonstrate the effectiveness of our pan-regional partnership.”

Panel discussions

Panel sessions with industry, academic and public sector leaders explored six main themes:

• Devolution – exploring how new devolution deals can strengthen public-private investment partnerships
• Investment – leveraging new ways to attract and secure investment to accelerate growth and prosperity
• Innovation – capitalising on our rich R&D heritage to drive investment to the region
• Place & ‘levelling up’ – ensuring a thriving, vibrant and dynamic economy for our region’s 11m residents and 400,000 businesses
• Businesses environment – creating favourable conditions to empower our businesses and unlock investment and growth potential.
• Digital – harnessing the economic opportunity of the fast-growing technology and AI sector

The first panel featuring Prof. Nigel Driffield, Jeegar Kakkad, Sandeep Shingadia and Katie Normington discussing productivity

Attendees and speakers came from a wide diversity of localities, business-sizes, sectors and ethnicities.

The Midlands Economic Summit was organised by events company Nachural and the Business Influencer, with the Midlands Engine as its headline sponsor. Hosted by BBC East Midlands today presenter Anne Davies, it was held on Monday 10^th June, in the Vox Centre, Birmingham.

Read our full event Insight here