State of the Region headlines final QEB of 2021

The latest State of the Region report from the Midlands Engine Observatory was officially launched at the final Quarterly Economic Briefing of 2021.

For the first time hosted on a dedicated microsite, the State of the Region looks specifically at the impact and implications of COVID-19 and EU Exit on the Midlands.

Amid these challenges, the Midlands Engine and the Midlands Engine Observatory have undertaken research to understand how these challenges have affected our region and how growth and prosperity can be best promoted.

The virtual event began with a presentation from Liz Martins, UK economist at HSBC who provided the nearly sixty attendees with an overview of the global economy including supply shortages, workforce mobility, labour market imbalances and inflation.

William Hobbs, Chief Investment Officer at Barclays, then provided an update at the national level, covering markets, fiscal policy, macro forecasts and the potential for changed incentives.

Bringing the final Briefing of 2021 to a close, Professor Andrew Leyshon led a rich conversation with Robert Franks, Managing Director of WM5G, Nicola Stevens, Place Strategy Manager at Nottinghamshire County Council and Chris Hobson, Director of Policy and External Affairs at East Midlands Chamber.

Robert, Nicola and Chris offered their views on digital connectivity, green growth and the skills landscape in our region respectively.

Speaking about the event, Observatory director Professor Delma Dwight said:

We’re delighted to be able to present our second annual review of the economic performance of the Midlands Engine in our State of the Region report at the Quarterly Economic Briefing.

The report provides insight into the labour market and the business base as well as examining key thematic areas such as green growth, transport, digital and health.

Our Quarterly Economic Briefings are a vital opportunity to share our Midlands-focused research with policymakers from across our region.

Quarterly Economic Briefings are free of charge to attend and delivered virtually, providing a chance for anyone working in economic of business development within local authorities, LEPs, HEIs and government to access the latest data and research from the Observatory.

The first Quarterly Economic Briefing of 2022 will be held in March and will feature the launch of research commissioned by the Observatory on the subject of women in leadership.

For more information, please contact the Midlands Engine Observatory.