Partner Article

2014 trends and business opportunities

Ultimately 2014 must be a year to get the UK’s economy back on track, and if this involves risk then it’s the path that must be taken.

In 2013 we have already seen the first signs of recovery in the manufacturing industry – a sure fire sign that the seeds of re-growth have been planted. But these are just the first steps and over the coming 12 months we need stakeholders and companies to stick their heads above the parapet and fully commit to the UK economy.

During the downturn the UK’s big blue chips kept a relatively low profile, not least because they were keen to keep their heads down during the uproar around the issue of bonuses. Now we need more from them – they need to lead the resurgence firstly by driving lobbying through government and secondly by making significant investments and creating job opportunities.

Such investment is the only way confidence in the economy can be fully restored, and this confidence is what ultimately will drive a return to economic stability. But is this investment really a risk? I’d argue it is a measured risk and the UK economy is a good place to start investing again.

A number of our customers are starting to expand internationally and as a result, 2014 will prove to be a good year of rapid growth for UK businesses overseas, particularly in areas such as Beijing and China. This is particularly true for professional service companies, such as advertising, creative media agencies) which have great skill assets for these areas, and there will therefore be a year of expansion.

This is a direct result of the legacy of the Olympics changing to Brazil. It is evident that forward-thinking UK businesses are spotting this is an emerging economy and taking advantage.

Therefore, it is time we started to hammer the big blue chips of the UK and ask where was their leadership during the downturn. They kept their heads below parapet because during recession those types of firms were taking a hammering for bonuses. They have been quiet for too long. So what do we need from them in 2014 to help the economy? They need to drive lobbying through government. They also need to make significant investments and create jobs. This will be a sign they are making a commitment to UK economy.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jon Jorgensen .