What a Northern Powerhouse in Yorkshire means to: Nick Houghton, MD of JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers

As Bdaily’s Northern Powerhouse series continues to give the business people of Yorkshire the opportunity to voice their opinions on the the government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative, we speak with Nick Houghton, managing director of JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers.

Nick leads a team of 80 people across five locations in Yorkshire and the North East to deliver the firm’s growth plans in the region and beyond. Alongside his role at JM Glendinning, Nick holds a number of non-executive director positions, supporting young businesses in the sector to help them grow.

Hi Nick, so what do you think the Northern Powerhouse will do for Yorkshire?

Any initiative that focuses attention on the regions in the North should be taken as a positive. I like the saying ‘know what you are good at and be really good at it,’ and in this region we have some of the best professional service businesses and people - as good as any you would find elsewhere. Executed well, a Northern Powerhouse should help us promote our insurance, financial services and legal markets. If we are seen as a credible alternative to London it will attract outside investment, create employment and the opportunities that flow from this.

What will the Northern Powerhouse do for JM Glendinning?

It will help promote the quality of the team we have and the business we are building. Geography is not a barrier for us giving great service and advice to our customers.

Has the government done enough to convince you of its commitment to Osborne’s vision?

No. I fear politics is too short term at times. It’s partly up to us, running businesses in the North, to seize the essence of this vision and run with it.

Connectivity has been a major driving force behind the Northern Powerhouse. Do you believe that spending billions of infrastructure will improve the economic climate in the North?

Yes. The road and rail infrastructure between our major towns and cities is creaking. This is where we need to think long term and invest.

What, if any, other sectors/industries should the government key in on to achieve a Northern Powerhouse?

Education. We are not equipping our bright young talent with the right skills to go on and be leaders of great businesses. Schools need to link in more with local businesses and showcase what can be achieved to inspire inquisitive minds. We have started to work with our local school to help get the students ready for work, and have employed two of them recently. In a digital age, young minds help you figure out what you need to do to make the most of a changing landscape.

Are there any other areas which you believe money should be spent on, ahead of transport?

Promoting some of the boutique manufacturing and food & drink businesses in the region. It’s sometimes hard for a small business to promote itself on a larger scale, and this goes back to my earlier point about focusing on what we are good at and promoting the hell out of it. Local governments can help businesses with this.

As with Sheffield, should the other regions in Yorkshire try to strike a devolution deal with the government?

No. It flies in the face of working together. I can understand the attraction, but it feels as though this fashion for devolution and independence contradicts working together as a region. Be careful what you wish for.

Will the Northern Powerhouse be realised in Yorkshire?

I hope so. But I fear it will get lost in translation and a turbulent political landscape.

Thanks Nick.

Don’t miss our latest Northern Powerhouse coverage here. To nominate a Yorkshire business leader to be part of our new series, contact Nick at nick.hill@bdaily.co.uk.