Member Article

Northern Powerhouse: City Chiefs to meet over international investment

Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council; Joe Anderson OBE, Mayor of Liverpool; Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, and Pat Richie, Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council, are among the city leaders set to debate the future of cities during a high-profile event at the International Property Forum.

The city chiefs will explore the importance of international investment in driving growth in successful cities, during the City Leaders Debate at the event on June 22nd.

The International Property Forum is the only property event being held at the International Festival for Business 2016 (IFB2016), the world’s biggest business festival, which takes place in Liverpool from June 13th to July 1st and is due to attract over 30,000 delegates.

Hosted at IFB2016’s central performance area in the new Exhibition Centre on Liverpool’s waterfront, the City Leaders Debate will explore how important flows of international investment are to the future growth of cities across the UK.

The debate will also explore links between international investment, regeneration, and new developments across the Northern Powerhouse and UK networks.

Speakers

The International Property Forum will feature insights from some of the UK’s leading names in property, and has attracted a stellar speaker line up including leaders such as Lord John Prescott, and Lindsey Ashworth of Peel Holdings.

With keynote speakers representing the private and public sectors and a gala dinner with a keynote address from Lord Prescott, delegates will benefit from first-class networking opportunities, alongside insights, discussion and debate from some of the world’s leading sector specialists.

Speakers will explore and debate key issues including ‘Global Forces at Work - How to attract capital flows into UK Markets’, ‘Enterprising Britain – exploring the UK’s Enterprise Zones’, and ‘Tech UK and the Office of the Future’.

The event will include a key focus on the China market. A senior delegation of investors from the city of Chengdu - the capital of China’s southwest Sichuan province will be attending and providing an exclusive overview of this Chinese region. This will include an overview from senior representatives outlining the UK investment opportunities which they are seeking and which joint initiatives they would consider between the UK and Chengdu.

The International Festival for Business 2016 will run is being delivered in partnership with UK Trade & Investment, the GREAT Britain Campaign and with the support of the UK Government. It is expected to attract thousands of international SMEs and high-level delegates from some of the world’s fastest growing economies. The three week summer gathering of inspirational speakers, business networking and over 80 events will be clustered round three themes: manufacturing, creative and digital, and energy and environment.

Reaction

Pat Ritchie, Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council, said: “I’m delighted to be joining my colleagues from some of the North’s core cities to explore this key issue. It’s important that we’re focused on promoting and positioning our cities on an international stage and ensuring that inward investors are aware of the strengths of the assets in the core cities.

“This is a time of real opportunity and transition, and I’m looking forward to taking to the stage at IFB2016 to explore and debate how we push forward the growth and development of our brilliant cities and the role that international investment has to play in that journey.”

Matthew Battle, managing director of the UK Property Forums, said: “Four core cities, with four very compelling and diverse offerings are represented by our panel and it’s fantastic to have these powerful speakers on board. They have great insights into the importance of driving our cities forward and developing an exciting offer for international investors, so we’re looking forward to an informed and spirited debate between some of the most influential people in the public sector.”