Northern mayors, business leaders, and senior ministers are set to lead an event designed to bring more jobs and prosperity to the region. The Great North Investment Summit, inspired by the spirit and success of the Great North Run, will take place in Leeds next month.
Summit Details and Participants
The initiative will occur a day before the UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), a leading real estate conference that attracts investors from across the UK to the North of England. Organised by Northern mayors led by the North East's Kim McGuinness, in collaboration with the Government's Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Investment, the summit aims to attract investors to numerous Northern development schemes, potentially unlocking billions for the local economy.
Seven Northern mayors, including Ms McGuinness, Tracy Brabin from West Yorkshire, and Greater Manchester's Andy Burnham, are scheduled to speak. Also on the schedule are leaders of the CBI and the British Chambers of Commerce, along with senior figures from major businesses such as Siemens, Aviva, and NatWest. Tom Riordan, the Government's Northern Growth Envoy, Professor Juergen Maier, chair of Great British Energy, and Oliver Holbourn, CEO of the National Wealth Fund, will also address the audience.
Quotes and Goals
Ms McGuinness stated: "We are seizing control of the North's economic destiny, ending the days where our regions are overlooked. By establishing the Great North Investment Summit, we are creating the first ever forum dedicated to promoting the North of England collectively, demonstrating our unrivalled investment potential, and telling our story on the global stage with passion and pride."
Events at the summit include discussions on the North's record on innovation, how identity fuels Northern growth, and the Government's Northern growth strategy. The summit will feature "pipeline-ready investment opportunities" in the North's growth sectors, with organisers saying it has the potential to add more than £100 billion to the UK economy.
Government Support and Context
The event comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves has identified the North as one of the main areas where the Government hopes to boost economic growth. In addition to backing plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail, the Government last month allocated £2.3 billion for "city investment funds" in the North and the West Midlands to accelerate schemes that will bring economic growth.
