Next Event:
View Our Events Diary
Recognising the professional and financial services community’s unique position as advisors to the region’s businesses, Coventry & Warwickshire First is launching a new initiative in 2015: Driving Economic Growth in Coventry & Warwickshire.
The advisory community has an extremely influential role to play helping businesses identify and exploit opportunities for growth and navigate commercial and regulatory challenges. As a result the sub-region’s professional and financial services firms are a true driver of economic growth in the sub-region.
“The strength of the professional and financial services sector is an indicator as well as facilitator of the success of local businesses,” explained Martin Gibbs, Senior Partner at Dafferns LLP and Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First. “The purpose of this initiative is to define and evidence the issues our members face and use the insights to advocate on their behalf. For example, anecdotally we know that access to skills is a recurring issue. With evidence we can work with local colleges to make sure their students emerge with the skills our members are looking for.
“Creating such an environment to help our members grow will increase the expertise local businesses can drawn upon and in turn drive economic growth in Coventry & Warwickshire.”
Driving Economic Growth in Coventry & Warwickshire combines qualitative and quantitative research. Members will first be surveyed, quantitative data on their size, number of employees, levels of optimism and barriers to growth being gathered. A series of themed invitation-only dinners will provide richer, qualitative data. In the autumn 2015 a report will be published, providing a platform for advocating on behalf of the membership.
The February First Friday focused on Europe. Anthea McIntyre MEP spoke about the need to cut the regulatory burden on business. She welcomed the new Commission, arguing that they have a rational view of regulation and will be good for business.
The search for the leading professional in Coventry and Warwickshire is now underway with the launch of Coventry & Warwickshire First’s FirstPro 2015.
Coventry and Warwickshire has a strong, vibrant professional services community serving local businesses, large and small. In a glitzy awards ceremony to be held in April at the Ricoh Arena, the very best of the region’s professional talent will be recognised, with the overall winner named FirstPro 2015.
Nominations are now open for the following categories
Financial Professional
Legal Professional
Property Professional
Business Services Professional
Young Professional
“Using their expertise and insight our members help their clients grow their businesses and achieve their objectives,” said Martin Gibbs, Senior Partner of Dafferns LLP and Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First. “Spanning employment law to advice on deals and transactions of all shapes and sizes, financial services, property consultancy and communication strategy, our members have the skills and expertise to support the economic development of our region. FirstPro is a great opportunity to celebrate this talent!”
The deadline for nominations is 13 March.
The FirstPro organising committee will then prepare the shortlist of nominees, each member of which then being interviewed by the judging panel at the end of March.
At our April First Friday a representative from Barclays will give an insight into financial fraud, how it’s perpetrated and how we can make sure it doesn’t happen to us or our clients.
The event will take place on 10 April. More information will be posted shortly.
How confident are local businesses? What challenges are they facing? What are the strengths of the sub-regional economy?
Coventry & Warwickshire First is answering these and other questions by asking its members for their perspective on the local economy.
“Our members advise and support businesses throughout Coventry & Warwickshire, helping them capitalise on opportunities and grow,” said Martin Gibbs, chairman of Coventry & Warwickshire First and senior partner of Dafferns LLP.
“The data we’re gathering will give us the material we need to advocate on behalf of local businesses as well as the professional services sector in the Coventry & Warwickshire.”
Offering tailored advice and support to help businesses with up to 250 people and a turnover of up to £40 million, the Growth Accelerator is a valuable resource to which you can give your clients access.
Nigel Knapp addressed January’s First Friday audience last week, giving an insight into the Growth Accelerator. “Our objective is to help businesses grow,” explained Nigel. One of the particular tools used is the Growth Mapper Survey. It gets under the skin of the business and shines a light on the issues.
Click here to find out more.
