Local economy in spotlight at chamber's latest conference
The Black Country Chamber of Commerce has its second annual Black Country Economic Business Conference taking place on Thursday, November 3.
It is the flagship event for the chamber’s latest campaign, This is the Black Country, and will discuss the local economy and the actions required to tackle the barriers limiting growth, productivity, and competitiveness.
The conference will featuring contributions from the campaign’s business partners: national audit, tax and advisory firm Crowe UK, recruitment experts Pertemps, Brierley Hill-based legal firm Higgs, IT experts EBC Group and the University of Wolverhampton’s Business School.
Neil Anderson, the chamber’s director of external affairs, said: “This is the Black Country celebrates and champions our great region.
“We are a region of makers, innovators, and dreamers and the conference has a fantastic line-up of leaders who will help shine a spotlight on the great work taking place across the region and debate the issues affecting businesses today such as the skills gap, recruiting and retaining talent, driving innovation, accessing green power, and ensuring that the region remains connected to modern infrastructure to get its goods and services to the world."
The conference will open at 10am with a welcome speech from new chamber CEO Sarah Moorhouse, followed by a state of the region speech from West Midlands Mayor Andy Street at 10.10am, followed by MP Pat McFadden, the shadow economic minister, who will address the audience at 10.20am.
Panel events will continue throughout the day focussing on the three campaign areas of People, Place and Power and speakers will include: Johnathan Dudley, of Crowe UK; Richard Lane, EBC Group; Nick Taylor, Higgs; Carmen Watson, Pertemps and Professor Paul Sissons, University of Wolverhampton Business School.
The free event runs from 9.30am in the Lord Swraj Building at University of Wolverhampton Business School and businesses are now being encouraged to sign up and book places to join the discussions at blackcountrychamber.co.uk
