Date: Tue 30th November, 2010
Venue: Coventry Techno Centre, Coventry University Technology Park, Puma Way, Coventry, CV1 2TT
Enquire about this event
For coverage of this event, click here
Panel to include:
Martin Yardley, director of city services and development, Coventry City Council
Insider’s economic debate road show returns to Coventry this month where a panel of business leaders will debate the challenges and opportunities that the city faces in front of an invited business audience.
Coventry city centre’s future is intrinsically linked to large scale regeneration plans - based on the Jerde masterplan. There is an urgent need for a better offering in the retail and office sectors but getting large speculative development projects away in this climate isn’t going to be easy.
The city is keen to attract inward investors from both public and private sectors - Severn Trent was a great ‘steal’ from Birmingham but other news hasn’t been so good. Ericsson’s decision to close down the bulk of its operation in the city and the news that the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority (QCDA) - which had signed a prelet for a 65,000 sq ft building back in 2007 - had fallen under the axe of the new coalition government may mean that a new inward investment strategy is needed.
Better news is that future job creation is likely to come from the city's key growth sectors and through supporting the development of clusters such as high-end manufacturing. Local companies such as ‘green van maker’ Modec will lead that charge.
Pivotal to that new thinking will be the development of the new Manufacturing Technology Centre at Ansty. The centre is intended to become a national hub for the development and demonstration of new technologies.
And the city’s respected universities - Warwick and Coventry - have a key role to play here as well. A recent decision by Jaguar Land Rover to relocate 170 workers from its advanced research group to Warwick University as part of plans to increase vehicle production shows the regard in which the local universities are held by local businesses.
Insider’s forum is intended to be an opportunity for the business community in the area to listen to and question those behind the big issues which will affect the city’s economic future.
This is a free event and we expect demand for places to be high. As such we will take acceptances on a strictly 'first come, first served' basis. Please click here to access the reply form and complete it as soon as possible if you would like to attend. Please contact Lianne Sunderland if you require any further details.
If you are interested in sponsoring this or any other Insider event please contact Adrian Simcox.
Timings for this event are as follows:
7.30am - Registration and breakfast
8:00am - Meeting commences
9.00am - Approximate close
Guests are invited to remain behind after the formal close for coffee and networking.