Date: Fri 12th June, 2009
Venue:
Number of Guests Attended: 100
What is the future of Regional Development Agencies? How can Yorkshire stay a serious player in the financial services sector? Is Leeds really better than Manchester?
These questions were tackled by a panel of experts at Insider’s Business Breakfast at Broad Gate in Leeds. More than 100 people came to the city’s hottest new office space to see interviewees get hot under the collar as they broached these topics.
The all-star panel featured Leeds City Council deputy leader Councillor Andrew Carter, Yorkshire Forward chief executive Tom Riordan, Leeds Financial Services Initiative chairman Kevin O’Connor, Ernst & Young managing partner Phillip Hilling and Eversheds managing partner Keith Froud.
Councillor Carter called for a greater cohesion across the Leeds city region. “The city region has 11 local authorities working together; everyone has a part of the story and we have to get the story across,” he told the gathered audience.
“There’s a vacuum in thinking in local government at the moment, but we have opportunities to work in partnership with RDAs to bring great benefits to the north of England.”
He called for financial services in the region to brush up its image. “What financial services needs to do is what politicians have failed to do - establish a good reputation,” he said.
“We have customers, and they are fed up with us. Leeds is a major financial centre and if we can build that confidence up we will be at the forefront.”
And does Councillor Carter want to mirror the development across the Pennines in Manchester? “I don’t want to build a replica of Manchester,” he said sternly. “I want a city that’s walkable, has a vast area of cultural expertise, eating experiences and nightlife and has wonderful geography just 20 minutes away.”
