Some of Birmingham’s key business organisations are set to create a new nerve centre for economic development and investment as it rises to the challenges of the difficult landscape.
Marketing Birmingham announced in the summer that it was relocating to Baskerville House where it was being joined by Finance Birmingham – a city council-backed fund that supports SMEs – and professional services group Birmingham Forward.
Now in a move aimed at pooling their collective expertise and helping to unify the city’s economic message, the three organisations will be joined by the city council’s economic development team, the executive of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and key elements of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group and the Aston Reinvestment Trust.
The new Birmingham Business Hub will see all of the organisations operate from an open plan office within 14,000 sq ft of space on the ground floor with chamber boss Jerry Blackett, LEP chair Andy Street, strategic director for development for the city council Mark Barrow, Finance Birmingham’s Sue Summers, Forward chief executive Peter Rees-Steer, ART chief executive Steve Walker and Marketing Birmingham boss Neil Rami all now working out of Baskerville House.
Mr Rami said the move would give Birmingham a far more powerful voice as it strove to achieve its aspirations as a global city.
He said: “I think it is fair to say that it is a very competitive environment globally in terms of attracting investment, so working closely with organisations involved given the environment which we are operating makes sense.
"Having the same front door is a great step forward for us and Baskerville House is close to the business community and is the right environment to showcase the city in a right and proper way.
“I think every city right across Europe is looking at different ways of streamlining ways in which to work with investors. We believe this is a structure which is right for Birmingham and has been a long time in the planning.”
Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council, described the new collaboration as “formidable” and said It could only be good news for the city and wider region.
