Businesses across Coventry and Warwickshire have been urged to grasp the opportunity of Brexit to tell Government exactly what they need to grow.
Former minister Michael Portillo was a speaker at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s annual economic conference at the Ricoh Arena where the theme was Go For Growth.
Portillo said that the low pound, which has dipped in value since the decision to leave the EU, should be a catalyst for firms to export.
He said: “Trade is the most important thing and this is the opportunity, through the Chamber, to tell the Government what you need practically to export more and to grow.
“The Government is as desperate as you are that overseas trade should be a success and my advice would be to strike now.
“There is an opportunity to attract more business into this country because it is now a great deal cheaper than they would have ever imagined so the Go For Growth slogan that you have chosen for this conference is entirely appropriate.”
Portillo followed interviews with MP Marcus Jones and CWLEP chairman Jonathan Browning, conducted by event facilitator Adam Dent, managing director of Advent Communications.
They discussed the region’s place in the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Midlands Engine and touched on the barriers to growth such as a lack of employment land and lower productivity.
Mark Berrisford-Smith, head of economics for HSBC Commercial Banking, predicted a slowdown in the UK economy as opposed to a recession.
He warned against placing too much expectation on the low pound leading to major growth in exports because it hadn’t happened the last time Sterling fell.
The second half of the conference saw six panellists take to the stage to look at some of the barriers to growth in the region and how to overcome them.
Jason Aldridge, of Arrowsmith Engineering; Dave Ayton-Hill, of Warwickshire County Council; Paul Noon, of Coventry University Enterprises; David Burbidge, chair of Coventry’s UK City of Culture bid for 2021; Debbie Harper, of HSBC; and Lee Rogers, of Simplify IT, discussed everything from apprenticeships through to the image of the region.
The event, which was sponsored by HSBC, CWLEP, Simplify IT, WarwickNet, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises, was closed by Kevin Byrne – the founder of Checkatrade.
Louise Bennett, the chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said the conference had entertained and informed the 300 delegates from across the region, including business and civic leaders.
She said: “It was, once again, a great conference. We all know that these are uncertain times for businesses across Coventry and Warwickshire on the back of Brexit.
“But our speakers helped to bring some clarity to the issues that we are all facing and set out a way forward.
“I would personally like to thank all of the speakers, the sponsors and to those who attended for making such as successful event.”