Member Article

Lord O’Neill returning to UK Northern Powerhouse Conference

Former Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Lord Jim O’Neill has confirmed he will be returning as a key note speaker at next year’s UK Northern Powerhouse Conference and Exhibition.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley worked closely with the former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to drive forward the Northern Powerhouse project, city devolution and infrastructure strategy. He plans to continue to actively support Osborne’s vision to deliver growth beyond the South East through the Northern Powerhouse.

Lord O’Neill believes businesses are crucial to driving forward this success. He said: “Building a Northern Powerhouse to help rebalance the British economy, create jobs and unleash economic growth in the North of England needs to remain a key priority for the new Government. But the key to achieving this lies not just in the Government’s support, but also the backing of businesses across the region.

“The UK Northern Powerhouse Conference is a great opportunity for businesses to hear first-hand how they can play their part in shaping the Northern Powerhouse and ensuring the region’s future economic success.”

The 2017 UK Northern Powerhouse International Conference and Exhibition is supported by Chief Executives from across the major cities of the North from Liverpool to Newcastle. It will feature sessions with the CEOs of major national businesses such as Nissan, Cisco and Stobart Group, as well as playing host to a number of international trade delegations including teams from Canada and Belgium.

The conference will be held in Manchester Central on 21 and 22 February and is expected to attract some 3,000 delegates over two days.

Keith Griffiths, Managing Director of UK Northern Powerhouse Conference, said: “Lord O’Neill has been a key figure in the Northern Powerhouse concept since its inception, playing a central role in pushing the agenda forward.

“It is an honor he is able to join us again at next year’s conference. His insight at the 2016 conference was invaluable and we had extremely positive reviews from businesses following his appearance. We look forward to hearing from him again to explore how he will be continuing to support the project and consider what businesses across the region can do to help ensure the north achieves its full economic potential.”

The conference is one of the few events to attract delegates from across the entire range of sectors, with leading political, academic and business figures from across the North of England present.

Topics being addressed during the conference include productivity, manufacturing, transport and infrastructure, housing, devolution competitiveness, productivity and the North as an international powerhouse.

For further information or to book tickets to the UK Northern Powerhouse International Conference and Exhibition please visit www.uk-northern-powerhouse.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Maria Carr .