FRIDAY 8th APRIL 2011

Regional Observatory adds weight to investment drive

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Business Birmingham boosted by regional research house

Marketing Birmingham, the city’s public/private sector strategic marketing partnership, has taken over the West Midlands Regional Observatory.

Following an open bidding process, Marketing Birmingham was selected as the preferred bidder and has now completed the transfer of the organisation and its assets. The Observatory’s existing reports and other data can now be accessed through Marketing Birmingham.

The Observatory will help Marketing Birmingham’s inward investment programme, Business Birmingham, provide potential investors with the information they need to consider the region as an investment location. It will also inform Marketing Birmingham’s leisure and business tourism campaigns.

Neil Rami, Chief Executive of Marketing Birmingham, said:

The information that the Observatory provides on the region’s economic performance and potential is vital and helps to inform business and policy decisions in the region. It is important that this valuable asset is retained and used to encourage growth.

We will be aligning the Observatory’s research activity with our work to attract visitors, investment and jobs to the area.

Mirroring Marketing Birmingham’s work with commercial partners, there will be opportunities for the private sector to work with the Observatory team to develop bespoke research projects. Rami continued:

Working with our own partners from across the visitor economy and wider business community, we believe there is an opportunity for distinct projects aimed at understanding the unique nature of the city’s offer as both a tourist and business destination. In such a fast changing economic environment, this level of up-to-date data is essential in ensuring our communications and service, as an organisation and as a city, remains focused, current and competitive.

Mark Pearce, Corporate Director for Economic Regeneration at Advantage West Midlands said:

We believe that this transfer ensures that there will be a genuine legacy for the excellent and well-received work that the West Midlands Regional Observatory have undertaken in the West Midlands over a number of years.

Marketing Birmingham will shortly begin a recruitment process to build the Observatory team and ensure sectoral knowledge and expertise in areas targeted by Business Birmingham’s investment drive.