Exeter poised for more investment and growth
Leaders from business, industry and education in the greater Exeter area are joining forces with Exeter City Council for a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase their city nationally and internationally to attract significant inward investment.
The arrival of the new £97million Met Office supercomputer and Rugby World Cup 2015 are two headline events which will place Exeter in the spotlight on the world stage - and the city wants to ensure these opportunities are a springboard for success.
The “Invest in Exeter” project team has appointed Exeter-based public relations specialists KOR Communications to help drive interest in the city and stimulate further economic growth.
Victoria Hatfield, Economy & Tourism Manager at Exeter City Council, said: “This is a golden time for Exeter and for those who live and work here. The economy is growing and there are huge investments being made to help stimulate further growth and opportunities.
“Exeter is home to some of the UK’s top businesses and top minds, and the City Council is firmly focused on promoting the city and all it has to offer to a national and international audience. We are pleased to be working alongside strategic communications specialists from Exeter’s KOR Communications who will be delivering targeted campaigns to drive interest in the Invest in Exeter initiative.”
KOR Communications’ Managing Director Annette Richman said: “There is a wealth of expertise in businesses, industry and academic research in Exeter and over the next 12 months we will be unveiling this to a national and international audience whose attention is likely to be grabbed by the headline events in our city this year.
“We will work with the Invest in Exeter team to showcase new opportunities to a range of target sectors. Over the coming months we will be calling on colleagues and partners within Exeter and the surrounding area to help us promote the city by sharing their stories and successes” Annette added.
The city council initiative follows a string of successes for businesses, organisations and the local economy including Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent announcement of Growth Deal funding for the second stage of the Exeter Science Park Centre to offer flexible managed workspace to support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Exeter Science Park, just off junction 29 of the M5, has been in the spotlight with 30,000 sq ft due for completion in March 2015 and the announcement of the Global Environmental Futures (GEF) campus that will house part of the Met Office supercomputer.
The University of Exeter has also made headlines after being ranked among the 100 most influential universities in the world in the Times Higher Education league table. It has also been awarded £2million in funding to develop its ground breaking new science centre, the Living Systems Institute.
Some of the city’s most significant businesses are expanding and attracting attention, with online investment platform Crowdcube’s Darren Westlake being listed in the Sunday Times’ most influential individuals after a very successful year in 2014 and international data science agency, Black Swan, relocated its Exeter office after moving into larger premises .
Invest in Exeter is an Exeter City Council initiative working in conjunction with a wide variety of businesses in and around the greater Exeter area.
KOR Communications would like business leaders and entrepreneurs to come forward and share their success stories with the rest of the UK. If you would like to be involved, please contact Beth May at KOR Communications on 01392 466733 or email beth.may@korcommunications.co.uk.
For more information about Invest in Exeter visit www.investinexeter.co.uk , or follow @InvestinExeter on Twitter.
