Devon business leaders stepping up to make the case for investment into the South West and have their say on region’s future

Business event on 12 June will focus on getting Westminster working for the South West, in the first of four Regional Roadshows.

The Great South West Pan-Regional Partnership is launching a series of Regional Roadshows, to give local business leaders the opportunity to advance their interests on the national stage.

The first event in the series, in collaboration with the Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, will take place at the Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton, on 12 June.

The Regional Roadshows will bring together senior business leaders, investors, and local authorities. The event aims to spotlight the region’s business community and advance its interests on the national stage.

Ahmed Goga, Director of the Great South West, commented: “We are excited to launch our first Regional Roadshow in Devon, as part of our ongoing work to elevate the region on the national stage and give a voice to our businesses. This is a unique opportunity for business leaders to share their challenges, which we intend to bring forward in our discussions with Government Ministers and MPs. Together, we can strengthen our collective voice and ensure our region plays a leading role in the UK’s economic future.”

Stuart Elford, Chief Executive of Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s more crucial than ever that we find our ‘one voice’ as a region. The scale of opportunity in the South West is remarkable - we have the talent, natural assets and innovation - we just need Westminster to take notice.

“The Regional Roadshows are designed to find a unified voice in business so that Westminster is in no doubt about what our region requires to truly fulfil its potential. I’m excited to see businesses come together at these events to achieve exactly that.”

The Devon Roadshow is the first of four Regional Roadshows, with subsequent events planned in Dorset, Somerset, and Cornwall later this year. Each Roadshow is tailored to address the unique challenges and opportunities within its respective area.

Great South West is developing a range of key events and activity through 2024, including the Regional Roadshows, economic and sector insight reports, Westminster events and a major national conference, in Exeter, in September. A delegation will also be working at the UK’s main investment show, UKREiiF, in Leeds in May, to set out the array of opportunities across the region to national and international investors.