With voters set to choose Greater Manchester's next mayor, TheCityUK has called on the incoming mayor to work closely with businesses to help unlock growth, attract investment and create opportunities across the city region.
A new manifesto published by TheCityUK highlights the major contribution financial and related professional services make to Greater Manchester's economy, supporting more than 151,000 jobs across the city region and almost 60,000 jobs in the city of Manchester alone.
The industry includes banking, insurance, legal services, accountancy and fintech businesses and forms one of Greater Manchester's most important sources of employment and economic activity.
TheCityUK is urging the incoming mayor to work with industry to ensure that financial and related professional services can play an even greater role in driving economic growth, supporting jobs and attracting investment across Greater Manchester.
Miles Celic OBE, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK, said: "Greater Manchester has the ambition, resilience and enterprise to be a powerful engine of growth and opportunity. Financial and related professional services already support more than 151,000 jobs in the city region, and the next mayor has a real opportunity to unlock even more of the industry’s potential to create jobs, attract investment and drive prosperity across Greater Manchester.”
The manifesto calls on the next mayor to focus on three key areas:
Greater engagement between the mayoralty and businesses to support economic growth.
Stronger collaboration between employers, schools, colleges and universities to tackle skills shortages and improve access to high-quality jobs.
Continued investment in transport and digital infrastructure to improve connectivity and boost productivity.
TheCityUK says these measures would help strengthen Greater Manchester's position as one of the UK's leading regional financial and professional services hubs, supporting economic growth across the wider economy and creating opportunities for communities throughout the city region.
Read the full manifesto here: https://www.thecityuk.com/our-work/enabling-growth-across-greater-manchester-a-manifesto-for-our-next-mayor/