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.
For more information on Marketing Birmingham, please visit their
website here:www.marketingbirmingham.com