New Business Alliance launches with experienced executives at helm
Collette Roche and Jo Ahmed
A new Business Alliance to strengthen the partnership with the city region's business community has been launched by Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig, with Manchester United new stadium CEO Collette Roche and Deloitte senior partner Jo Ahmed appointed as chair and deputy chair.
The new body will meet regularly with the mayor, council leaders and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) officials to share their ideas, insights and expertise, bringing the voice of the private sector into all of our work to promote local growth.
The mayor has appointed Collette Roche and Jo Ahmed to lead the Business Alliance.
The organisation is now open to expressions of interest, with applications sought from people who can share a range of perspectives, experience and sector expertise.
Its members will play a crucial role in mobilising the business community, working alongside local leaders to deliver the city region's long-term economic priorities – by identifying new opportunities and barriers to growth, informing policy and investment decisions, and supporting progress on areas like innovation, skills, net zero, trade and investment.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig said: "Greater Manchester has become the UK’s fastest growing city region and the best place in the country to do business – success which has been built on strong partnerships between the public and private sectors. The new Business Alliance is intended to build on this legacy, creating a forum that puts the voice of business at the heart of local decision-making.
"I look forward to working with Collette and Jo to ensure we have a meaningful and productive dialogue, with a membership that reflects Greater Manchester's business community.
"We'll only deliver on our ambition of good growth if we create the right environment for all businesses to thrive, so they can create new jobs and opportunities for everyone in our city region. The Greater Manchester Business Alliance will play a key role in making that happen."
Collette Roche, chief executive for new stadium development at Manchester United and Greater Manchester Business Alliance Chair, said: "I’m proud and honoured to be asked to chair the Greater Manchester Business Alliance, a newly established convening hub for Greater Manchester’s business voice.
"Our city region has been built on and flourished as a result of strong public and private sector partnerships and this alliance will continue to enable this.
"Our shared ambition is for Greater Manchester to be a great place to do business, with clear routes to high-quality jobs. I look forward to working with our Mayor and our businesses to build business insight into policy and decisions and drive the economic growth befitting of our globally connected city region."
Jo Ahmed, practice senior partner for Deloitte in the North West and Greater Manchester Business Alliance vice-chair, added: "Greater Manchester has a significant opportunity to build on its strengths, unlock new opportunities for businesses and deliver the next phase of sustainable, inclusive growth.
"I look forward to working with our chair, Collette Roche, mayor Bev Craig and the wider business community to ensure that business voices help shape policy, inform the delivery of the Greater Manchester Strategy’s sector plans and translate ambition into meaningful action.
"Together, we can strengthen collaboration between business and the public sector and deliver good growth for Greater Manchester."
The Business Alliance builds on the work of the previous Greater Manchester Business Board and, before that, the Local Enterprise Partnership.