Global Business Conference 2024: Region urged to capitalise on cultural strengths

The key role cultural and sporting institutions such as Black Sabbath and Aston Villa can play in boosting the West Midlands’ global standing was highlighted at a major summit hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

Delegates at the Chamber’s annual Global Business Conference were told the region must capitalise on the successes of internationally-acclaimed Birmingham Royal Ballet – who are taking their Black Sabbath: The Ballet production around the world – and Villa, who will compete in European football’s Champions League next season.

Taking place at Birmingham City University’s Curzon Building, the conference brought together businesses from across the region to hear about the current outlook on international trade and opportunities in new markets.

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The region’s cultural prowess was a key theme of the conference. The West Midlands Growth Company’s director of policy and partnerships Katie Trout said capitalising on sporting and cultural strengths – as well as utilising the global networks of Chambers of Commerce and universities – can boost the region’s profile.

She said: “We really need to be thinking about how we utilise connections that Chambers have across the globe.

“How do we utilise the global alumni that our fantastic universities have and get them to open up and share their networks abroad for us? 

“How do we best utilise the soft power that we have, so when the CBSO and Birmingham Royal Ballet are touring the world, how do we jump on that and make even more of it a business and trading element?

“With Aston Villa now being in the Champions League, how do you promote the region when people come and watch fantastic football here?

“I think this is going to be a really critical to show how we can best harness all of our collective roles when it comes to international positioning and therefore the impact of the region.”

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Ms Trout, who joined the GBCC’s director of external affairs Raj Kandola and Ryan Howell from global logistics and freight forwarding specialists Rohlig UK for a panel discussion about the region’s international positioning, admitted the West Midlands still has a “huge visibility problem” despite attracting record foreign direct investment (FDI) and visitor numbers.

And she encouraged business leaders and stakeholders to act as ambassadors for the region, adding: “When you look at the perception survey that we've been undertaking as a Growth Company, we still have a huge visibility challenge across the world as a region.

“We have the likes of Greater Manchester who continuously score much higher than us in terms of perception, which we need to try and address. 

“I think when we get people here, they are blown away and surprised, which I get annoyed about because they shouldn’t be surprised about how fantastic it is.

“So, we should all be ambassadors for the city and for the region and promote us as much as possible so that we raise awareness, get people here and then they will come and invest, host their events and visit.”

Meanwhile, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s chief executive Caroline Miller discussed the company’s role in flying the flag for the region by taking Black Sabbath: The Ballet across Europe and America following its sold-out run in Birmingham.

She said: “There are a lot of things that we could tie together in terms of culture and businesses to re-remind people about this city and why it is so important.

“International trade is built on brand alliance with the UK and with quality – it’s what we do and what we shout about.

“Our patron was the Queen and is now the King, so we have that Royal brand that, particularly in America, means something to people.

“It’s also about international collaboration. Big Brands want to align themselves with dance and particularly ballet because they want to be associated with precision, skill, beauty, youth and having fun.

“When you go somewhere internationally and language is a barrier, it’s also a really good way of communicating with people, having a shared experience and saying ‘that's something from my home country and that aligns with our brand’.”

Pictured: GBCC chief executive Henrietta Brealey with Birmingham Royal Ballet's Caroline Miller