Tens of thousands of EU workers in the South West could leave the UK over the next few years, potentially triggering a major skills headache for the region’s firms, according to a new survey. Some 28% of all EU nationals working in the region say they are considering quitting...
The outlook for the global economy is “highly uncertain”, a top Bank of England official has warned Bristol business leaders, but he insisted that Britain’s financial services industry is in far better shape to cope with any sudden shocks than it was ahead of the last recession. China’s huge...
Branding, exporting and the challenges of being a woman boss in the male-dominated world of professional football are among the issues that will be showcased at this year’s Festival of Female Entrepreneurs in Bristol. The event, staged by small business support group Enterprise Nation on October 20, has become...
The University of Bristol has appointed Martin Sadler OBE, an acclaimed tech industry and cyber security expert, as its first special advisor on industrial strategy. Martin, pictured, has a long and illustrious career at the leading edge of industrial research and development, particularly in fields related to digital and...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has appointed one of the South West’s top marketeers as its new chairman. Iain Wolsey, pictured, said he wanted Business West to ensure the region “punched a bit above our weight” and competed against the likes of the Northern Powerhouse and the...
Facilities management firm Almeda has scooped two awards at the prestigious National Family Business Awards. Managing director Brady George, pictured, won the Entrepreneur of the Year title while the Keynsham-based company itself received the Big Heart award for improving corporate social responsibility (CSR). Almeda was recognised in this category...
Gaps in Bristol and the West of England’s digital infrastructure are to be identified in a major new study aimed at improving its digital connectivity and boosting the economy. The project, to be launched in the autumn, will also identify the skills gaps in the digital sector that are...
Timber and sheet materials specialist Avon Plywood has been acquired by larger competitor Sydenhams for an undisclosed sum. Keynsham-based Avon Plywood, which was established in 1983 as an importer of wood-based materials and timber into Bristol, is now one of the UK’s largest suppliers of its kind. It specialises...
By Donna Kehoe, Bank of England agent for the South West of England I always enjoy the conversations I have each day with those running businesses, charities and other organisations here in the South West. These discussions provide an up-to-the-minute insight into what’s really happening in the economy across...
Bristol is showcasing its role in leading the UK in driverless vehicle technology this weekend with public demonstrations of two groundbreaking projects that harness city-developed innovation. Three of the nine UK research projects into driverless cars – or Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) – are based in Bristol or...
Ambitious Bristol-based energy supplier OVO has entered the fast-growing electric vehicle market by acquiring two specialist firms and forming a partnership with the UK’s largest provider of infrastructure to the sector. At the same time OVO, which employs around 900 in Bristol, has launched a service which offers its...
Up to 3,000 people across the West of England will get help to increase their skills and opportunities as a result of £3.9m government devolution funding. The investment, from the Department of Work and Pensions, will pay for a two-and-a-half-year Innovation Pilot starting next January which aims to support...
Bristol’s best tech businesses are being invited to enter a national awards scheme that celebrates innovation and growth among the sector’s fastest-growing firms. The 2017 Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50 Awards showcase the country’s dynamic technology ecosystem and the most exciting hi-tech companies. Now in their 20th year,...
