"Birmingham's professional and financial services sector (second only to London) offers an excellent business infrastructure, high quality housing, schooling and cultural facilities and top quality office accommodation. In short, everything the City needs to accommodate the projected 30% increase within this sector over the next 5 years"
Chris Monk, Chairman Birmingham Forward

With over £8bn of investment to date, Birmingham continues to act as a powerful magnet to developers, investors and businesses alike. Birmingham is increasingly perceived as an economically successful international business and conference City. A City which welcomes both business and leisure visitors alike.

Birmingham is a 'Can Do City' providing an investment friendly environment for UK and overseas investors. The infrastructure and the skills are in place to ensure that companies who take the decision to locate here have the very best professional environment in which to operate.

Locate in Birmingham provides A fast-track one-stop service offering advice, assistance, recruitment training, business support and investor development service.

"Locate in Birmingham … has kept in constant contact since we opened the new office. I can't say enough about the help Locate in Birmingham gave me - I felt I had a friend in Birmingham that I could trust."
Helen Dawkins, Financial Controller, Compass Management Consulting

Education and Skills

Birmingham is a life long learning City. With 39,500 graduates per year and schools that feature in the UK's top 10 its no surprise that Birmingham has achieved "Grade One" standard of schooling (Ofsted).

"if anyone outside Birmingham was thinking of relocating and the education of their children is utmost in their consideration then this city is the place to move to."
Prof. Tim Brighouse, Chief Education Officer

Academic excellence is fostered in the regions 9 universities with over 138000 students providing a ready made supply of well educated graduates. The City also benefits from the expertise of two excellent business schools and a college of law.

"The new unit has got up and running in a very short space of time, and that is due in large part to the high quality of the staff that we have been able to recruit from the Birmingham area." 
John Castagno, Legal & General

Workforce

Birmingham benefits from a large pool of highly skilled workers at competitive salaries. The City has a population over 1 million and a total labour workforce in excess of 600,000. The Birmingham population is young, with the number of those under the age of 25 higher than the national average.

"We wanted to stay in Birmingham rather than move to another UK location, because of the quality and skills of the labour force."
Bibi Bajwa, Client Services Director, BPS Teleperformance

Business

As the largest financial centre outside London, Birmingham is home to some of the best known names in the finance and service sector including Merrill Lynch HSBC, HFC Bank, Charles Schwab, Royal Bank of Scotland, Wesleyan and Eagle Star., Birmingham is also home to 200 law firms, 19 of the top 20 accountants and 50 major property companies.

"Birmingham's strengths in corporate banking and corporate structured finance have been decades in the making. The City's ability to service major deals is on a par with anywhere in the world. Our staff numbers in Birmingham grew by 70% in the last 12 months and we are very focused on generating business for the City and the region"
Trevor Foster, Head of Bank of Scotland's Corporate Finance Division

Developments Birmingham's drive and determination to keep itself in the vanguard of leading European Business cities has never been more evident - with exciting plans to redevelop and further extend the city centre being at the heart of a massive regeneration programme. "Birmingham city centre is firing on all cylinders -residential, retail, leisure and offices. There is more development activity in the city centre than for 40 years". John Bellfield, Director, Barberry Properties

Europe's Meeting Place

Birmingham is the UK's no. 1 exhibition, conference and event city attracting over 5 million business visitors a year. The City has also been ranked fourth out of a top 50 ranking of world-wide corporate destinations.

"The facilities [at the ICC] for the delegates have been just great with absolutely no negatives".
Francois Le Blevennec, NATO, Spokesman

Transport Infrastructure

Birmingham is a city with excellent European and international transport links. The City enjoys a strategic position at the centre of the UK and at the heart of the country's transport network.

"Birmingham's international transport links are everything you need to see if you are running a business". John Towers, MG Rover

Telecommunications

Birmingham is one of the major telecommunications centres in the country, having immediate access to the most advanced telecommunication networks in Europe.

Lifestyle

This is the city for every occasion. Whether its evenings of culture, days packed with shopping, relaxed meals or treats from the Jewellery Quarter, -the range of attractions is second to none. The city boasts unique and enthralling attractions; superb shopping centres; the best in orchestra, ballet and theatre at world-class venues; the NEC; exciting national and international sporting events; award winning restaurants, cafes and bars; city canals and lively squares; a buzzing nightlife and entertainment to suit every taste!

Its no surprise then that the Rough Guide to Britain* describes the City as the country's new cultural jewel.

"Rarely seen is a city so alive, with so much ambition, full of energy and creativity."
Raymond Blanc, Restaurateur, Le Petit Blanc

Talk to us now

If you would like to join the growing number of companies relocating here, there's a partnership you should talk to first - 

Locate in Birmingham
T: 0121 303 2222 
E: enquiries@locatebirmingham.org.uk

 

Talk to us NOW!

* Rough Guide to Britain 2000

 

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