Business News

GreenSquareAccord, one of England’s largest housing and care providers has appointed Maxine Espley MBE into the new post of Chief Operating Officer (COO). She will be leading a joined-up operations function which will provide services for more than 54,000 housing customers across central and south west England, covering 25,000 homes, and within more than 100 care and support services.

After nine years as CEO of Heathrow Airport, John Holland-Kaye has informed the Board of his intention to stand down as CEO during 2023. The Board would like to thank John for his exceptional leadership since 2014, building a strong management team, developing a consumer-focused culture, improving cost efficiency and putting Heathrow at the forefront of global aviation’s decarbonization.

The transformation of the airport during John’s time as CEO has been recognized as Heathrow won a number of significant awards including Sunday Times top 30 employer; one of the top 10 airports in the world (voted by passengers); and edie’s Sustainable Business of the Year Award.

Introducing energy efficient measures to your home can increase its value by up to 15%, making it more attractive when it comes to selling. When selling or renting a property an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is required which shows the rating of the property from A (highest) to G (lowest). Improving your property’s rating by adding energy saving measures is now more important than ever with the current fuel crisis. Here are 5 measures to consider:

The Consulate General of India, Birmingham organised a Business event on 28th January, 2022, at Birmingham Events and Conference Centre to apprise businesses in Birmingham & North England about the UP Global Investors Summit 2023, the flagship Investment Summit of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. This event bought together investors, businesses and responded to the queries regarding the flagship market entry support initiatives provided by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Southside Business Improvement District (BID) has unveiled an ambitious strategic vision to drive economic growth and support its future development as a diverse cultural centre. Through a series of three connected plans covering access and transport, festivals and events and Southside’s potential to become a Cultural Action Zone, the BID has worked with local businesses and key city stakeholders to propose a series of strategic and practical recommendations.

Research conducted by Hunters Estate Agents has revealed that the Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough is the best place to retire in the UK.

The estate agent ranked some of the most popular retirement locations in England based on factors like transport connections, air quality, crime levels, and average house prices to determine the best place for older people to live.

Businesses are being urged to have their say in a survey to inform City of Wolverhampton Council’s new business support programme. The council is keen to understand in more detail the sort of support measures that will be of most help in overcoming the current economic challenges and enable them to thrive in the future.

The IoD (Institute of Directors) has launched a major initiative to highlight and support the UK’s thriving Asian business community.

The British Asian Business Community Special Interest Group (SIG) is led by insurance broker Abid Khan, chair of IoD Coventry and Warwickshire. Businesses led by ethnic-minority entrepreneurs contribute £74 billion a year to the UK economy according to a report by OPEN, a London-based think-tank that focuses on migration and diversity issues.

FlyBe – which has just stopped operation and gone bankrupt - was the largest independent regional airline in Europe before 2019 It has 1931 staff. For anyone whose ticket was paid for on American Express, Diners Club, Discover, VISA, or MasterCard, are advised to contact their card issuer and dispute the charge – and get a refund.

The City of Wolverhampton Council has been backed for the way it manages public funds by independent auditors. An annual report into the council’s financial statements has revealed it provides value for money with strong governance procedures in place and no significant weaknesses over its financial sustainability.

The chief executive of Manchester City Council Joanne Roney was in Birmingham this week, urging the city’s business community go get behind Manchester’s calls for the government to provide a high-quality link between the Midlands Engine and the Northern Powerhouse.

Speaking at an exclusive Downtown in Business event at the EY offices in the heart of Birmingham city centre Roney said:

The head of the Windrush inquiry has expressed disappointment after the home secretary confirmed the government was dropping three key commitments made in the wake of the Windrush scandal.

Suella Braverman said that she will not be implementing all of the accepted recommendations from a review into how the scandal unfolded, including establishing a migrant's commissioner.

Birmingham based global content marketing agency, HDY Agency, has bolstered its creative team with the appointment of award winning Creative Director Jon Sharp.

Sharp brings 17 years of top tier talent to HDY, specialising in branding and advertising. Sitting on the leadership team at HDY, Jon will be responsible for a studio team of 15 combining art directors, copywriters, designers, motion graphics and an in-house video production team.

New homes provider Bromford is sharing some of the top reasons why Shared Ownership is an ideal option for property seekers on a budget when compared to private renting.

Shared Ownership gives first-time buyers and those who do not currently own a property the opportunity to secure a new build home with Bromford. Homebuyers pay a mortgage on the share they own, and pay rent on the remaining share, meaning only a smaller deposit is required.

The recently appointed government minister, Gillian Keegan MP, has been confirmed as the latest keynote speaker at the Downtown in Business ‘Change Makers Live 2023’ national conference. She has been confirmed as the latest keynote speaker at the national conference, which takes place at the award-winning Spine Building in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter on Thursday 2nd March.

The ground-breaking Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) transport system is to be showcased on the streets of Coventry as part of a real-world testing programme following the approval of funding by regional transport bosses.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board today agreed the first instalment of an expected £72 million investment in the emerging VLR technology – designed to be both faster and cheaper to build than traditional tram and rail systems.