Team Derby take investment opportunities to MIPIM

Investment opportunities in Derby are being showcased to an international audience at MIPIM this week.

Team Derby, made up of members of Marketing Derby’s inward investment team, along with public and private sector officials, are currently in Cannes, flying the flag for the city at what is regarded as the biggest property investment show in the world.

This morning, a busy week of promotional activities by the Derby contingent began with Paul Simpson, chief executive of Derby City Council, speaking on stage at the Invest City Focus event, held at the EG Pavilion.

In his address, Paul pitched some of the key investment opportunities in Derby city centre, including the proposed Assemble learning theatre on the site of the Assembly Rooms, the University of Derby’s new Business School and wider masterplan and Derbion’s ambitious proposals to transform key sites to create hundreds of new homes and commercial space.

He said: “Derby is a fantastic innovative city. It is a city on the up, with an exciting future ahead.”

Mr Simpson also took part in a panel debate called ‘City and Growth: Opportunities for Investment and Partnerships’, alongside Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and Huw Thomas, leader of Cardiff City Council.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “MIPIM is an opportunity to raise Derby’s profile on a world stage – and comes in a week in which the Government has announced a huge contract for Rolls-Royce to supply nuclear reactors to power a fleet of submarines for Australia, once again underlying the city’s credentials as the UK’s Capital for Innovation.”

MIPIM is an opportunity to promote opportunities to investors from across the globe and the Derby Investment Prospectus detailing 17 key opportunities is proving to be a useful tool in Cannes.

In his speech at the Invest City Focus event, Paul spoke about some of those investment opportunities.

He said: “We’re proud to be home to SmartParc – a new cutting-edge location for food manufacturing.

“Derby is also building a state-of-the-art performance area, which will be operated by ASM Global and will bring an estimated 200,000 additional visitors to the city.

“The University of Derby’s plans to have a learning hub in the city centre is one that everyone in Derby is extremely excited to see. The Business School has already secured £70 million in funding.”

John said: “We made a great start this morning here at MIPIM by being featured as one of the Estates Gazette cities under focus, along with Birmingham and the West Midlands.

“Speaking on the panel, Paul was able to identify city centre investment opportunities in schemes such as the Assembly Rooms, the university’s Business School and the Derbion.”

As well as city centre investments, Marketing Derby’s team will also promote its Invest in Derbyshire service, with investment opportunities across the county.

Many of these opportunities are detailed in the Derbyshire Investment Prospectus.

Produced by Marketing Derby’s Invest in Derbyshire service, on behalf of Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Economic Partnership, it details over £1 billion of key regeneration opportunities across the county.

In total, 23 projects are featured in the Derbyshire prospectus, spanning the length and breadth of the county.

These range from major sites which will help drive economic prosperity and support a growing population, to smaller projects at the heart of communities.

The city and county have a strong track record of attracting foreign direct investment.

For example, in Derby, the city recently welcomed investments from German-owned heating technology giant Vaillant and Swedish medical technology firm Getinge, who are both taking space at St. Modwen Park Derby, a brand-new business park being created by St. Modwen Logistics.

Back in February it was announced that Derby’s strategy for attracting overseas investment to the city had been named as one of the best in Europe in rankings compiled by the Financial Times.

In the prestigious Financial Times’ fDi European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023 rankings, Derby was placed fourth within the Top 10 Small European Cities for FDI Strategy category, which recognises the cities who have devised the strongest strategy for attracting investment.

Derby was ranked alongside other cities in countries across Europe, including Portugal, Ireland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

In the same rankings, Derby and Derbyshire also enjoyed success in a category, which recognised the efforts of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).

The D2N2 LEP (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire) was ranked 10th in the Cost Effectiveness category.

At a ceremony held at MIPIM this morning, representatives collected both awards.

Mr Forkin said: “Being awarded fourth place in Europe at this year’s awards helps illustrate our strong FDI strategy, which is based on strong relationships with foreign-owned local companies and a robust customer-focussed approach to enquiries.”