West Yorkshire open for business at major national conference in Leeds

On 16 May, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin will declare the region open for business as she addresses delegates at the UKREiiF conference in Leeds.

10 May 2023

  • From 16th-18th May, West Yorkshire will host a major conference with over 5,000 investors and public sector leaders expected to gather in Leeds.

  • For the first time, Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, will lead a delegation of the region’s council and business leaders to promote the region and secure investment.

  • The ‘West Yorkshire Pavilion’ will feature a series of panel discussions including on housing, Net Zero, public transport and culture.

On Tuesday (16 May) West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin will declare the region open for business as she addresses delegates at the UKREiiF conference in Leeds.

In front of an audience of thousands of representatives from the business and public sector communities, the Mayor will highlight opportunities for investment, with key announcements expected over the course of the three days.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority will host several fringe events around the city with partners, including at the newly constructed LEEDS 2023 WOW Barn on Cinder Moor.

The barn, built in 24 hours by women, girls and non-binary people, was funded by the Mayor to break down barriers in construction, providing an opportunity for over 300 people to develop new skills and pursue new careers.

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: 

“Driving regeneration, economic growth and attracting inward investment are key to West Yorkshire’s ongoing success.

“We’re taking full advantage of UKREiiF being on our doorstep and will champion our region to investors and developers from around the world.

“Taking centre stage with our local authority partners, together we’ll be showcasing why our region is the very best place to live, work, and do business.”

Chair of the Leeds City Region LEP, Mark Roberts said:

“That UKREiiF is making West Yorkshire its home for a second year running is a testament to the thriving, vibrant business eco-system our region has to offer.

“There is a real buzz around businesses and investors across the Leeds City Region, and we’re looking to build on our proven track record of strong, successful public-private partnerships.

“Devolution has given our region the powers and funding it needs to drive business investment locally, and UKREiiF provides the perfect opportunity to further demonstrate that West Yorkshire is the best place to start, grow and scale a business.”

The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) will be hosted at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, 16-18 May.

The West Yorkshire programme of sessions taking place at the West Yorkshire Pavilion is available to download at https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/ukreiif/.

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