Margaret Corneby, Chief Executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, has recently announced the £6 billion growth challenge for the region. “Our aim is to double the size of the Black Country economy by the end of 2023: from a GVA of £17 billion at the start of 2013 to £34 billion at the end of 2023. If we do nothing, current projections suggest that we will have a GVA of £22 billion, £12 billion less than our aim."

“We will do a deal with Government: we will deliver half of the shortfall, £6 billion, if the public sector can pledge to deliver the same through improvements in transport, skills and school performance, and reducing red tape. School underperformance alone is costing the Black Country £1 billion per year so there is plenty of scope.

“We have been supporting Black Country businesses for over 150 years. We know what we are talking about and our recommendations are based on impartial, sound advice.

“Over the last two years we have been looking at how business leaders learn and grow their businesses. We want to share this knowledge with 20,000 businesses across the Black Country. We have created a Strategic Leadership Programme that we believe will have a transformational effect on our business base. We piloted the programme through the Growth Hub and are now taking it to market.

“Anyone who is interested in getting their company to grow faster should contact me. There are no tricks and no gimmicks: this is a straight forward distillation of 20 years’ experience across the manufacturing and services sector, worldwide and the aforementioned two years’ experience of working with our own Platinum Group.

“We believe that what we are offering is the right first step for any aspirational business.”