Business News

Entrepreneurs and innovators from across the West Midlands will have a unique opportunity to develop and grow their businesses by meeting with potential investors and other cutting-edge companies at a free event next March.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is co-sponsoring Venturefest WM 2023 to connect innovative growth businesses with investors and other support organisations who have specific expertise in innovation.

The past year was a story of steady recovery for Birmingham Airport (BHX). 

Following the lifting of Covid travel restrictions in March, BHX moved from 34% of pre-Covid (2019) customer volumes in January to 88% in October. 

The number of new homes being built in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area has bounced back from Covid to such an extent it is now higher than before the pandemic first struck, latest figures have shown.

In the 12 months to March 2022, there were 16,730 net additional homes - 203 more than in the year up to March 2020 when Covid first took hold and lockdowns came into force.

New research from Pushfar, one of the UK’s leading mentoring platforms, shows that the competition for a career change is at a crunch in Birmingham, with 11,782*** job vacancies for the population of 1,092,330** people. With the new year fast approaching, many people are already starting to plan their new year’s resolutions and thinking of ways to better themselves.

As millions of people enjoyed Christmas festivities this year, for 3,275, Christmas Day was the perfect time to file their Self Assessment tax return, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed. A total of 22,060 customers went online to submit their form for the 2021 to 2022 tax year between 24 and 26 December, and 141 opted to file between 23:00 and 23:59 on Christmas eve, meaning they could enjoy celebrations knowing their tax return was complete.

A unique converted Wesleyan chapel in Camden Town will become London's newest boutique hotel when it opens on Friday 30th December. With a £9m investment and following a two-year period of construction, The Wesley is a brand new addition to the growing accommodation offering in one of the capital's up and coming neighbourhoods. 

Five charities from across the UK have been hand-selected by employees at Mondelēz International sites in the West Midlands to each receive a grant of £5,000.

Amy & Friends, Special Needs Adventure Playground (SNAP), Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and national charities Sense and children’s charity Barnardo’s, have received the substantial amount from The Cadbury Foundation, as part of its ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ initiative.

Birmingham Airport (BHX) is more than a third of its way to becoming a net-zero-carbon operation. 

In April the company published its carbon roadmap setting out its plan to become a net-zero-carbon airport by 2033. According to data revealed today, the Midlands transport hub was 37% of the way to this goal in December 2022. 

Applications have opened in the search for the West Midlands’ first-ever Tech Commissioner to help maintain the region’s place as a leading UK tech hub, with the aim of supporting the creation of thousands more jobs and growing the local economy by almost £3billion by 2025.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is creating the part-time, voluntary role in a partnership with Birmingham Tech, a not-for-profit community initiative (CIC) which aims to raise the profile of the region’s tech scene.

In his response to the latest monthly public sector finances statistics, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt said: “Faced with the twin global emergencies of a pandemic and Putin’s war in Ukraine, we have taken significant action to support millions of businesses and families here in the UK.

Gi Group, one of the world’s largest HR solutions and staffing companies, is celebrating after being crowned, “Recruitment Team of the Year”, at the prestigious REC Awards 2022. Gi Group won the award following its work as Official Recruiter for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Also noteworthy was the company’s nomination for another award: “Community Impact of the Year”, in recognition of the £1.3m worth of social value contribution it generated over 12 months as a direct result of its work with Birmingham 2022.

Legal and professional services group Ampa has announced promotions in the West Midlands across its house of brands including Shakespeare Martineau and Marrons.

Promoted to associate within Shakespeare Martineau is Elaine Hart, Fatema Miah and Victoria Kirkpatrick. Elaine Hart, associate within the private client team in Solihull, is an expert in probate matters including inheritance tax bearing estates.

The West Midlands economy is growing at the same time as its carbon emissions are falling, according to data analysed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Between 2005 and 2020, the region’s carbon emissions reported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have more than halved - falling from 7 tonnes of CO2 per capita to 3.4 tonnes.

Westside Business Improvement District (BID) has invested £20,000 in an Eco City Picker to keep pavements in and around Birmingham’s ‘golden mile’ of Broad Street clean.

The battery-powered giant street vacuum will be launched at 8am on Monday 19 December next to the Black Sabbath Bench on Broad Street by Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment at Birmingham City Council.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer responded to ONS December labour market statistics is below. Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said: “While unemployment in the UK remains close to historic lows, high inflation continues to plague economies around the world as we manage the impacts of Covid-19 and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Leading hospitality charity Springboard has helped 1,500 young Midlanders secure jobs in hospitality as part of its ‘Springboard to 2022’ initiative, which sought to support 10,000 people nationwide into employment in the sector.

The initiative saw the charity help thousands of people from all walks of life find employment, including Ukrainian refugees, care leavers, those with mental and physical health conditions, and various other barriers.