Business News

A major conference designed to help businesses boost productivity through improved leadership and people management is being hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce this month. A line-up of high-profile of speakers - including Birmingham 2022 chief executive Ian Reid and the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Race Equality Taskforce chair Yetunde Dania – will address delegates at the Chamber’s Growth Through People conference at the Eastside Rooms, Birmingham on 30 March.

Due to popular demand, eco-friendly, electric boat company GoBoat has today announced the opening of a brand-new Birmingham location, their first site outside of the capital, with bookings now open to the public. 

The new site will open from April 8, where groups of up to eight guests can charter the electric boats and set sail, exploring Birmingham’s famed canal network.

Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce (GBCCC) has signed an agreement with an Australian trade body that will bring increased benefits to its members.

To coincide with the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in Australia this week, the Chamber has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Trade & Investment Queensland – the Queensland Government's dedicated global business agency that helps exporters do business in international markets.

The West Midlands MIPIM delegation addressed global investors at the UK Government Pavilion at the international property conference in Cannes earlier this week, unveiling transformational investment opportunities from right across the UK’s largest regional economy; with a particular focus on accelerating the regions ambitious net zero agenda.

According to domestic abuse campaigners, the strip search of a Black schoolgirl was "sexual assault". The CEO of charity Sistah Space, Ngozi Fulani, said: "Everybody involved" should face charges.

The 15-year-old was pulled out of an exam for the search, which has also been condemned by Hackney MP Diane Abbott, as racist.

A Haringey landlord has been fined £5000 by the council’s Private Sector Housing Team for letting an unlicensed HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) in Boreham Road, N22.

The fine was issued after the landlord ignored repeated warnings from the council to obtain a license to continue letting the property.

The Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) have announced several new appointments to their executive committee as they celebrate another year of growth across the 34-year-old network. They were made during the ABCC’s online annual meeting today at which it was also announced that Dr Jason Wouhra OBE, CEO of Lioncroft Wholesale Limited, would go on to his second year of presidency.

The Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, has launched £15bn worth of housing, regeneration, commercial and infrastructure development opportunities to international investors at the MIPIM property conference in Cannes, South of France.

MIPIM is the world’s leading real estate event, bringing together over 20,000 property professionals from around the world, including over 4,000 investors, representing hundreds of billions of pounds in capital.

A new study of 1,000 UK adults, from digital financial coaching app Claro Money, has revealed that 28% of Brits are dipping into their ‘rainy day’ funds just to make ends meet when their outgoings rise above their income.

Rather than use their savings funds for goals like luxury holidays, remodelling the family home or a brand-new car, research has found that the rising cost of daily living including food shopping, childcare, petrol, and energy are starting to eat away at Brits’ future finance goals and plans.

Uponor renews its Group strategy and introduces new financial targets to drive profitable growth. Uponor’s new Group strategy is centred on maximizing the core and sustainable innovation.

Michael Rauterkus, president & CEO of Uponor, said: “Uponor is a leading partner and a pioneer in sustainable water systems and indoor climate. We are well positioned to benefit from the megatrends of net zero, productivity and clean water. 

549 organisations around the world received a highly prized accolade for their work in health, safety, and wellbeing, as British Safety Council revealed the winners of its prestigious International Safety Awards 2022.

The awards recognise and celebrate organisations from around the world which have shown a true dedication in the last year to keeping their workers and workplaces healthy, safe, and well. 

A bronze-coloured frieze depicting athletes in action has been installed on the front of the redeveloped Perry Barr railway station.

The installation of new weathered effect cladding shows that the £30.9 million rebuilding project is nearing completion ready for opening later in the spring and in time to welcome visitors for this summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Prospective developers looking at acquiring a site or getting involved in a development should check whether nutrient loading is likely to be an issue, says planning and environmental specialist, Caroline Waller from Clarke Willmott LLP. 

Caroline, a partner in Clarke Willmott’s planning and environmental team, warns failure to do so could mean a potentially significant delay into their contracts and development programme with significant extra costs. 

The resignation of a high-profile Indian entrepreneur from the company he co-founded has led to worry in the country's booming start-up sector. Ashneer Grover, founder of at least two unicorns - tech start-ups valued at over $1bn - resigned last week as managing director of BharatPe, one of India's most prominent fintech companies, after a public fallout with the board of the company he founded.

Birmingham and Solihull’s new £1.458m Coroners Court was officially opened by the Chief Coroner for England and Wales, His Honour Judge Thomas Teague QC, earlier.

The former Youth Court on Steelhouse Lane, has been fully refurbished to triple the number of court rooms for inquests from one to three, which will have technology to enable representatives or jury members to attend hearings virtually.

Motorists are being advised to plan ahead for a series of road works and carriageway closures on the A45 Small Heath Highway in Birmingham.

The surfacing works will complete the main construction on the Small Heath Highway of bus lanes and infrastructure for the priority bus route - part of a continuous route from Walsall to Solihull via Birmingham city centre.