Bernard Ginns: New regional chair of IoD will have some big shoes to fill

Outgoing in both senses of the word, the chair of the Institute of Directors in Yorkshire certainly did a good job in speaking up for her members and banging the drum for business in Yorkshire.

But all good things must come to an end and I can reveal that the IoD is in talks with not one but two individuals about succeeding Ms Wood as chair and vice chair.

One is a well-regarded professional banker turned consultant and business adviser and the other is a well-known figure in her industry who has won national acclaim for her wider work in business and the community.

Both are extremely well connected and should be able to keep the concerns of the Yorkshire IoD’s 2,500 company director members well up the political agenda.

Kenton Robbins, the regional director, paid tribute to Ms Wood’s “sharp wit, experience and expertise” in the latest issue of the IoD’s house magazine.

The IoD has progressed well under Ms Wood and Mr Robbins and is probably the most vocal business group in Yorkshire.

Yorkshire business needs strong supporters, given the scale of the economic challenge in this part of the country versus London, where national business groups like the IoD and CBI are headquartered and most political and commercial decisions are taken.

The IoD hopes to confirm the appointments soon.

For all we hear about Leeds being a great place to invest, it is clear that the city needs to raise its game when promoting itself to heavyweight investors.

Tesco Bank was looking around the UK for a base for some of its operations in 2010. It looked at Glasgow, Newcastle and Leeds among other locations.

Despite the claim to be the main financial services centre outside London, the city lost out to Glasgow and Newcastle. I heard that the successful cities were able to offer “considerable” financial support.

Money clearly talks and Leeds lost out. The city also lost out to Edinburgh in its bid to host the Government’s Green Investment Bank, another blow to its credentials.

To be fair, you could argue that the Government’s decision on the investment bank was purely political. And maybe Glasgow and Newcastle are able to promise bigger support when talking to investors, but to lose two potential arrivals does look like carelessness.

Lurene Joseph, the new CEO at Marketing Leeds, will have to make sure that big requirements like these do not slip through the net in the future.

The city is attractive and does have much to offer, but it needs to sell itself better in the future. Which is Ms Joseph’s chall- enge.

Rick de Blaby, the chief executive of national property company MEPC, told me last month that the city has potential, with Trinity Leeds and the Leeds Arena a big part of the city’s positive story.

He also noted that the council’s leadership “is in a much better place than it was” and paid tribute to the strength of the manufacturing and professional service sectors.

But he said: “When Leeds comes to compete with other large UK regional cities for the more footloose-type inquiries – which we get one or two a year of – I still think Leeds can do better at projecting its story.

“Some cities out there are very slick at marketing their city proposition. I don’t think Leeds has got to the optimum state it can do.

“I’m not saying its bad. I’m saying it can do better.

“We have a bit to do with Cardiff.

“It’s pretty punchy in terms of putting its message out there. It has the capacity to put some grant money into play.

“It has a tougher climate than Leeds in some respects. Ultimately, it’s not the powerhouse that Leeds is. But that does not detract from its ambition.”

That’s the reality. It’s a competitive cut-throat world. Investors will go where they can get the best returns. Leeds has to make sure that its returns are clearly articulated.

Passing through Leeds Bradford Airport on my holidays last week I was impressed with the new refurbishment work.

The airport seems bigger, cleaner, brighter and more modern.

Our infrastructure is improving. Talks are progressing about greater rail connectivity within West Yorkshire, which could put the airport at the heart of a new integrated transport system.

When British Airways arrives the rest of the world will seem a little bit closer. Time and again we see the best Yorkshire businesses are the ones that are trading internationally. BA at LBA will help them get there. It’s up to business to use it.

@bernardginns