New business centre launched

The Wolverhampton Business Solutions Centre aims to have a positive economic impact on the city and West Midlands region by providing access to business services.

The partnership brings together the University of Wolverhampton, Black Country Chamber of Commerce, City of Wolverhampton College, Wolverhampton City Council and Business Link West Midlands. The aim is to provide integrated business solutions to companies of any size or sector to help them become more competitive.

A reception was held at the Centre at Wolverhampton Science Park on Thursday, 30 September 2010. Guests included the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett, business people and representatives from the five partners.

At the event, Professor Ian Oakes, Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Enterprise at the University, said: “I am delighted that the partnership has come together. Our focus is to help businesses improve competitiveness, create wealth and create jobs and feed that back into Wolverhampton.”

Councillor Paddy Bradley, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Enterprise at Wolverhampton City Council, said: “The Business Solutions Centre is an extremely important innovation. We have been working on it for 12 months or more and the facilities are very good. We are grateful to the University for taking it on board and running with it.”

Around 100 business people from around the region attended a keynote event following the launch. Innovate4Success featured guest speaker Hamish Taylor, an inspirational leader on innovation and change management.

Hamish has an award-winning record of driving innovation and change in a number of high profile business, including Procter and Gamble, Eurostar and British Airways, and offered advice about how to innovate for success.

To contact the Wolverhampton Business Solutions Centre, call 01902 321272 or email enquiries@wolverhamptonbsc.com

ENDS

Picture 1: Steve Boyes from Wolverhampton City Council, Ian Grewcock from Business Link West Midlands, Professor Ian Oakes from the University of Wolverhampton, Margaret Corneby from the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Bhanu Dhir from the City of Wolverhampton College.

Picture 2:  Steve Boyes from Wolverhampton City Council, Professor Ian Oakes, Marc Fleetham and Professor Caroline Gipps from the University of Wolverhampton, keynote speaker Hamish Taylor and Ian Millard from the City of Wolverhampton College at the Innovate4Success event.

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736