2. ROGER MARSH CHAIR Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership
Introductory remarks
Thank you for inviting me to open this conference today, and particularly to CDi Print Yorkshire for their work in organising this event. I’m delighted to be here.
This sector is a critical one for our future economic prosperity. It is also a sector in which the Leeds City Region has real strength and competitive advantage on a global scale. The growth opportunities in the creative and digital industries are immense.
The LEP’s vision is to unlock the vast economic potential of this City Region to create jobs and prosperity.
We will do this by enabling business and enterprise to thrive, and by harnessing the power of a genuine partnership between business and the public sector. As one of six industries with the greatest capacity for transformational growth in our region, the creative and digital industries are at the heart of our vision.

3. Leeds city region ECONOMY
• UK’s largest city region economy outside London
£55bn economy – 5% of England’s total economic output; bigger than 9 EU countries
Population of 3 million; workforce of 1.4m – largest and fastest growing in the North
106,000 businesses
UK’s largest manufacturing centre with 139,000 jobs
Largest regional financial and professional services sector
8 HEIs; 14 FE colleges
Emphasise the scale of the Leeds City Region economy – the largest economic area outside London, with an economy bigger than 9 EU countries. The creative and digital industries are a key sector contributing to our national and international competitiveness.
Creative and digital industries in Leeds City Region
 The creative and digital sector is one where the UK has world-leading strengths, and it has rightly been recognised by government as an important driver of growth nationally.
 These world-leading strengths are replicated in Leeds City Region We’ve build on our rich heritage of printing, manufacturing and creativity to become pioneers of new technologies and processes that are changing the world.
 Examples of companies/ strengths (see briefing note)
 The significance of the sector goes far beyond the people it employs directly: companies like yours are supporting growth and driving innovation across all sectors (refer to briefing note for further details)
 And the growth potential of this sector is huge (see briefing note)

4. Strategic economic plan: OUR headline outcomes
Title page four
What is the LEP doing to unlock the sector’s potential?
Business Growth Programme – we’ve worked in partnership with CDi Print Yorkshire to encourage applications from the CDI sector – 32 companies engaged so far, nine in the process of being funded. A total of £300,000 grant funding which has leveraged over £3m additional investment in the sector (refer to briefing note for additional detail)
Skills (refer to briefing note for detail)
Export – our We are International campaign is helping small businesses exploit the huge potential in overseas markets through peer-to-peer mentoring, and by making the export support landscape simpler. 300 companies have engaged so far
Broadband – in partnership with local authorities and businesses including BT, we are investing in the City Region’s broadband infrastructure to ensure businesses in all sectors – but especially in digital sectors – have the super-fast connectivity they need to grow
Local Growth Deal – we are about to agree a Deal with government that will provide the powers and funding to do even more to support businesses in our key sectors. Likely to include targeted business support, innovation support, help with energy efficiency, more business finance schemes, and improvements to our transport and housing infrastructure that will unlock growth that is currently untapped – This slide shows the headline outcomes of our SEP

5. Join our mailing list: LCR@leedscityregion.gov.uk
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Closing remarks
We’re at the start of an exciting journey, that your sector will play a part in.  
Robert McClements has asked you to say the following:
We’re very grateful to the British Print Industries Foundation’s (BPIF) initiative, CDi PrintYorkshire (CDI = Creative and Digital Industries), which has enabled us to engage very effectively with the sector. We are fortunate that the BPIF has developed its ‘incubator unit’ in this region.
I would like to pay tribute to the vital role that Kathy Woodward, Chief Executive BPIF, is playing in the leadership and lobbying that reminds us all, including Government and you, of the importance this industry.
Welcome to Leeds City Region, welcome to the Visual Media Conference.