The Manchester Inward Investment Agency (MIDAS) was established in 1997 to promote investment and job creation in Greater Manchester through international marketing campaigns and providing free and confidential support services to investors. MIDAS helps investors through its sector expertise, access to specialists, and assistance throughout the investment process. Manchester is an attractive location for business due to its large skilled workforce, central UK location, international airport, strong economy, devolved governance, world-class universities, and infrastructure investments. The city offers a high quality of life and has received recognition as one of the best places to live, work, visit and do business in the UK and Europe.

1. Manchester
A World Class Location for Business

2. Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency
Established 1997
Not-for-profit agency supporting the creation of
jobs and investment into Greater Manchester
Achieved through international lead generation
campaigns promoting GM’s key sectors
Owned by Greater Manchester Combined
Authority
Strong public-private sector led board
All services are free of charge and confidential
MIDAS

3. MIDAS’ Services
Research including benchmarking
Support expansion
Property solutions
Recruitment and Training
Networking
Marketing and PR support
Relocation support
Financial solutions
How do MIDAS help?
Extensive sector and market knowledge
Access to a full team of specialists and their network
Minimise the risk and maximise the opportunities of
locating in Manchester
Understanding of what it takes to archive a successful
investment
Ongoing support throughout the investment process,
aftercare service and ongoing support for future
opportunities

4. Why Manchester?
• Economic leader in UK, behind only London
• A workforce of 7.2 million within 50 miles
• Over 40% of economic output for the North West
• Second largest UK recipient of FDI
• Central UK location – well connected
• International airport with direct flights to over 200
destinations worldwide
• Large talent pool with multilingual skills (200
languages spoken)
• Devolved city region economy
• Gateway to the Northern Powerhouse

5. Manchester’s Economy
105,000 businesses
2.7m people
+183,100 since 2004
Gross Value Added Source: ONS, GVA estimates 2014
BIGGERTHAN
GM ECONOMY, 2014
£56.2bn
WALES ECONOMY, 2014
£52bn
NORTH EAST
ECONOMY, 2014
£45.3bn
NORTHERN
IRELAND
ECONOMY, 2014
£32.8bn
1.1m international visitors
p/a £823m p/a conferences
Source: ONS
57 FDI projects 2015-16
67% N. America; 22%
Europe; 7% Asia Pacific

6. Devolution

7. BIRTHPLACE OF
INNOVATION

8. Pioneering city
A city of firsts – birthplace of the
industrial revolution, splitting of the
atom and the modern computer
City of innovative pioneers – the city
where graphene, the world’s thinnest
and strongest material, was isolated
Today, Manchester is the first devolved
economic city resulting in a pro-business
environment
Manchester - European City of Science
2016 hosting the ESOF conference – 600
speakers including Nobel Laureates.

9. Access to World Class Talent
25 Nobel Prize winners, with more Nobel laureates working
in Manchester than Oxford or Cambridge
96,000 students attend Manchester’s four universities
30,000 graduates per annum
UK’s largest single-site university
22 universities within an hour’s drive with 515,000 students
University of Manchester has more international students
than any other UK institution and maintains a very high
retention rate
Home to top two most applied to universities in the UK
Manchester’s Universities

10. Infrastructure Investment
£1.4bn Metrolink light rail network
expansion programme
£300m Metrolink extension to Manchester
Airport – opens 2016
Northern Hub development – £560m heavy
rail upgrade
High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) – Manchester to
London in just 68 minutes. Estimated
creation of 30,000 jobs in the North West
M56, A6 & Airport Eastern Link – new
£300m relief road

11. Quality of Life
Named among the world’s most liveable
cities according to the Economist
Intelligence Unit, ahead of London, New
York, Rome, Milan and Singapore
Ranked Britain’s most vibrant city (Experian
Vibrancy Index, 2013)
Outstanding shopping, sporting experiences
4 national parks within an hour’s drive
2 premier league football teams, 7 top
rugby teams & 90 golf courses
Offers city, suburban & country living
Roster of events and dedicated cultural
centres

12. Quality of Life

13. “BEST UK CITY TO LIVE”
Economist Intelligence Unit, 2016
“FASTEST GROWING CITY & MOST ECONOMICALLY
PRODUCTIVE CITY OUTSIDE LONDON”
Lambert Smith Hampton City Vitality Index, 2016
“FASTEST GROWING CITY & MOST ECONOMICALLY
FOR FDI”
IBM Global Location Trend 2016
“ Top 10 Global Destination for
FDI”
IBM Global Location Trends 2016
“THE MOST COMPETITIVE BUSINESS LOCATION IN
EUROPE ”
KPMG Competitive Alternative Survey, 2016
Recognition
“ Top 10 city to Visit in 2016
FDI”
Lonely Planet 2015

14. Investors in Manchester and the NW

15. Questions/Discussion