Clusters Think In: Episode 5 - How strong place leadership can help drive successful clusters

In the fifth in our 'Clusters Think In' podcast series, Hashi Mohammed, Contributing Editor at Tortoise Media is joined by Kirsty Lloyd Jukes, Head of Investor Relations at Waymo, part of Alphabet, and Prof Simon Collinson, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement at the University of Birmingham, to discuss how leadership in place can be developed to drive successful clusters across the regions and nations of the UK and the decisive role business can play in shaping future economic growth.

Simon explains the importance for a place to build a clear narrative and story to create an identity and momentum to attract investment, emphasising that a cluster approach can help deepen external knowledge of a place and its attractiveness. He emphasises the importance of clear targeted policies and simple engagement points for investors, reducing the complexities in the landscape of support for business and building up capacity in regions in understanding the dynamics and intelligence behind business investment decisions to shape attractive and compelling propositions. 

Kirsty highlights the leadership role that businesses can play in articulating their differentiators and investment decisions to explain why they have chosen a specific location for their company, which can also help attract other investors. She says it is vital for businesses to understand the size of the opportunity in a place and embrace a mindset of collaboration rather than competition - advocating that a clusters approach can really bring this to life, as a hub for talent and investment.

'Clusters Think In' is a podcast series included as part of the CBI's series of Thriving Regions events. Listen and subscribe to the series here.