Midlands Business Insider: features in our next issue - how you can contribute

Here’s the list of features for the next issue of Midland Business Insider, out early December.

A lot of this month will focus on what’s set to take place in 2021: the past year’s been chaotic, and 2021 looks deeply uncertain: so we’re asking experts and pundits to give us informed predictions on how 2021 will pan out. Big picture ideas are what many directors are crying out for as they make plans for the next 12 months - here’s an opportunity to make sure those strategies are well-informed.

We’ve also a big piece on the East Midlands plans for a massive Freeport, which could revolutionise the regional economy; a look at the transformational power of 5G; a look at the important science parks and R&D centres in the region, a look at how logistics is rapidly changing.

As always I’d be delighted for any suggestions and your very best comments, insights, research that will help me to finish the year with a brilliant magazine. However I need to get your contributions in by Friday 20th November.

Kurt Jacobs, editor, Insider

07737 360 253 [email protected]

MIDLANDS ECONOMY: 2021 VISION

The last 12 months have seen businesses face the biggest upheavals since the Second World War: lockdown, recession, Brexit, elections, trade wars. And while 2021 will offer more woe to the unprepared, there’ll be opportunities for those who think ahead. Let Insider help you: in this major report we look at what’s coming so you start 2021 fully prepared and informed.

The Economy Brexit and the aftermath of the pandemic will dominate 2021: what impact will a deal - or Britain crashing out - have on investments, planning and international trade? What are the long term changes that lockdown has brought about? The recession – short and V-shaped, or a long U?  Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

Manufacturing We look at the prospects for manufacturing in the Midlands during 2021: what will be the major launches, developments and investments? How is the sector coping with recession, Brexit, technological revolution and changes brought about by the pandemic?  Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

Dealmaking What transaction – flotations, buyouts, development capital, acquisitions – will dominate? Who will be do deals? Will 2021 see opportunities to “buy and build”, or will it be dominated by adminstrations? Who’ll be selling, who’ll be buying and for how much?Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

Technology The last year has been a learning curve for businesses in the adoption of technology: don’t expect the pace to slacken in 2021. Insider looks at game-changing trends, innovations and legislation that will come to the fore over the next 12 months. Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

Professional sector: The way professionals work has undergone huge changes in the last year.What services are going through growth – and which have been hit hard? What are the big investments and developments that will take place during 2021? Who’s set to relocate to and expand in the Midlands?  Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

Education It’s been a turbulent year for the learning sector, so does it face 2021 with trepidation or optimism?  We speak to the educators to discover their plans, how Covid and recession has changed priorities, how they’ve adapted and new opportunities for working with business. Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

The Big Projects: This year will be dominated by mega projects: HS2, UK Central, East Midlands Freeport, just to name a few. We look at key civil projects in the Midlands to see what opportunities they’re creating for wider development. For editorial Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

Industrial property: It’s a boom time for parts of the logistics sector as home deliveries increase, but hard for those moving manufacturing goods.  We look at the changing the industrial property market. Do we need more mega-sheds or localised distribution hubs? Will Brexit mean major lorry parks? What sort of industrial premises will be needed? What are the price expectations? Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

Offices  So, are we going back to the office, or will the white collar economy continue to be run from a million kitchen tables? We look at the prospect for the office market in 2021: how is it coping with fewer workers coming to the city cores but each needing a greater socially-distanced space? Are the new opportunities in city centres, or will we see a renaissance in business parks and the suburbs? Where are the opportunities and shortages? What’s set to happen with rents? What types of offices are needed? Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

esidential property: The housing market ended 2020 on a high: but will its stabile or crash during 2021? We look at the demand, the opportunities and how developers are set to meet them. Will we see a new interest in city centre living, or are rural locations and suburbs now the places we prefer to call home? How big are the shortages? What types of homes are needed, and where? For editorial Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

Skills: Will you have the workforce you need for 2021? Redundancies are on the way up, but vital skills are still in short supply post-lockdown. Where will good people be readily available, and in what disciplines can we expect shortages? Will Brexit lead to issues with migrant labour? What will be the pay rates and salaries? Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

And the rest of this month’s features….

5G It promises to wholly transform the way we work, learn, play and produce. There is almost no part of your personal and working life ultra-fast mobile system that it won’t transform – and the Midlands is the UK centre for building 5G networks and driving innovation. We look to some of the business opportunities created by 5G, the innovations and how they are being applied. We’ll look at why the technology has become the focus of intense debate – from national security to hoaxes – and how that might affect its roll-out. Kurt Jacobs [email protected] 07737 260 253

East Midlands Freeport A freeport is set to be created at East Midlands Airport, attracting tens of millions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs. Insider looks at what this would mean for the region. In a special report we examine the region’s case to have one of the government’s planned ten freeports, allowing  manufacturers to move goods tariff-free. Which businesses would benefit? How would it work? What can businesses can do to help ensure the East Midlands secures its freeport? Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

Building big in the East Mids A series of major housing schemes are being built across the East Midlands. Insider looks at the benefits and challenges these new ‘villages’ will bring. We’ll look at the impact on employment, infrastructure, schools and amenities. We speak to developers and public sector officials about how these schemes will be integrated into the local economy Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

Logistics after lockdown The Midlands is expecting a surge in warehousing as lockdown has led to a doubling of online sales and a shake-up in manufacturing supply chains. Major digital retailers need more and bigger distribution hubs , while manufacturers want more space to store parts closer to factories. Insider looks at where these schemes will be, who’ll develop them and the size of investments. We speak to the big players behind the ‘big sheds’.Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

Science & innovation parks The most valuable the product the Midlands makes is ideas – and the growing number of science parks, research institutes and innovation campuses shows just how seriously we’re turning R&D into commercial applications. Insider looks at the region’s innovation hubs, and how they’re preparing the groundwork for the businesses of tomorrow. We show where these hothouses of innovation are, the sectors and sciences in which we lead the world, and look at some of the ground-breaking projects being worked on. Want to see what tomorrow’s world will look like? Start here. Ian Griffin [email protected] 07812 034166

Kind regards

Kurt Jacobs

Editor, Midlands Business Insider

07737 360 253 [email protected]

Livery Place, 35 Livery Street, Birmingham B3 2PB

t: 0121 214 6553 |  w: www.insidermedia.com

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