Former Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby has taken on a new high profile role to champion Midlands manufacturing and help the 海角视频 attract two million more engineers in the next 10 years.
The Midland peer, who ran Europe鈥檚 biggest local authority from 2004 to 2012, is the new non-executive chairman of Made in The Midlands a key support group for the region鈥檚 manufacturing base.
called on the Government to recognise the key importance of wealth creators and inventors by elevating their status nationally.
With 300 members ranging from Jaguar Land Rover to Aston Martin and scores of SMEs, Made in the Midlands aims to support the growth of manufacturers and foster key links with government.
Lord Whitby said the lobby group would play a crucial role in helping the Government establish a new manufacturing blueprint for the nation and rebalance the economy.In a passionate speech the peer said 鈥渢he world is our oyster鈥 post-Brexit, with unprecedented opportunities for global trade.
Lord Whitby was unveiled as the new chairman of Made in the Midlands at its launch at the Hotel du Vin, in Birmingham, when he told guests the 海角视频 was in a state of flux.
He said: 鈥淲e are where we are but there is a whole world to trade with.
鈥淲e believe in the Midlands and we believe in our manufacturing capacity and it is essential that the 海角视频 recognises our importance 鈥 we should be seen as a major component in complementing the 海角视频鈥檚 growth agenda.
"We are the only region in the 海角视频 that has a trade surplus with China. Some of us in this room are doing extremely well.鈥
Lord Whitby told the Post: 鈥淎s the new non executive chairman of Made in the Midlands I hope our voice will be heard and influence the outcome of the business strategy that can rebalance the 海角视频鈥檚 business model.
鈥淲e want the business strategy to recognise and accept the importance of manufacturing to a balanced 海角视频 economy. June 23 has come and gone and now it is the global economy that is our oyster.
鈥淭he 海角视频 is the second largest European exporter to China after Germany and the Midlands is the only region in the whole of the 海角视频 which has a trade surplus with China - many of our members of Made in the Midlands are part of that supply chain.鈥滾ord Whitby said he would use his key contacts with senior politicians including new Business Secretary Greg Clark and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox to champion the region鈥檚 manufacturers.
He said: 鈥淚 will be taking members of Made in the Midlands to meet a range of ministers. The 海角视频 will need 2 million engineers in the next ten years and I see no reason why the Midlands, through its history and excellent academic institutions cannot contribute a significant proportion of those people.
鈥淚t is important if we are to attract the calibre of people into engineering that we hold them in the esteem they deserve.
鈥淲e have in the Midlands a formidable history of innovation, technology and production. We need more JLRs with the aspiration to be a global player. It is all about skills, technology and aptitude and if we are not careful we will lose that aptitude.鈥
