Last week, PHTA was proud to support the launch of the West Midlands All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) at the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston Park Hotel.
The evening marked a significant milestone for our group, drawing together a coalition of political, community and business leaders who are passionate about championing the West Midlands.
We were honoured to be joined by Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority and his team, along with Parliamentarians including Preet Kaur Gill MP, Shaun Davies MP, Leigh Ingham MP, David Robertson, Chris Bloore MP, and Alistair Carns MP. Senior councillors in attendance included John Cotton, Timothy Huxtable, George Duggins, John Gallagher, Adrian Andrews, Matthew Dormer, and Klara Margetts.
PHTA’s Chief Executive Professor Gino Martini attended the event as a member of the APPG’s Advisory Board, which also includes representatives from Harper Adams University, Cadent Gas, HS2, and others.
In his speech, Gino said:
“I’m proud to stand before you as a champion of the extraordinary potential of the life sciences sector, particularly in the West Midlands.
“One of my key motivations for joining the advisory board was rooted in a firm belief that the West Midlands is a region full of untapped potential, and this is really important: it’s not a case of ‘what could be’; it’s already here. The infrastructure, the talent, the innovation – are not future ambitions, they are current assets that many other regions across the country are still waiting to achieve. I think that’s really important.
“Whether it’s to do with our strong University ecosystems, our growing network of hi-tech manufacturing firms, or our leadership in health innovation – the West Midlands has a unique opportunity to lead, and we must seize it.
“I want also to take a moment to thank the Mayor and his office for their energy and commitment to this initiative; their willingness to get involved, to listen and to act, is incredibly encouraging. It shows leadership, and it’s exactly what we need to unlock the next phase of growth in our region.
“And I don’t think we need to look too far. Literally fifteen minutes away, we have Birmingham Health Innovation Campus – ten acres, devoted to life sciences, which will be developed over six phases. The first phase has just opened up, and that’s the PHTA, which again I’m proud to be part of.
“To me, PHTA and BHIC truly typifies the spirit of the West Midlands. It’s about collaboration, ambition, and coming together.
“So I think it’s time to think big – we need to invest in our people, our places, our platforms. We need to support local businesses, particularly cross-sector, and we really need to focus on making the West Midlands seen as a region that’s ready to deliver. Together we can achieve a lot more.
“My apology is that I worked for thirteen years in London, as part of the Golden Triangle, and I did not know how good the West Midlands was. I know now.”
The evening also featured inspiring speeches from Shaun Davies MP, Mayor Richard Parker, Preet Kaur Gill MP (PPS to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade), and Leigh Ingham MP. Each speaker powerfully reinforced the APPG’s mission: to shout loud and proud about the West Midlands and to showcase the region’s remarkable existing strengths and potential.
For further information about the West Midlands APPG please contact the organisers of this event and the secretariat to the APPG: jana@calcomms.co.uk
