WELCOME TO THE SUMMER EDITION OF ‘WELL CONNECTED’ – and what a summer it has been so far!

The stand out event of the year has to be the Eurovision Song Contest in May, where the city came together to put on a first class show enjoyed across the world. Even if you aren’t a Eurovision fan, you surely couldn’t fail to be caught up in the positive energy it created across the city. It is fitting therefore that the theme of this Magazine is Regeneration, given the pivotal role that the legacy of Eurovision can play in supporting more inward investment and regeneration across the city region.

From a business perspective we wanted to create a lasting legacy that went beyond the glitter and the glamour. Partnering with the Department for Business and Trade and London Chamber of Commerce, we were proud to host a Ukrainian trade delegation to Liverpool in advance of the event itself. I was also privileged to present at the Ukraine Business Recovery Conference in London in June, maintaining the partnership with London Chamber and the Ukrainian Chambers of Commerce. We want to continue to provide opportunities and support for all our business currently trading overseas or considering those first steps. Raising our international trade profile is fundamental to creating the environment where businesses want to invest and grow and Liverpool Chamber has a key role in helping to achieve that.

The legacy of Eurovision is also a topic which Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, touches on in our feature article (pages 24 & 25).

Councillor Robinson shares his aspirations for the city and how working in partnership will be key to success and we look forward to working with him and his new team.

As always this edition of the Magazine includes some excellent examples of how our members are continuing to adapt and innovate, despite the ongoing economic challenges. Whilst the latest Quarterly Economic Survey results (pages 4 & 5) indicate that business confidence is slowly starting to return, investment remains relatively stagnant. Over the coming months we will be examining what that means for city region businesses and what more we can do on a local level to increase business confidence and inward investment. Your views really matter so please get in touch with me or the team to find out more about the ways you can get involved policy@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

We have enjoyed some excellent events so far this year including a sunny Aintree for another great day of networking and racing. We are now looking forward to our Annual Innovation Awards at the iconic St George’s Hall on 26 October where we hope you will be able to join us to celebrate another year of business innovation and commercial success.

In this edition we also introduce our new team members Lizzie Johnson (Head of Commercial Services), Helen Kinsella and Tom Morgan-Wynne (Membership & Business Growth Managers) who are looking forward to meeting members as

Paul Cherpeau, Chief Executive

well as introducing new initiatives to help maximise the benefits of your Liverpool Chamber membership. You can read more about what they have been doing in their first few weeks on pages 8 & 9 or get in touch via membership@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Ultimately however, the Chamber works as a team, always evolving and looking for ways in which we can support our members. Whatever your interests or priorities we strive to meet your expectations so if you have any ideas or think there is more we can do – get in touch and let us know!

Enjoy your summer!