It was a pleasure to see so many delegates from the West Midlands business community and beyond. The presentation has certainly captured the imagination of many who attended and I'm delighted that so many organisations have been in touch with me since.

In essence, what I was laying out before the distinguished panel and audience were a number of factors that we simply can't ignore.

The nature of brand communication has changed - not merely from "producers" to "consumers" but actually to "collaborators".

That mass to niche is now the name of the game - you don't have to be a giant multi-national to compete.

 

 

And we need to look beyond our own backyard for commerce and innovation, as recent research by Cambridge Judge Business School, Vivaldi & Partners, World Economic Forum and the IMF all testify.

That sustainability is also driving innovation as witnessed by projects such as The Green Exchange and growth sectors for the future include women and an ageing population.