Approaching the end of a year, as
we are now, MIDAS would have typically visited most corners of the world and hosted
hundreds of international companies in Greater Manchester to identify, progress
and close investment projects – but the book of 2020 tells quite a different story.
Despite the challenges of the
last nine months, I am incredibly heartened by the collaborative Mancunian
spirit that has been displayed across our city region in response to the COVID-19
pandemic. As Einstein famously
said, “in the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity”, which has certainly
rung true in Greater Manchester, where there are many positive stories to
share as we reflect on the year we will never forget...
One example, and a key achievement of the year, is how Greater Manchester organisations teamed up to successfully
source much needed PPE for use across the city region – a project MIDAS is
incredibly proud to have been involved with.
Another fantastic example is how Greater
Manchester, the city of firsts – from the splitting of the atom to the
birthplace of the industrial revolution, was able to leverage its history of
innovation to bring about rapid change in the face of a crisis; accelerating the
GM Integrated Care Record for 2.8 million patients. The project saw rapid
progression in a matter of weeks as a result of the city’s digital strengths
and collaborative effort across relevant organisations. Now, health and care
organisations across the city region have immediate and secure access to real-time
patient information, which is not only invaluable in relation to COVID-19
diagnosis but will support clinical trials and health analytics across the region.
As we approach a new year with positive news of vaccines, we
must retain the collaborative spirit of the last nine months to overcome challenges
and accelerate innovation; which I believe will be the driving force of Greater
Manchester’s recovery.
On the journey to recovery, MIDAS will naturally assume
responsibility for ensuring Greater Manchester retains its gravitas as a
globally recognised investment location. Riding the wave of achieving our best
results in MIDAS’ 22-year history in the year previous, like many others we had
big plans for 2020. Many of these plans have been paused or taken a different
shape but I’m delighted to share that since the summer, we have returned
full attention to proactive economic development – engaging with potential
investors and connecting, albeit virtually, with hundreds of businesses across
the world – and we’re starting to see the fruits of our labour.
In that vein, I look forward to
sharing some positive stories early in the new year but for now, to round off
the year, we wanted to share some of the prevailing successes of 2020.
Wishing you a very merry
Christmas and a happy New Year. Here’s to 2021!
Tim Newns
Chief Executive Officer
