Collaboration is key as True North in focus at Brabners Lancashire event

Business leaders in Lancashire want to work with each other and the public sector to harness investment and increase prosperity in communities across the North.

This was the feedback from attendees at Brabners’ Lancashire Business Circle, held at the purpose-led independent law firm’s Lancashire office this month.

The quarterly event brings together a growing group of likeminded business owners and entrepreneurs from across Lancashire to share challenges and experiences, while building personal peer networks. 

Improving business collaboration was a key theme throughout the event with attendees discussing improved ways of working, collaboration and wider challenges being faced by the wider public and private sector. 

Brabners’ CEO Robert White updated attendees on the firm’s True North network of organisations committed to working together to drive future prosperity across the North.

True North currently has over 300 business active members.

Robert said: “True North is uniting the region’s most influential and purpose-driven voices to co-create a path forward with a view to unlocking the true potential of the Northern economy.

“There are so many examples where public investment unlocks many times that amount in private sector investment and True North aims to bring together the right parties to maximise those opportunities.”

Robert discussed recent True North developments, including the establishment of the True North Advisory Council in June. 

The council is led by Robert, alongside Prof. Maggie O’Carroll (social entrepreneur and CEO of The Women’s Organisation) and Michael Hayman MBE (co-founder and chair of purpose communications consultancy Seven Hills)

It also includes leaders from transformative businesses including innovation consultancy Well North Enterprises based in Warrington as well as research and education institutions such as Leeds University.

It is designed to connect like-minded businesses and other organisations to collaborate, identify new partnerships and help scale their impact.

Robert’s update was followed by a Q&A session with attendees who all signalled a strong desire to become part of and actively contribute to the True North network to help improve collaboration among the public and private sectors in Lancashire.

The event was chaired by Nikki Whittle, partner at Brabners. She said: “Figures show that Lancashire is the second biggest economy in the North West. However, our peers in Manchester and Liverpool have a political structure which makes central government investment easier, supporting economic growth.

“Events like the Business Circle are important in bringing Lancashire’s senior business leaders together, not only to meet each other and make new connections but also to help create a common voice for the county’s business community. Businesses are the driving force behind True North and this month’s event highlighted the passion leaders have to work together and capitalise on key economic opportunities, like Lancashire’s devolution deal which continues to take steps forward.

“The Business Circle regularly has over 40 business leader attendees and it is continuing to grow. Our next event takes place in December and we invite ambitious business owners and entrepreneurs to join us.”

Businesses can register their interest for the next Brabners Business Circle by contacting Nikki Whittle: [email protected]

Learn more about the True North network: https://www.brabners.com/about/true-north.