Digital sector could be worth billions to Lancashire

Lancashire has the opportunity to turn its digital sector into a global powerhouse contributing billions to the local economy and creating thousands of jobs, according to seoBusiness UK founder Kam Kothia.

Kam outlined his vision for the county during a roundtable debate on the digital sector hosted by Lancashire Business View magazine.

Kam was invited to take part representing two points of view: as both the owner of a digital sector SME and in his role as a non-executive board director of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, where he is the Digital Sector lead for Lancashire.

During the debate, which is available to be read in the latest edition of Lancashire Business View, Kam expressed his opinion that the government’s decision to locate its National Cyber Force in Samlesbury presented an incredible opportunity for Lancashire.

At the event, which also included participants from small business owners and other representatives from the LEP, Kam said: “There is absolutely no reason why Lancashire cannot reclaim its position as a global economic powerhouse through this latest digital revolution and why the contribution of the sector cannot go from £1bn today to £5bn in the next 10 to 15 years.”

Kam said of the debate: “These conversations are important to ensure that the county keeps moving forward. Securing the National Cyber Force was a fantastic achievement that took a great deal of work from many people, but the real work will be ensuring that we capitalise on all the opportunities which this presents.

“As a business owner I’m excited about the potential of the digital sector, and as a representative of the LEP I’m responsible for shaping how we think about how the sector may look in the coming years and decades.

“The key takeaway from the debate was that all participants were on the same page, we all want the same outcomes. Now it’s time to put serious focus on developing digital skills in the county to ensure that we can meet employer needs, and that we put into place plans to create an innovation hub to draw businesses and investment into our county.”

The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership is currently developing a new overarching strategy for the Digital Sector which will be published shortly, followed by a detailed action plan.