New sponsors have been announced for the 2024 Convention for the Western Gateway.
Cardiff Capital Region has been announced as lead for the Investment Zone at the convention. Broadband provider Ogi and legal firm Browne Jacobson have been announced as sponsors for the Cyber and Technology zones. Global design, engineering and professional services company AtkinsRéalis will be sponsoring the Nature zone.
AB Ports have already been announced as the zonal sponsor for the Net Zero zone and Deloitte, Wales and West Utilities and regionally based impact investor and asset manager, BBRC, are also signed up to support the event.
The Convention will bring together UK and Welsh Governments with local leaders, businesses and academics to demonstrate how South Wales and Western England can lead the way globally, launching a “Plan for Sustainable Growth” for the area.
The event will look at how the Western Gateway area can lead efforts to decarbonise energy, build on its strengths in cyber and technology, improve connections between communities, drive investment, and protect its important natural habitats.
Sarah Williams-Gardener, Chair of the Western Gateway, said:
“I am so grateful to our sponsors for making this great Convention possible. By bringing together the public and private sector, we are showing that we have the commitment and vision needed from both business and local leaders to deliver on our area’s potential to deliver economic growth for the UK.
“The 2024 Convention for the Western Gateway will be the key event of the year for businesses who want to be a part of building a future economy. Through the event we will be bringing together key local leaders with business and academia to begin to collaborate on making the most of this opportunity.
“Don’t miss your chance to be part of the future.”
Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, Leader of Monmouthshire County Council and Chair of Cardiff Capital Region Committee, said:
“I am delighted that Cardiff Capital Region is supporting the forthcoming Western Gateway Convention as a zonal sponsor for investment into the region. We see the tremendous value in uniting with so many partners across this region who are invested in sustainable, economic and inclusive growth, and share a collective vision for a prosperous future that generations to come will benefit from.”
Laura Hughes, Executive Lead for Wales at Browne Jacobson, said:
“Browne Jacobson are delighted to be sponsoring the 2024 Convention for the Western Gateway. With our newly opened office in Cardiff, and our office in Exeter, the geography of the Western Gateway houses many of our clients in both the public and private sector. We are a full service firm but have particular specialisms in tech, energy, nature, government and higher education and so the focus of the Western Gateway naturally aligns with ours. So we were pleased to have the opportunity, alongside our friends at Ogi, to sponsor the Innovation and Tech zone.”
Ben Allwright, Chief Executive Officer of Ogi, said:
“We’re delighted to be co-sponsoring the 2024 Convention for the Western Gateway with our partners and friends, Browne Jacobson. Right from the start, our ambition at Og has been to become a leading telecoms company, and the last few years have certainly laid strong foundations for that goal. There is massive potential acorss the Western Gateway region, and innovation and tech will clearly play a key role in our collective success in the future. We’re already laying strong foundations across the region and looking forward to working more closely with partners to make the region stand out as a place to do business.”
Zoe Metcalfe, Client Director, Local and Central Government at AtkinsRéalis, said:
“Enhancing, connecting and protecting nature has the potential to positively impact our region in a number of important ways, as we look towards the collective ambition of regional growth.
“Whether that’s in terms of resilience, health and wellbeing, visitor economy, food security and net zero transition among much else, we look forward to bringing these themes to life with partners. This is an event which really amplifies the value already being generated and will also demonstrate where the value is yet to be realised for business and communities in this region.”
SSE Energy Solutions have been announced as headline sponsor for the event.
The Western Gateway is the Pan-regional Partnership for South Wales and Western England. Bringing together local authorities, business and academia to create growth and opportunities for the people who live there.
