At last week’s New Zealand Careers Expo BA5 event, CEDA’s business development manager Nats Subramanian presented an update on our region’s Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion Strategy.
Launched in 2021, the three-year strategy focuses on bringing new business to our region, supporting growth for those already here and building economic diversity and resilience.
“We are working with businesses to ensure Manawatū continues to be a place where they can stay, thrive and grow,” says Nats Subramanian.
“Increased competition for business from all corners of the country, means it’s important that we leverage the unique opportunities to our region, while also addressing any potential barriers that challenge business growth.”
Over the past 12 months, CEDA have been working to understand the needs of local businesses along with those looking to establish themselves in the region, with a focus on priority sectors and the visitor economy.
CEDA have supported over 475 small and medium sized businesses with a variety of services, including management capability upskilling through Regional Business Partners programme, R&D and Innovation services through Callaghan Innovation, property searches, skills and talent attraction and growth, inward investment opportunities, and accessing new customers and markets.
Initiatives over the past year have included the successful Get Local campaign in association with the Manawatū Business Chamber, along with targeted digital capability training for a number of businesses. CEDA have also run workshops on topics like succession planning and Lean practices, responding to feedback from local businesses.
CEDA’s work to attract new business to the region has also been met with success. The team have been working with an internationally renowned music tech business to bring their Oceania head office and hi-tech studio to Manawatū. Plus, Beam e-scooters successfully launched in Palmerston North last year.
“Our focus for the next 12 months is to actively engage with the full spectrum of businesses to better understand the opportunities present and barriers to growth.”
“We will work with them to leverage opportunities and remove or minimise the impact of barriers.”
We can only achieve success if we work closely with business. Talk to our team at CEDA today about how you think we can support more businesses to stay and grow in Manawatū.
