Businesses and industry leaders across Neath Port Talbot are being encouraged to play a greater role in shaping the region’s economic future through an initiative designed to bring their experience, expertise and perspectives into wider discussions about regional growth, investment and development.
Business News Wales has established a Neath Port Talbot Regional Growth Editorial Board as part of its INFORM Wales initiative, creating opportunities for local businesses and organisations to contribute their knowledge, identify emerging challenges and highlight the investment and growth opportunities that could help shape the region’s future.
The initiative aims to ensure that the voices of businesses operating across Neath Port Talbot, from major industrial employers to smaller companies and emerging enterprises, are better represented in conversations about the area’s economic priorities.
Business leaders and senior representatives of organisations across Neath Port Talbot who are interested in joining the Editorial Board or contributing to future discussions are invited to contact Business News Wales.
The programme is intended to bring together a broad range of regional experience, including established employers, SMEs, emerging industries, education providers and organisations supporting economic development.
The Editorial Board forms a central part of the new Business News Wales Neath Port Talbot media channel launching fully on Monday 9th November, which will combine dedicated regional news coverage, a bi-monthly newsletter and regular podcasts with insights gathered from businesses, institutions and organisations operating across the local economy.
The ambition is to encourage greater coordination across the regional business ecosystem, recognising that economic development depends not only on major investment projects but also on the connections between businesses, education, infrastructure, innovation and local supply chains.
The first Editorial Board meeting, held at Swansea University in September, brought together senior representatives from business, industry, education and regional development, including UK Government, Tata Steel UK, Celtic Freeport, Neath Port Talbot Council, Swansea University, the Global Centre of Rail Excellence, Winfield Energy and Andrew Scott.
The discussion highlighted the importance of bringing different sectors together to consider the region’s economic future, particularly as Neath Port Talbot responds to industrial change and seeks to capitalise on emerging opportunities in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure and innovation.
The Editorial Board operates as an independent forum for sharing evidence, experience and informed perspectives rather than determining editorial decisions or promoting individual organisations. Business News Wales retains full editorial independence, with contributions helping its journalists identify issues deserving further investigation and public attention.
By encouraging more businesses to participate, the initiative aims to strengthen the collective regional voice, improve understanding of the challenges facing different sectors and ensure that Neath Port Talbot’s economic ambitions are informed by those directly involved in delivering growth.
Vicki Evans, Director of Editorial Strategy at Business News Wales, said:
“Neath Port Talbot is at a pivotal point in its economic story. There has understandably been considerable focus on the scale of industrial change taking place, but we also need to have a much bigger conversation about what comes next.
“The region has an extraordinary concentration of industrial expertise, infrastructure, skills and emerging investment opportunities. Our aim with this Editorial Board is to bring together people with direct experience of those opportunities and ask what needs to happen now to turn that potential into long-term economic growth.
“INFORM is about ensuring that the experience and evidence of people working across the Welsh economy is captured, communicated and used to inform a wider conversation about our economic future.
“We’re grateful to Swansea University for hosting our inaugural discussion and look forward to working with business leaders in the region to further amplify both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.”
The programme forms part of INFORM Wales, the evidence-led initiative developed by Business News Wales to strengthen the connection between industry experience and economic decision-making.
Chris Martin, Chair of Celtic Freeport, said:
“The Celtic Freeport presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate economic growth across Neath Port Talbot and establish the region as a leading centre for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and industrial investment.
“The focus now must be on turning that potential into reality. Bringing together leaders from industry, education, government and regional organisations is essential to identifying opportunities, tackling barriers and accelerating progress.
“With the Celtic Freeport, world-class industrial assets and emerging clean-energy sectors, Neath Port Talbot is well placed to lead the next chapter of industrial growth in Wales.”
The continuing programme will allow Business News Wales to revisit issues raised during previous discussions, examine whether progress is being made and explore how emerging developments may affect the wider business community.
It will also provide opportunities to consider how major investment projects connect with the needs of smaller businesses, local suppliers and the wider workforce, ensuring that regional growth is considered from multiple perspectives.
Professor Dave Worsley, Swansea University, said:
“Neath Port Talbot has an opportunity to demonstrate how an established industrial economy can successfully evolve for the next generation. The region already has considerable strengths in manufacturing and engineering, but increasingly its competitiveness will depend on how effectively we connect those capabilities with innovation, research, new technologies and the skills that future industries will require.
“Swansea University has a significant role to play in that. We want to see the knowledge, research and expertise within our universities translated into practical economic opportunities – helping existing businesses to innovate and grow, supporting the development of new industries and creating high-value opportunities that encourage talented people to build their careers in the region.
“That cannot happen in isolation. It requires much stronger connections between universities, colleges, employers, investors and the public sector, with a shared understanding of where the region wants to be over the next five to ten years.
“This discussion was an important opportunity to bring those perspectives together. Neath Port Talbot has experienced considerable economic change, but it also possesses significant industrial assets and capabilities. If we can align investment, innovation and skills behind those strengths, there is a real opportunity to create a more productive, resilient and competitive regional economy.”
Business leaders and organisations wishing to participate in future Editorial Board discussions, contribute regional insight or support the development of Neath Port Talbot coverage can contact Business News Wales.
