Jerry Blackett

Chief executive of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group

Weeks away from new future for West Midlands

Outgoing chamber chief executive Jerry Blackett is confident the West Midlands can finally speak with one single voice

Cadbury progress under Mondelez should give other Midlands firms confidence

The region’s other manufacturing businesses should take note and encouragement from what Cadbury's American parent company is achieving.

Do not believe the rumours - our banks are open for business

Barclays launched its Accelerator initiative to offer a three-month start-up programme for new businesses.

Jerry Blackett: Birmingham isn't trusted with its own money

Birmingham City Council has now stepped up its bid to attract more powers for the region by formally joining forces with Solihull to work on projects like the HS2 high-speed rail link.

Why touching base with social enterprises makes so much sense for city

Birmingham has now been identified by Sense as the first site in England for a new “TouchBase” Centre.

Bigger is better if we are to put the region on road to success

Local authorities, local enterprise partnerships and chambers of commerce/businesses have come together from across the Midlands to create the "Midlands Connect" project.

'Living wage' could do more harm than good - but there is another way

Since its introduction, the minimum wage has increased by 20 per cent in real terms.

Latest threat to science in schools could harm the region's economy

Students know where medicine leads but science still conjures up images of test tubes and white coats.

Jobs, growth and a clear vision on cutting carbon

It's not just the growing cities of China and India that are facing rising levels of city centre smog, pollution and congestion.

What are the costs of doing business with an independent Scotland?

Does Scotland’s referendum in September about independence matter to businesses in Greater Birmingham?

Looking for economic insight on our airport

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce members have prioritised the expansion of flights from Birmingham Airport for over ten years.

Tough times for Villa but hospitality puts them in a league of their own

We should celebrate the fact that confidence among the service sector is growing.

Why the Midlands is losing out on turning knowledge into gold

The shrewdest venture investing takes advantage of ‘highly likely markets’.

Keep our interest rates low and the Governor’s dream could come true

Start saying it above a whisper – the fortunes of the West Midlands seem to be taking an upward turn.

Vital to get tomorrow’s workers fit for purpose

The UK is lagging behind other countries in the industrialised world when it comes to maths and literacy skills.

Government ‘s flagship scheme starting to work

The government’s solution, particularly for people who have been claiming out-of-work benefits for a long period, is the Work Programme.

West Midlands United can be powerful

Unity – a word of only five letters but one that stirs all sorts of passions when you use it in relation to the West Midlands.

It’s sink or swim time unless we show this type of ambition

The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), working with a cross-party group of local MPs and Solihull Council, united in a visit to London to spell out the potential from expanding the economic hub around the M42 motorway near Solihull.