Professor Lord Bhattacharyya welcomes Lord Heseltine’s report on growth to improve the UK’s ability to create wealth
WMG's founder and chairman, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya welcomes Lord Heseltine's report 'No stone unturned in the pursuit of growth' which sets out a comprehensive plan to improve the UK's ability to create wealth. Professor Lord Bhattacharyya was consulted in the development of the report.
Professor Lord Bhattacharyya said:
"I am pleased that issues that I have raised in the House of Lords – such as a bigger role for the Technology Strategy Board, devolution of skills funding, Higher Education working with Industry for relevance and the need to encourage inward investment - play a key role in his final report.
I would have liked some Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to be restored, but, I can understand why this has not happened, and believe the proposal to allow Local Partnership Enterprises (LEPs) to merge, if they wish, will help create bodies with real scale.
It is vital that universities, industry and government work together to deliver growth locally and nationally, and I believe Lord Heseltine's report will go a long way to help deliver this.
That is how WMG has worked for over 30 years, and this has encouraged inward investment, the expansion of local businesses and the creation of new jobs."
Professor Lord Bhattacharyya is the Chairman and founder of WMG at the University of Warwick, which he started in 1980 to reinvigorate manufacturing. From its inception, WMG’s mission has been to improve the competitiveness of organisations around the world through the application of value adding innovation, new technologies and skills deployment, bringing academic rigour to industrial and organisational practice. Professor Lord Bhattacharyya's links with industry have been a critical part of WMG's success and his commitment to supporting industrial R&D in the UK.
He is also a past member of the UK Council for Science and Technology, the Government's premier advisory body on major science and technology issues of strategic importance to the UK.
He has published extensively in the field of manufacturing and is advisor to the many companies, organisations and governments around the world. With many honours to his name, he was awarded a knighthood in 2003 for services to higher education and industry and was elevated to the Lords in 2004.
For further information, please contact:
Lisa Barwick, WMG Communications Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 24 7652 4721
Mobile: 07824 540 845
Email: L dot Barwick at warwick dot ac dot uk