Source: Sheffield First for Investment Press Release 06/12/06
Sheffield First for Investment (SF4I), the City Council’s inward investment agency, has today been ranked as the Number One agency in the world for its work in attracting investment to the region, according to the 2006 world rankings report from research and investment strategy company GDP Global.
The survey comes at a time when the global environment for attracting investment is more competitive than ever and SF4I was the only agency to achieve a ‘world leading’ level of performance.
GDP Global provides Governments and major companies with information on the various agencies working around the globe and has ranked SF4I as World Number One, having researched activities such as the quality and professionalism of the agency’s enquiry handling, and the accessibility and functionality of its website.
SF4I was set up by Sheffield City Council in 2000 to coordinate the City’s efforts in boosting its economic growth.
Phil Roberts, Chief Executive of SF4I, says: ”Sheffield people should be proud to know we have such a highly rated and knowledgeable team at SF4I, working on behalf of the city and the surrounding region.
“This comes at a particularly appropriate time, when SF4I becomes part of the larger Creative Sheffield team which will see us shifting up a gear in attracting further inward investment.
“In its time SF4I has helped create or retain over 9,000 jobs in Sheffield and has contributed to the development of more than 1.3 million square feet of office and industrial property space.
“We have also secured, in Polestar, the region’s largest inward investment project and even helped ensure the prestigious World Snooker Championship stays here, its spiritual home. This event alone has an overall positive economic value to the city of more than £6 million per annum.”
Councillor Robert MacDonald, Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Culture and Planning at Sheffield City Council said: “SF4I have done an excellent job in regenerating Sheffield. This is underlined by coming top in the world of inward investment agencies. This was a very tough assessment and included a full scale enquiry by a supposed investor to Sheffield and to the staff at SF4I it appeared to be a real live enquiry. This demonstrates the highly professional way in which they handle every investment enquiry for the City.”
Ian Bromley, the newly-appointed chief executive of Creative Sheffield, says: “To inherit the world’s Number One inward investment team is a wonderful start to my career here in Sheffield, and a wonderful foundation on which to build Creative Sheffield, England’s first City Development Company.
“SF4I’s achievements are clearly recognised at home and abroad and we plan to build on its successes to date by harnessing the energy and creativity that has led to the team being so highly acclaimed.”