West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin Leads European Trade Mission to Drum up Jobs and Investment

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin Leads European Trade Mission to Drum up Jobs and Investment

A dozen companies have joined West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin on a European commerce mission designed to drive funding and progress across three of the area’s greatest job-creating sectors.

Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire Mayor

Mayor Brabin landed in Zurich at the head of a 12-strong enterprise delegation. The five-day commerce mission, which is organised by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and supported by KPMG, will see the group journey from Zurich in Switzerland to Karlsruhe, Heilbronn, and Stuttgart in Germany.

Backed by the UK Government, the initiative goals to strike up new export offers, safe inward funding, and solidify financial ties. It particularly targets three of the nation’s most important export markets: monetary and digital providers, health technology, and superior manufacturing.

“Europe is our most important trading partner, with investment from Swiss and German firms – and exports from our homegrown businesses – supporting thousands of good jobs in every part of our great region,” said Mayor Brabin.

She added: “Over the next five days, we’ll showcase our multimillion-pound healthtech investment zone, champion our Northern Square Mile of global financial and professional services firms, and create new export opportunities for our world-class manufacturers. Together, we’ll build international relationships that will stand the test of time and help us build a brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”

Championing the ‘Northern Square Mile’

During the mission, the delegation is highlighting the significance of West Yorkshire’s ‘Northern Square Mile’. This thriving ecosystem of 30,000 monetary and skilled providers companies employs nearly 300,000 people and is anchored by national establishments such as the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the National Wealth Fund.

Switzerland is at present the UK’s eleventh largest buying and selling accomplice, with a bilateral relationship price nearly £47 billion to the financial system every 12 months. Services account for more than 60 per cent of that commerce. For West Yorkshire, which is widely recognised as the UK’s second monetary and skilled providers centre exterior of London, the Swiss market is very important.

The Mayor is predicted to stress how the UK-Switzerland ‘Berne Financial Services Agreement’, alongside the Chancellor’s current flagship ‘Leeds Reforms’, may also help to unlock additional progress. These frameworks scale back regulatory obstacles and place Leeds as the go-to UK base for finance companies wanting to launch or relocate.

Phil Murden, Leeds Office senior accomplice at KPMG UK, commented: “This trade mission represents a significant opportunity to deepen West Yorkshire’s economic relationship with Switzerland and Germany – two markets that are central to Europe’s financial, industrial and innovation landscape. For firms across our region, stronger links with these economies means greater access to capital, closer collaboration on regulation and digital standards, and new routes into high-value export markets.”

Lucy Rigby MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, added her assist:
“The UK’s message is clear: we are open for business and ready to do deals, and West Yorkshire is taking that message to Switzerland and Germany. Strengthening our European partnerships will unlock investment, back innovation and create great jobs across the UK.”

Pitching the Healthtech Investment Zone

Another key goal of the go to is to promote alternatives for European traders to participate in West Yorkshire’s £160million Healthtech Investment Zone. The zone is designed to speed up innovation in medical technology, diagnostics, and digital health.

The area’s strengths in medical research and life sciences—anchored by its seven universities—are being pitched as a pure accomplice to Switzerland’s world-leading biotech ecosystem.

Carly Walter, CEO at women’s wellbeing technology company MAGI, which is a part of the delegation, famous:
“This trade mission to Switzerland and Germany is a pivotal opportunity for us to build relationships with AI and healthtech leaders, explore research collaboration, understand European regulatory pathways, and connect with early-stage investors and distribution partners. Both countries are recognised leaders in medical technology, digital innovation and research excellence. Establishing partnerships there will accelerate our product development, strengthen our evidence base, and support our pathway toward national and international scale.”

Advanced manufacturing and mass transit

As the mission strikes into Germany, the focus will shift to superior engineering and AI-enabled manufacturing, with visits deliberate to main research centres and innovation campuses.

The programme consists of discussions round the development of sustainable, refined transport techniques. Ahead of the launch of West Yorkshire’s landmark Weaver Network in 2027, the delegation is viewing Swiss and German experience in mass transit design and precision engineering as a source of sensible classes for the area’s personal multibillion-pound built-in transport ambitions.

The full West Yorkshire delegation features a numerous mixture of established exporters and high-growth companies, including The Data City, Debeo, NextGen Zero, Hippo Digital, Ionix, Fintech North, Whitecap Consulting, and a number of regional universities.

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