Liverpool’s Economic Development Company is to relocate to work closer with the city council.
As part of an ongoing drive to better deliver priorities set out in the city’s new Inclusive Growth Plan, the Mayor has decided to transfer two important functions previously carried out by Liverpool Vision.
A total of 37 staff employed within the Marketing Liverpool and Invest Liverpool are to move to the Cunard Building, at the start of December, to align more closely with colleagues in the council’s Regeneration and Culture departments.
On 31 March 2019 the functions and staff will formally transfer to the city council.
Marketing Liverpool will continue to successfully promote Liverpool on a national and international basis as well as working closely with the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver destination marketing for the city region – notably via the Visit Liverpool platform.
The new arrangements will also see Liverpool Vision’s Chief Executive Max Steinberg step down at the end of December after eight years at the helm during which time he has overseen Liverpool’s award-winning participation at the 2010 World Expo, secured the first hosting in Europe of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress and chaired the International Business Festivals in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Set up in 1999, Liverpool Vision was the UK’s first Urban Regeneration Company and was tasked with leading the physical transformation of the city into the new millennium with schemes such as the new Arena at the Kings Dock and Liverpool One.
In 2008, a re-organisation of Liverpool Vision saw its operations merged with both the Liverpool Land Development Company and Business Liverpool to form a single Economic Development Company.
Mayor Anderson, Chair of Liverpool Vision and a board member since its inception, said: “Liverpool Vision has been a key player behind the city’s transformation and the city’s appeal to tourists and investors has boomed since its creation.
“I now want to build on these successes and the time has come to integrate the capabilities and expertise of the Vision staff with teams in the city council. I believe that this will create a really strong foundation, to ensure that we meet the challenges ahead, to maintain momentum, and ensure that growth is shared around all of our communities.
“I’d like to thank all the staff for their work but especially Max whose imaginative leadership and drive has ensured Liverpool Vision continued to attract investment and jobs against a particularly harsh economic backdrop. His input over the past decade has strengthened the city’s national and international reputation and we are all in debt to that legacy. I also wanted to make sure the city didn’t lose Max’s expertise, so I have asked him to work on some special projects in the future and I’m delighted he has agreed.”
Max Steinberg, CEO of Liverpool Vision, said: “As a born and bred Liverpudlian it’s been a huge privilege to have been part of the success of Liverpool Vision creating jobs, generating investment and marketing the city to investors and visitors.
“There are significant opportunities and challenges ahead and I am confident that the new arrangements will enable us to combine and amalgamate to strengthen and enhance the delivery of some of the most important priorities in the Inclusive Growth Plan.
“On a personal note I’m honoured the Mayor has asked me to continue to play a role in delivering the inclusive growth agenda and look forward to continue to making a contribution.”