London’s economic identity has always rested on its ability to reinvent, collaborate, and project confidence. Whether the focus is the strength of its professional services or the vibrancy of its creative industries, the underlying message is the same: London thrives when systems are aligned, when government reduces friction, and when the city tells a clear and compelling story about itself.
Through the London Growth Commission’s engagement with both sectors, a striking convergence has come through. Two industries that, on the surface, appear worlds apart are facing similar pressures and opportunities. Each recognises London’s extraordinary strengths, and each sees how easily those strengths can be diminished by inconsistency, fragmentation, and policy drift.
London’s cultural identity illustrates this tension. The city is a global cultural capital, yet this is still too often treated as a campaign motif rather than a defining, continuous feature of London’s offer. Culture shapes global perception, influences investment decisions, and attracts the talent that fuels innovation, but the narrative remains dispersed across institutions, voices, and initiatives. A more confident and coherent cultural story would help London project its full value.
Professional services face a parallel challenge. Their priority is stability. Sharp policy shifts, changes in taxation, and barriers to talent mobility do more than disrupt operations –they send signals that unsettle global investors. In a marketplace where perception is as important as performance, these signals matter.
Across both sectors, the need for stronger coordination is clear. London is represented by many organisations doing excellent work, but collectively, the landscape lacks cohesion. Other countries present a more unified global face, blending cultural promotion, economic diplomacy, and commercial intelligence into a single, integrated system. London has the raw ingredients but lacks the structure to connect them.
This sits alongside deeper structural issues in the built environment. Both creative and professional services depend on proximity and density, yet the city has lost significant workspace, costs continue to rise, and housing affordability is pushing talent ever further out. For creative workers, the impact is immediate; for global firms, it is slower but equally consequential. No world‑leading city can thrive if the people who power it cannot afford to live or work within it.
Talent mobility is another shared concern. Post‑Brexit friction still complicates travel and work for performers, artists, consultants, lawyers, and specialists – precisely the people London needs to attract and retain. Education and early‑career pathways also need strengthening, particularly in the creative industries, where current routes are not generating the scale or diversity of talent the city requires.
Longstanding policy issues – from business rates and VAT for culture to tax‑free shopping and the Green Book – continue to constrain growth. Their persistence reflects unresolved barriers, not diminishing importance.
Representation matters too. Large firms are easy to engage, but SMEs and scale‑ups –the businesses that inject dynamism into the economy – often struggle to be heard. At the same time, major companies must not be overlooked simply because they are perceived as resilient; they anchor employment, supply chains, and investment across the capital.
Taken together, insights from professional services and the creative industries point to the same conclusion. London is exceptional. Its cultural influence is unmatched, its professional services are world‑leading, and its ability to attract and nurture talent remains its greatest advantage. But none of this is guaranteed. Sustaining London’s position requires coherence in how the city speaks, consistency in how it is governed, and confidence in how it engages globally.
The path forward is not about spending more; it is about acting smarter – aligning systems already in place, removing friction points, and making deliberate choices that reinforce London’s openness. If the city can do that, it won’t just maintain its global position; it will help define what a future‑ready global city looks like.