Today we have unveiled our agenda for London’s ‘pitch to world’ in the Times.
Over the summer, BusinessLDN spoke to over 50 senior business leaders across a range of sectors through a series of roundtables. We tested with them what they think London’s unique selling points are and where our capital performs well relative to international rivals. And we asked them about the urgent issues to fix and the long-term challenges that need addressing to make the business case for London even more compelling. What emerged from those conversations was our ‘pitch to the world’. Developed by business for business. To provide an unequivocal answer to the question “Why London, why now?”
In a world of seemingly ever-increasing political and economic uncertainty, London is the place to be.
For the investor, London has an unrivalled breadth and depth of marketplace – from world-class financial, legal and professional services to a diverse talent pool, underpinned by being home to more universities ranked among the global top 50 than any other city. Firms can rely on the time zone, the lingua franca and the rule of law. They can connect easily and directly with other world cities. And be part of the melting pot of world-class clusters of established and new industries alike: from real estate and retail, through to creative and financial services, and to gaming, artificial intelligence and MedTech. Many cities are the capitals of big, national economies. London is the international capital of the world.
From an individual perspective, London is a fun place to live, work and visit. Its range of cultural and leisure experiences is unrivalled: the theatres, museums, galleries, sporting events, bars, restaurants, famous parks and hidden green spaces. London is both a global city and a series of local villages with their own sense of community. Although, like all cities, it comes with some edge, grit and messiness.
Given London’s strengths and the world’s geopolitical and macroeconomic volatility, this could be London’s 21st-century moment. But if we are to seize it with both hands, we need to remove the roadblocks holding us back. These include:
- Tackling the costs of living in London and, in particular, the availability and affordability of housing across all tenures, as well as other day-to-day pressures, such as the cost of travel and childcare;
- Sweeping away rules and regulation where the public interest doesn’t justify the increased costs to investment, particularly when it comes to building housing and infrastructure;
- Countering the perception that London isn’t safe, with the Metropolitan Police properly resourced to tackle petty and personal crime, and clearly communicating at home and abroad that they are on the case;
- Making the city more resilient to extremes of weather, such as hotter temperatures and increased flooding; and
- Embracing new growth opportunities and technologies, with a key priority being to ensure the labour market is equipped for the changes to come.
These themes will frame our agenda for 2026. Our work programme, with its focus on the eternal issues at the heart of London’s success – across competitiveness, people, place, connectivity and sustainability – will prioritise action to help the city realise its full potential. And in doing so, deliver on our mission of making London the best place in the world to do business, working with and for the UK.
John Dickie, Chief Executive at BusinessLDN, said: “Senior business leaders across the capital are clear: there is a window of opportunity for London to win a bigger share of global capital looking for a home. Seizing the opportunity needs clear political messaging, direction and action to push through some near-term headwinds. This is a clear message from business on what it needs to see and hear from the government.”
Ruth Duston, CEO of Primera, which operates several business improvement districts in London, said: “While violent crime is relatively low in London, especially compared to other cities around the world, a key theme that comes up when I’m speaking to firms across our business improvement districts are issues around retail crime, anti-social behaviour and rough sleeping. That’s why we are working closely with our local businesses and the Met Police, as well as local boroughs, to tackle some of these challenges. But there is no doubt that all of this affects the perception of investors and visitors to the city — and is increasingly propagated on social media.”
Quentin Cole, London Market Leader, Partner, PwC UK, said: “London’s economic scale and vital role as a ‘front door’ for global investment to the UK benefits the country not just the capital. The Government needs a strong pitch to champion London as a thriving, competitive global city and to bring back some of the positivity that was so evident during the 2012 Olympics. Some of the capital’s strongest selling points include its world class talent and higher education and incredible growth potential across key industry sectors.”
Jeremy Rees, CEO of ExCeL London said: “Thanks to its culture, connectivity and universal appeal, London is a world-class city with a magnetic pull as an event destination. But it’s a competitive market and other cities like Paris and Frankfurt are snapping at our heels. London cannot rest on its laurels. The Government needs a joined up approach to growth. From a business events perspective that means everything from ensuring visitors can get in, out and across the city with ease through to having a good mix of accommodation and hospitality on offer.”
Robert Sinclair, CEO of London St. Pancras Highspeed, said: “London’s world-class transport links make it a prime location for global investment and a centre for connecting people, ideas and industries. With demand for international rail travel set to triple by 2040 at London St. Pancras Highspeed we’re ready to grow. We’re committed to working with the Government and train operators to unlock new routes and destinations that drive growth and position rail as the preferred way to travel to Europe.”