Working together to grow the North West economy
Pictured (L-R) is Leo Murphy, Principal & CEO, North West Regional College with Peter Devine, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Ulster University; Alan McKeown, Executive Director of Regional Business, Invest NI; Dawn McLaughlin, President of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce; Stephen Gillespie, Director of Business & Culture, Derry City and Strabane District Council; Anne Beggs, Director of Trade & Investment, Invest NI; Des Gartland, North West Regional Manager, Invest NI and Steve Harper, Executive Director of International Business, Invest NI.
Invest Northern Ireland’s Executive Director of International Business, Steve Harper visited Derry this week to meet with a range of local stakeholders and companies including Alchemy Technology Services which Invest NI is supporting to grow in the North West region.
Invest NI continues to support Alchemy as it grows in the North West with our overseas trade teams in the US and Canada supporting it to grow its business internationally
Steve Harper, Executive Director of International Business, Invest NI
During a visit to technology firm, Alchemy Technology Services, Steve said: “In 2018, we successfully attracted Alchemy to Northern Ireland. The economic boost from this major investment is well underway, with almost 150 of the 256 jobs we announced in 2018 now in place. Invest NI continues to support Alchemy as it grows in the North West with our overseas trade teams in the US and Canada supporting it to grow its business internationally.
“I am also very impressed by the solid commitment and enthusiasm Alchemy has shown to the establishment and growth of its business in Londonderry, particularly to the nurturing of graduates through the Department for the Economy’s Assured Skills Programme. Once the project is fully implemented it will generate over £6.5million in annual salaries, a real economic boost for Northern Ireland, and the North West specifically.”
John Harkin, Director and Founder, Alchemy said: “We are delighted with the progress we have made in the last 3 years. We are now approaching 150 staff with the North West providing the talent and resources we need to be successful.”
We’ve already attracted new investors to the North West like Alchemy and Deveire and encouraged other companies like FinTRU, AquaQ Analytics, Terex and Danske Bank to locate follow on growth projects in the North West.
Steve Harper, Executive Director of International Business, Invest NI
On his visit, Steve also met with local stakeholders involved alongside Invest NI in the recent ‘Succeed North West’ event; an event which presented the North West as a great place to live, work and do business. At the meeting, stakeholders including Invest NI, Londonderry Chamber, Ulster University, Derry City & Strabane District Council and North West Regional College discussed next steps to encourage inward investment in the North West.
Steve continued: “As partners, we all need to work collectively together to support the growth of the North West economy. We’ve already attracted new investors to the North West like Alchemy and Deveire and encouraged other companies like FinTRU, AquaQ Analytics, Terex and Danske Bank to locate follow on growth projects in the North West. Our economy is realising the economic benefits that attracting companies like this can bring, generating new jobs and bringing new skills.
“This is a shared ambition and one which I am confident that the existing strong partnership between ourselves, the Council, the Department for the Economy, the Chamber, academia and business working together will successfully support the growth of the local economy here.”
