With 109,000 businesses and a GVA of over £69 billion, Leeds City Region is the largest contributor to UK GDP in the Northern Powerhouse and the largest regional economy outside London.
It is home to the UK’s leading professional services hub outside of London, and is a global leader in key sectors such as technology, healthcare and manufacturing, as well as hosting the largest cluster of higher education institutions outside the capital, with nine universities producing world-leading research and 39,000 skilled graduates each year.
Leeds City Region offers businesses access to a highly-skilled workforce of 1.4 million people, with 7 million people within an hour’s drive, and boasts the highest rate of private sector jobs growth in the UK.
The City Region remains one of the leading locations in the UK for foreign and direct investment, according to EY’s (Ernst & Young) annual Attractiveness Survey, with significant interest in the digital and business services sectors.