New forum for Sheffield City Region business leaders

Matrix Sheffield City Region is aimed at key influencers and decision makers and more than 50 people attended the inaugural gathering.

The forum has been created to provide support, knowledge, advice and a platform for collaboration for companies from a variety of sectors.

Elevation Recruitment, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets, Nabarro LLP, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, PwC and HR Media have all joined forces to establish the group on social media website LinkedIn.

Lee Stafford, a private sector board member for the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), with a specific focus on creative and digital industries, was the guest speaker at the launch at the Electric Works in Sheffield.

Mr Stafford said: “Leaders in this city region have a great responsibility in helping modernise the economy and how we all interact.

“There are strong niches and networks, but we haven’t done a very good job in linking those up.

“Having something that bridges right across the city region and the sectors is important.

“While at the LEP we are creating sector groups to create dialogue, Matrix Sheffield City Region hopefully will end up being that bridge right across business.”

Matrix Sheffield City Region is an invitation only group for the region’s key decision makers—and leaders of the future. The group will offer training and education opportunities with workshops and seminars to help share best practices among the region’s businesses.

Ben Hendry, a partner at law firm Nabarro LLP, added: “The success of Matrix will very much be dependent on the people involved in it—the members.

“The most important thing is that they are active, we want it to make a difference and achieve the end goal, which is economic growth.”