The leader of Leeds City Council has joined other business and political leaders from across the north on a UK trade delegation to Singapore.
Councillor Judith Blake is taking part in a seminar with potential investors that is being addressed by Prime Minister David Cameron and will also meet senior figures from the Singapore government.
Cllr Blake took up the invitation from the government to join the Business Secretary on the trade mission and she has been accompanied by the council’s chief economic development officer Tom Bridges.
They are part of a large group of UK business leaders, including a representative of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, hoping to capitalise on the opportunity to expand economic links with South East Asia, especially in the north of England.
Cllr Blake said: “This is a rare opportunity to meet key business leaders and investors from the other side of the world – including one company that have recently invested in a major development site in Leeds – to really raise our game in international economic links.”
Leeds is already performing well internationally, according to the recently-released annual Ernst & Young Attractiveness Survey which measures inward investment activity by region.
Cllr Blake added: “By building partnerships we are hoping to tap into in a vastly-expanding economic market to build trade links and further attract South East Asian investment. This in turn should widen opportunity for local businesses and create employment for people in our city.”