Newport Business

Newport is making a name for itself as a key location for tech start-ups as well as being home to many major employers. Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Dr Louise Bright of USW, Hannah Williams of the Alacrity Foundation and Louise Harris of Tramshed Tech to discuss the business ecosystem in the city and the organisations putting it on the map for start-up support and business acceleration.

Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Dan Smith of M4 Property Consultants, Oliver Griffiths of Paul Fosh Auctions, Tony Jones of m2 Estate Agents and Tom Benjamin of Sanctuary Chartered Financial Planners to discuss the opportunities and challenges in Newport’s commercial and residential property markets.

Newport is undergoing significant transformation through ambitious development projects and strategic planning. Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Nikki Marshall, owner of Newport Arcade; Andrew Hill, Director and Partner of HSJ Accountants; and Newport councillor Emma Stowell-Corten to discuss regional opportunities and challenges and consider initiatives which aim to reposition the city as a leading hub for economic growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Like all town and city centres, Newport has faced significant challenges, but collaboration between businesses, local leaders and community groups mean there are plenty of plans and opportunities underway and on the horizon. Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Kevin Ward, manager of business improvement district Newport Now, Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, leader of Newport City Council, and Niall Leighton-Boyce, director of Boyce Group, to discuss what lies ahead for Newport’s city centre.

Host Gemma Casey discusses Business in the Community's (BITC) first place-based initiative in Wales, the Newport Place Programme, with guests Tracy Rees, Director of BITC in Wales; Huw Williams, Senior Director of Operational Excellence at KLA; Matt Sparkes, Sustainability Director at Linklaters; and Professor Simon Gibson CBE DL, Chair, BITC Newport Place Programme Board. They explore the programme's principle, which is that businesses can make a meaningful and long-lasting impact on the areas in which they operate when they work in collaboration with local communities and listen to their needs. 

In our inaugural episode of Newport Business, Business News Wales editor Gemma Casey delves into Newport's rapid growth and key economic sectors, including semiconductors and green energy. She also examines the pivotal role of the port, city centre development, and the importance of skills and infrastructure in sustaining this growth. The episode features insightful discussions with experts Debbie Wilcox, the Baroness Wilcox of Newport; Ashley Curnow, Divisional Port Manager for Wales and the Southwest with Associated British Ports; and Kevin Ward, Media and Management Consultant.

A monthly feature series hosted within Business News Wales with a supporting regular email newsletter, focused on amplifying the opportunities, challenges and developments within the Newport economy. Each month, we deep dive into a different theme within Newport’s regional economy.