- Manchester is named top UK City across multiple categories in fDi magazine’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023 report including Economic Potential, Connectivity and Business Friendliness
- Judges were impressed by Manchester and the Greater Manchester Business Board’s (LEP) strategy for growth and investment
- The results show Greater Manchester as the leading city-region for FDI, outside of the capital
Manchester and the Greater Manchester Business Board (LEP) have both gained top rankings in The Financial Times’ FDi European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023/24 report, showcasing the city-region as a major international business hub and leading investment destination.
The City of Manchester was the only UK city to make the overall ranking of the Large European City of the Future, coming in 6th place against Hamburg, Frankfurt, Krakow, Dusseldorf and Rotterdam.
Manchester was also highly awarded for its Business Friendliness, gaining 1 place and ranking 3rd overall in the category. The accolade which sees the city as number one in the UK for setting up a business, monitors number of days taken to start a business, number of jobs created by inward FDI and total number of companies in key hi-tech sectors; testament to an impressive year for inward investment and job creation in the city-region spearheaded by MIDAS.
Manchester was also listed as the only large UK City in the top 10 for its Economic Potential and Connectivity, both of which contribute to the city thriving as a world class business hub.
The Greater Manchester Business Board (LEP) was ranked as the 2nd Local Enterprise Partnership of the Future in the Overall FDI Rankings, making it the leading city-region for FDI outside of the capital and (LEP) was praised in the report for moving up two spots in comparison to last year’s rankings.