‘A valuable contribution to future prosperity of city’

Published on Thursday 3 November 2011 00:00

Bob Collier: ‘A valuable contribution to future prosperity of city’

Few outside of this region understand what an economic powerhouse this city is, contributing massively to the UK and Scottish economic prosperity.

Whilst many other agencies such as Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Futures, Aberdeen City and Shire local Authorities, Scottish Enterprise and indeed Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, have identified the main issues from their own perspectives, what this report adds is the sharp business consultants’ analysis, focused on the future scenarios for the region – both upside and downside.

As they say on the first page of the report “Aberdeen has reached a crossroads. Business as usual, and the possibility of a managed decline. Or all stakeholders collaborating to grasp the many opportunities within reach?”

I have lost count of how many members of the chamber have mentioned to me that they fear a creeping complacency in this region, and ask the question: are we still hungry enough to take full advantage of these opportunities?

PwC’s aim to foster keen and open debate; their long-term commitment to the city; and their unique perspective are all valuable contributions to this key debate at the heart of our ability to pass prosperity from one generation to another.

IT IS not unexpected that they put oil and gas at the heart of the future for the city and their analysis of the forward potential for Aberdeen. In addition to this core sector they concentrate on talent acquisition, access to funding and city image.

These goals of maximising recovery from the oil and gas reserves in the UKCS, seeking a leading role in renewables and decommissioning and clearing up tax uncertainty, placing Aberdeen at the heart of energy talent management, opening up the sector to new sources of funding and the ambition to be a world class city, go right to the heart of the matter.

This analysis is consistent with that from other organisations and there is a very clear shared understanding of what the future challenges for Aberdeen are. It helps to put a few more of the solutions in place which are, not unexpectedly, proving hard to implement.

It is reassuring we are all asking the same questions – these must be the right questions. As ever, we will need to work together to seek the answers. Well done PwC for a valuable additional contribution to the future prosperity of Aberdeen city and shire.

• Bob Collier is chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

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