Local politicians have urged north-east companies to attend an event presenting funding opportunities for oil and gas companies set on expansion.
Kirsty Blackman, MP for Aberdeen North and Callum McCaig, her counterpart for Aberdeen South, have invited Mark Fahy from the London Stock Exchange (LSE) to highlight a programme aimed at fostering business growth and innovation.
The event on 10 March in Aberdeen will have a particular focus on capital financing and companies who have a high growth potential.
Mr Fahy, the LSE’s head of UK small and mid cap companies, will be presenting details about their Elite Programme which helps companies with potential to get access to capital financing in order to secure their future growth. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and to obtain more details on the potential benefits of the programme, as well as details about other programmes.
The LSE Elite programme was first launched in Italy in April 2012 at Borsa Italiana and in UK in April 2014, which has completed five cohorts of an 18-month programme of education, business support and mentoring.
Ms Blackman said: “Aberdeen has a bright potential future as a centre of expertise and a key exporter of oil and gas technology and services. To secure that future, we need to ensure that companies have the ability to reach their potential scale. A big part of this is ensuring companies have access to the appropriate finance. This is a great opportunity for companies to hear more about ways they can access this finance and I’m really pleased representatives from the London Stock Exchange have agreed to come to Aberdeen.”
Mr Fahy said: “London Stock Exchange is committed to connecting high growth companies from Aberdeen and across Scotland with the business and investment community. Our ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report tells us that there is an exceptional concentration of high growth companies in Aberdeen. Through our unique growth market, AIM, and business support programme, Elite, London Stock Exchange supports over 200 Scottish businesses that are driving innovation, job creation and economic prosperity up and down the country. We are grateful to Ms Kirsty Blackman MP and Mr Callum McCaig MP for inviting us to Aberdeen. We look forward to expanding opportunities for Scottish companies in the future.”
Mr McCaig said: “At every opportunity in Westminster I have highlighted the importance of the oil and gas industry to Aberdeen and to the UK as a whole. Despite this, the UK Government have failed to commit to incentivising exploration to give the industry a boost. In stark contrast, the Scottish Government have provided the £12.5million innovation fund to help companies in addition to funding local infrastructure projects and it is my hope that this event will open even more doors for local businesses.”
To register to attend this event, please email kirsty.blackman.mp@parliament.uk by 2 March.
Read Ms Blackman’s opinion piece about the programme here.
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