Edinburgh’s bid to host the Green Investment Bank received a boost today following the endorsement of the leaders of Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Highland and Stirling councils.
They have written to Business Secretary Vince Cable and the Department of Business Information urging them to locate the new bank in Edinburgh, arguing that it will have a positive knock-on effect across Scotland.
It comes as six international fund managers also get behind Edinburgh’s ambition to host what will be the world’s first investment bank dedicated to green technologies.
They include Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management.
Edinburgh’s case has been developed by a partnership of public and private sector organisations.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Owen Kelly, chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, said: “An impressive broad range of interests from the worlds of industry, government and politics have been working together to develop Edinburgh’s proposal to be the home for the new Green Investment Bank.
“The response we’ve had to our plans has been overwhelmingly positive and there is real consensus that bringing the Green Investment Bank could be a game changer in accelerating the commercialisation of low carbon technologies both in Scotland and across the UK.”