error
Subscriptions are not available for this site while you are logged into your current account.
close
Skip to main content
Submit RFP

      For the UK to thrive economically, we need every region to be firing on all cylinders – and that’s why I’m passionate about supporting enterprise and investment in the South West of England (“South West”).

      I may be biased, but the South West is a fantastic and diverse region. From the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Bristol down to the natural beauty (and resources) of Devon and Cornwall, it already contributes significantly to our national economy across industries as varied as aerospace and defence, media and entertainment, financial and professional services, and tourism and leisure.

      The challenge is to unlock even more value generation to take growth and productivity to the next level.

      Why the South West is important

      A quick run-down of the strengths of the region underlines its significance to the economy. The South West is an important economic generator – with GDP the equivalent of the whole of Portugal! Some of its defining characteristics include:

      David Williams
      David Williams

      Office Senior Partner, South West and Wales Region

      KPMG in the UK

      • Innovation

        There is a long history of new ideas and creativity in the region, as perhaps symbolised by the Isambard brand which has now moved from the railway to naming Europe’s biggest supercomputer based at Bristol University.

      • Legacy

        The strong tradition in industrial manufacturing and defence spans decades. And this isn’t just about the past. The UK’s Space sector is tipped to be worth around £40bn in the next few years and the South West is one of the hotspots for this, attracting significant venture capital investment already.

      • Skills

        Bristol has one of the youngest demographics in the UK and graduates from Bristol and Bath Universities are some of the stickiest across the country for staying in the region. We see the strong skills base coming through in our recently published KPE Barometer as well – with 58% of private enterprise leaders in the region confident in their ability to attract the skills they need, compared to the 49% national average.

      • Connectivity

        Bristol and other centres in the region (like Bath and Swindon) connect easily to London, which is important to our clients. Meanwhile Bristol Airport is the fastest growing large UK airport post-Covid with an expanding range of destinations and ambitious redevelopment plans.

      • Quality of life

        Finally, we mustn’t overlook the simple fact that the South West is a great place to live! It’s where many of us go on holiday each year, after all.

      The importance of a unified voice

      Nevertheless, despite all these strengths and attributes, there does remain a feeling that the region perhaps underperforms relative to its huge potential.

      There is no single reason for this. However, I do believe that much could be achieved if we succeeded in creating one powerful unified voice for the region, both to showcase what is being achieved and to attract even more interest and investment.

      There are bodies doing great work promoting the South West, the South West Business Council (“SWBC”) being one example. I am looking forward to hosting a meeting of SWBC members at KPMG’s Bristol office in April. We need to keep finding ways of amplifying the noise on the national stage.

      Investment growth across the region

      Maximising the impact is all the more important when you consider the many high-potential projects taking place across the region, including:

      • £2 billion investment to develop 2,675 homes and up to 540,000 sq ft industrial space and a new music arena on the Brabazon site in Bristol, one of the UK’s new designated cities. Effectively, this will be a ‘city within a city’ generating new economic activity and growth.

      • Hinkley Point power station in Somerset, bringing £1.5 billion per year to the South West economy.

      • Ministry of Defence investing £4.4 billion into Plymouth’s Devonport Royal Dockyard, making it a centre for cutting edge modern naval defence.

      • Building the UK’s largest battery factory, ‘Gravity’, in Bridgwater to power electic vehicles and next-generation transport modes. The lithium required will potentially be sourced from mines in Cornwall – making this truly a South West production.

      • One of the UK’s largest regeneration projects in Bristol’s Temple Quarter (right next to Temple Meads train station), transforming 130 hectares of brownfield land over the next 25 years to create 10,000 new homes, thousands of new jobs and £1.6 billion annually to the Bristol City economy.

      • Compound semi-conductor cluster in the South West (and South Wales) which will drive new technology including AI, driverless travel and the internet of the future.

      Supporting the business and investment community

      KPMG is a dominant advisor in the region and has a large footprint. We are regularly asked to convene meetings and events to discuss the great things already happening. Our teams support businesses from large multi-nationals down to local start-ups and scale-ups, while we also have excellent established connections to investors, financiers and policy makers.

      Our goal for 2026? To continue supporting the community we are so proud of and help supercharge the investment and enterprise that keeps the region moving, innovating and growing.

      Our strategy and growth insights

      Something went wrong

      Oops!! Something went wrong, please try again
      MTD TEST

      Get in touch

      Discover why organisations across the UK trust KPMG to make the difference and how we can help you to do the same.

      Contact us