The first topic the champions explored was Continuing Professional Development for creatives. You can read the first of two blogposts summarising the discussion by my colleague @nikgunn.bsky.social here: pec.ac.uk/blog_entries...

Earlier this Autumn the @creativepec.bsky.social re-launched it's incredible network of Industry Champions, a nationwide group of sector leaders who work with the PEC to share insights on live policy issues facing the creative industries.

And if you're free at lunchtime, why not tune into our launch event at 12pm today. More info and register here: pec.ac.uk/event_entrie...

Find the report here: pec.ac.uk/wp-content/u...

A key takeaway for me is that the regional variation in FDI highlights an important role for local and devolved government in mapping and promoting distinctive regional strengths to overseas investors. This is a key opportunity for forthcoming Local Growth Plans and partnership working with UK govt.

The UK is one of the principal nations undertaking outward creative FDI. Whilst the leading destination for UK FDI is the USA, Asian countries are also found to be important destinations.

Further assessing the benefits (e.g. access to new processes, technologies and skills) and potential costs (e.g. loss of UK-generated IP to overseas firms) should be a priority for policymakers.

The creative industries is unlike the rest of the economy in that the majority of FDI projects are M&As, which accounted for 64% of all creative FDI projects in the last three years.

Regions and nations including the West Midlands, North East of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland attract a high share of FDI projects relative to the size of their local creative economies.