London & Partners - Leading Spanish Companies Commit to London as Deputy Mayor Calls for Stronger Trade Links

LONDON, March 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

EU businesses want closer collaboration with London's business community post-Brexit 

Two of Spain's largest companies will today announce new projects and further expansion in London. Just a day after the UK Government begins the formal process of withdrawing from the EU, Telefónica and Ferrovial will make commitments to London, at an event organised by the Mayor of London's International Business Programme, held to promote greater links between London and Madrid.

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/483801/London_and_Partners_EU_Spain.jpg )

Wayra UK (part of Telefónica Open Future) will unveil plans to develop a new facility in North London, to help entrepreneurs in outer London pursue their start-up ideas. Backed by the GLA and Haringey Council, the hub will support around 10 digital start-ups per year.

The project is also a collaboration with former England football legend Sol Campbell, who is keen to ensure that the development of tech expertise also benefits London's outer regions.

Meanwhile, the Spanish infrastructure group Ferrovial will announce the Londoners' Lab, a collaborative innovation programme which will focus on solutions to improve day to day recycling in flats and multiple occupancy houses.

The partnership between the GLA, Ferrovial Services, University College London and Future Cities Catapult will engage London residents directly to make them part of the solution and improve recycling rates.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "These announcements show that, despite Brexit, business leaders in Europe realise that London will remain a key partner in business, investment, talent, ideas and friendship. Our city was the only region in England to vote to remain in the EU, it is still the best place in the world to do business and our collaboration with other major European cities will not cease."

The Deputy Mayor of London for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, will today also reveal the findings of a survey showing that sixty per cent of EU business leaders want continued or closer ties with London's business community post-Brexit. Spanish business executives are the most optimistic about the future prospect of doing business with London, with sixty-three per cent of those surveyed saying they would like to see continued or closer collaboration with London.

Further analysis reveals that London remains a leading global destination for business growth in the short and medium term, with the majority of European business leaders saying that London was their preferred city for business growth in the next 12 months and 3-5 years.

Today's event will see business leaders discuss the opportunities for collaboration between London and Madrid in creating 'smart cities'. London maintains its position as the top European 'smart city', according to the IESE Cities in Motion Index 2017, which will be published in April.

A trade delegation of 21 of London's fastest growing companies, part of the Mayor's International Business Programme, are accompanying the Deputy Mayor to Madrid to seek expansion opportunities in the 'smart cities' industry.

Notes to Editors:  

London & Partners Executive Survey, March 2017. (400 businesses surveyed in France, Germany, Spain and Ireland.) Executive summary available here.

Preliminary results of The IESE Cities in Motion Index 2017.