PAST WINNER INTERVIEW Marketing Derby
What planning did you do beforehand?
Investment activity, the organisation is a key partner of both Derby City and Derbyshire County councils, as well as the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. The Queen’s Award reflects Marketing Derby’s ground-breaking business model and success in attracting over 5,000 new jobs and £500m of investment. What made Marketing Derby Ltd apply for a Queen’s Award? We felt it was a good, symbolic time to apply, a decade after the company’s formation. If successful, the award would mark our successes to date and recognise the hundreds of organisations and thousands of individuals that have made up our dynamic team working together to improve our place. What research did you do about the awards/ application process? We did a little on the process and criteria to check we were eligible and had a look at previous winners - including those in Derby and Derbyshire - to help us gauge the types of innovation that might be recognised. We also took some informal soundings from a few local companies who’ve won the award.
Whilst we could not see another investment promotion agency had won a Queen’s Award previously, we felt confident we had a strong case tomake and so pulled together examples of how our innovative approach had underpinned our success in attracting jobs.
Howdid you find the application process?
AWARD CATEGORY: Innovation SIZE OF COMPANY: Small (11 employees) WHERE BASED: Derby TYPE OF BUSINESS: Investment Promotion Agency PROFILE: John Forkin JOB TITLE: Managing Director
The process was easy to followwith thorough checks made on the details we supplied. It gave us terrific reassurance that due diligence is done on all winners and that you truly are in the best company when you win. Did you learn anything about your own compa- ny during the process? In such a busy workplace, it was useful to pause, reflect on our achievements and recognise how our unique model of investment promotion epitomises the major campaign we use in promoting Derby and Derbyshire as the ‘UK Capital for Innovation’. Whilst our place narrative draws heavily on crowd-pleasers such as the birth of the Industrial Revolution and the world’s first factory through to Rolls-Royce’s global HQ for civil aerospace and the place where Lara Croft was created; it’s good to knowMarketing Derby has that in its DNA too.
Company Background As the investment promotion agency (IPA) for Derby and Derbyshire, the purpose of Marketing Derby is clear - to make a positive impact on place and promote Derby and Derbyshire in order to attract and support investment. The company has used innovations including its Embassy events in London and abroad, a distinctive approach to publications, films and social media platforms, as well as the unique Bondholders and London Ambassador Clubs in achieving its purpose. Marketing Derby Bondholders bring together over 350 proactive local businesses and organisations in a sustainable model that showcases all that is best about the area whilst matching private and public funding to create a dynamic community which supports the attraction of jobs and investment. Along with being an active member of the Midlands Engine Partnership Trade and
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