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When everyone was in lockdown, the free flow of news became even more important. Having a trusted source of information online when you can’t get out and see anyone helps keep things in perspective.

While other daily news sources understandably concentrated on the immediate grim reality, Business & Innovation Magazine felt there was even more of a need to share news on business activities and opportunities across the region (and despite the pandemic there has been lots going on).

Over the past year we have been contacted many times by people asking us to share their news because they wanted to raise awareness of how they could help. From companies able to source precious PPE and asking us to help publicise it, to others inviting us to share news of their ideas and inventions which are helping to make life more bearable.

Manufacturers pivoted to produce what the country needed (PPE, ventilators), food and drink producers upped production to meet increased demand, our supermarkets and local stores kept their shelves filled, while almost the entire professional community decamped to work from home, making life very busy for the tech companies in keeping us connected. And don’t get me started on the ubiquity of video conferencing.

All the while our key workers – the doctors, nurses, care workers, hospital porters, police, council workers and many others worked on – in conditions that few of us can really appreciate.

Some businesses will never open again, while others have a fight on their hands when they return. Pubs and restaurants, the events businesses, non-essential retail, hairdressers, barbers, beauticians and others saw their hard work jeopardised through no fault of their own.

The events of 2020 changed lots of things for many of us in our personal and professional lives. Whether Covid-19 has presented new opportunities or pressing challenges for your business, we have all had to adapt to a new way of doing things.

Looking ahead at new opportunities

However, this issue is about the future, and you’ll see many changes from the last time we published in March 2020.

As we now have what we consider the best regional daily business news website in the UK, we can dedicate more of our published magazine pages to key issues, allowing more industry commentators and regional experts to share their knowledge and undertake analysis. Content has always been king for this magazine – and now we can broaden that to stimulate debate and widen awareness of business opportunities across the region.

We want to be inspired by the next generation of leaders as well as those who’ve already achieved, so we are widening our pool of interviewees to include those still halfway through their careers but who are already making waves. If you consider yourself an ambitious leader with a good story to tell, get in touch.

Whether you’re interested in what’s going on in your region, or you’re interested in learning more about the sector in which you operate, be that science, technology, manufacturing, skills, real estate or finance and investment – in this magazine, and online, you will find information you can use.

With vaccines now a reality, the immediate, painful and interminable Brexit negotiations behind us (although there’s a long way to go yet), 2021 could be the year to reset as we focus our sights on the road ahead.

Godding Editor-in-Chief and Co-Publisher

Muir Commercial Director and Co-Publisher