20 Business DECEMBER 2018
digital, media, and creative
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T
he creative, digital and
technology sector
contributes £4.1bn
(GVA) to the Greater
Manchester economy
and employs over
84,575 people –
making it one of the region’s biggest
industries.
Alongside a talent pool including
staff at some of the biggest names in
technology, the region boasts four
major universities producing a steady
pipeline of future tech talent.
Significant new tech investment
within Greater Manchester includes
new bases for Moonpig, The Hut
Group, Amazon and GCHQ, while
Aviva Investors is investing £300m to
support Allied London’s Enterprise
City development on the site of the
former Granada television studios in
the St John’s area, with the aim of
supporting a new community.
Technology companies are also being
attracted to the region thanks to the
strengths of MediaCityUK, which has
helped to transform Salford Quays
since welcoming major broadcasters
the BBC and ITV alongside tech firms
including TalkTalk and Tech Mahindra.
The city region was recently
recognised as having eight of the UK’s
fastest growing tech firms in its midst,
the largest concentration outside of
London.
This included the likes of
Manchester-based FinTech software
company Planixs. Set up in 2011 by
Neville Roberts and Stuart Houghton
they set out to focus on providing
cloud-based software to their clients.
Based in Union House, Manchester,
the firm now employs almost 70 staff
and posted sales of £7.24m in 2017.
Roberts said: “We moved into the
middle of Manchester earlier this year,
predominantly to access the right
talent and to get hold of the technology
we need.
“It’s been a great move and it’s a great
place to work.“Manchester has the right
ingredients to be successful; big
businesses have moved here recently
so there is a draw for tech talent.
“The city also has a vibrant and fresh
feel to it, people like living here and
come to work with a smile.”
The provider of analytical, forecasting
and modelling software solutions is
now leading the charge in how the
latest technology is transforming the
banking industry.
It is a prime example of the tech
innovators shaping the sector and
clients include Lloyds Banking Group,
Europe Arab Bank and Zenith Bank.
Paying tribute to Planixs and other
members of Greater Manchester
fast-growth tech cluster, Andrew
Toolan, head of business development- creative, digital and tech - at MIDAS,
said: “The creative and digital tech
sector is enormously important to the
Greater Manchester economy.
“It’s great to see companies like
Planixs thriving in Manchester, I think
they’re a really good example of a
business that’s come in, grown and is
thriving within the community.”
Before the move, Planixs was
headquartered at Aviator Way in
Wythenshawe.
Toolan continues: “We’re seeing
huge growth across sectors like
e-commerce, cybersecurity and
existing strengths in broadcast media,
and we want to position ourselves as a
truly smart city.
Access to talent
fuels region’s
fast-growth
tech cluster
Greater Manchester’s blossoming tech cluster owes its success to
the ready availability of technology and talent, according to the
region’s tech leaders. Lucy Roue reports
Planixs CEO Neville
RobertsBBC’s northern HQ at
MediaCityUK, Salford