bennettbrooks, an independent Top 100 North West accountancy firm, was pleased to welcome the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to its Altrincham office, as part of ongoing discussions around economic growth, skills development and future opportunities across the region.

During the visit, discussions focused on the continued development of key growth sectors, including professional services, creative media, digital and technology industries. The conversation also covered a number of major regional projects, such as the Manchester Digital Campus, the life sciences cluster at Oxford Road, Atom Valley, Birchwood and the clean energy cluster at Carrington.

A key theme of the visit was the importance of creating strong alternative career pathways for young people. In particular, the role of T Levels was discussed as a practical alternative to university, offering students a direct route into employment. T Levels require a minimum 45-day industry placement, giving students valuable real-world workplace experience alongside their studies.

The visit provided an opportunity to share insights on how professional services firms like bennettbrooks can support regional growth by working closely with education providers, local businesses and future talent. Around 20% of the firm’s workforce is currently studying towards professional qualifications, reflecting bennettbrooks’ ongoing commitment to developing skills, nurturing talent and creating long-term career opportunities within the region. This focus on professional development is further demonstrated by the Technology Client Director recently achieving Chartered IT Professional status, underlining the growing importance of high-quality, accredited digital and technology expertise.

The bennettbrooks Altrincham office is home to three specialist teams covering technology, tax and accounting, bringing a broad range of expertise together under one roof. This multidisciplinary approach allows clients to benefit from joined up advice, faster decision making and direct access to specialists who understand the challenges faced by growing businesses.

Carl Urmston, Client Director at bennettbrooks Altrincham, commented:

“Owner-managed businesses are at the heart of the regional economy, and supporting them is central to what we do. We work closely with business owners to provide practical, joined up advice across finance, tax and technology to help them plan for the next stage of their business.”

George Wood, Managing Director at bennettbrooks, added:

“This was a valuable opportunity to discuss how businesses and regional investment can work together to create long term opportunities across Greater Manchester. As an independent firm founded in Greater Manchester, we see how important skills development and innovation are to sustainable growth. By investing in our people and working closely with owner managed businesses and local partners, we are committed to supporting a resilient and future focused regional economy.”