The Midlands stormed home at the UK Dealmakers Awards, taking a third of the trophies up for contention.

Insider brought together two of the winners - Sarah Taylor of Clearwater, who was named Dealmaker of the Year, and Vinny Patel of BDO, which took home the Transaction Services Team trophy - to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Midlands as a centre for M&A.

In a frank but good hearted exchange with editor Kurt Jacobs they looked at issues such as how the sector in the Midland was quickly evolving with new players replacing long-standing organisations.

They also examined why the Midlands increasingly worked in a national rather than a regional "Fortress Midlands" mentality; why the M&A market is set to pick up in 2026 - and what the hot sectors will be; how private equity-backed portfolios are opening up; and why an increasing number of owner-managers are completing derisking or selling up.

This podcast was sponsored by Clearwater.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Insider brought together three experts to look at why the Midlands’ manufacturing future lies in making higher value products and systems rather than cheap mass-production.

Over 50 minutes we look at issues such as how advanced manufacturing is as much a culture and mindset as tech; the need to bring in younger, skilled staff; which technologies actually add value - and which don't; the need to shorten supply chains; and how, in a world of increased innovation and technology, personal relationships along the supply chain matter more than ever.

This podcast was sponsored by Moore Kingston Smith.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Jewellery Quarter is the jewel in the crown of Birmingham’s rich industrial past and exciting, modern future - it’s also a blueprint for urban regeneration.

Hosted by Insider deputy editor Ian Griffin, the podcast looked at how we can maximise the Jewellery Quarter brand, the challenges of developing in a conservation area, the need for densification, bridging the viability gap, improving transport and walkable connectivity and what can be learned from similar regeneration programmes across the world.

This podcast was sponsored by Cordia UK.

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Midlands Business Insider editor Kurt Jacobs speaks to two experts from banking giant HSBC - Head of Corporate, West Midlands Andy Oates and Head of Leveraged Finance Origination Midlands Stuart Grantham.

In a wide-ranging discussion they review the potential growth for the UK economy, the possibility of interest rate cuts, the outlook for mergers & acquisitions, and why cyber security and AI are now top of every chief execs' agenda.

This podcast was sponsored by HSBC UK.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been the most heavily trailed Budget for years. But did Rachel Reeves deliver? What impact will her policies have on your business and personal finances? And will her £26bn tax rises fill the black hole at the heart of government finances?

Hosted by Kurt Jacobs, editor of Midlands Business Insider, this episode brings together tax expert Iain Wright from Claritas; renowned economist John Bryson from the University of Birmingham; and Rowan Precision’s chief financial officer, Glenn Aston.

Together, we examine the impact of Reeves’ initiatives, including increases in Minimum Wage levels, the proposed Mansion Tax, the cap on salary sacrifice for pensions, and the continued freeze in Income Tax thresholds. We also explore whether the drawn-out nature of Budget speeches and pre-Budget leaks has undermined confidence — and whether the Chancellor may have to return for yet more money next year.

This podcast was sponsored by Claritas Tax.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.