5/11/2020 Rethinking Wales: Business after Covid-19

Institute of Welsh Affairs

As part of the IWA’s Rethinking Wales series, we invited Ken Skates MS, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, to hear views and take questions from representatives of businesses across Wales.

In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Chris Nott, as vice chair of the ministerial advisory board, was asked by the Minister to establish 'Ffenics', an ad-hoc advisory group which brings together a cross-section of senior representatives from the business community to provide independent advice about the shape that Covid-19 recovery might take and what policies the government should consider implementing.

Attention is now turning to how Wales’ economy will recover after Covid-19 and in particular how Welsh businesses can be supported through the crisis, and build back better afterwards.

For this event, the IWA's panel is made up of business people from across Wales and will explore the following issues with the Minister:

• The immediate impact of Covid, and what has been more and less effective in the Welsh Government’s support for businesses during the crisis.
• Whether clearer long term trends are starting to emerge, and what the Welsh Government can do to help businesses respond and adapt to them.
• How businesses in Wales can thrive in a post-Covid, post-Brexit, global economy, at the same time ensuring that the way we do business contributes to wellbeing, strong communities, and flourishing the foundational economy.

Attendees could also submit their own questions.

Agenda

• Welcome / Introduction – IWA Chair or an alternative rep (Approximately 5 minutes)
• Minister – Introduction / overview (approximately 10 minutes)
• Q&A with panel (Approximately 30 minutes)
• Public Q&A session (questions submitted electronically) (15 minutes)

Panellists:

• Ken Skates MS, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales
• Chris Nott, Deputy Chair, Economy Ministerial Advisory Board
• Adrian Emmett, The Lion Pub, Treorchy
• Charles Dark, The Wynnstay, Machynlleth
• Emina Redzepovic, freelance PR and communications specialist
• James Wilson, Deepdock Ltd, Holyhead
• Sally Stephenson, The Pencil Case, Cowbridge

This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller, and attendees were able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat.