Hertfordshire Futures has set out how it will accelerate economic growth, unlock investment, and deliver on the county’s long-term ambitions – as leaders from across business, education, not-for-profit, and the public sector convened at the Investing in Hertfordshire’s Future conference.

The event shifted the focus to delivery, with Hertfordshire Futures outlining its role in driving forward the county’s newly launched Economic Strategy to 2036, with its vision for the county to become globally recognised as the UK’s innovation heartland.

Opening the conference, Dr John Howie DL, Hertfordshire Futures Board Member, set out the scale of the ambition:

“We’re looking to grow the economy from £50 billion to £63 billion, to increase jobs in priority sectors to 270,000, and to support the delivery of 200,000 homes.”

He emphasised that growth must result in tangible benefits to local communities.

“Because frankly, growth only really matters if it’s felt for the people that live here and the places they live in.”

Turning ambition into action

Hertfordshire Futures is now focused on translating its economic strategy into action – developing a pipeline of investable propositions to accelerate growth, unlock opportunity, and attract both private and public investment into the county.

This includes targeted action to support high-growth sectors such as life sciences, advanced manufacturing, digital and creative industries – alongside practical interventions to strengthen the wider economy and ensure opportunities are accessible to Hertfordshire’s businesses and communities.

These include:

• establishing a taskforce to manage and maximise the impact of major infrastructure investment, including data centres and digital infrastructure
• supporting innovation and growth across priority sectors and business clusters through collaboration with R&D partners
• strengthening globally significant industries such as defence and space and their supply chains
• helping more people into work by developing the foundational economy
• enabling high-growth businesses to scale internationally through export support and the global promotion of Hertfordshire

Neil Hayes, Chief Executive of Hertfordshire Futures, said:

“We are a powerhouse economy. We’ve grown by £10 billion in the last 10 years alone. We can deliver this – but the way we need to deliver it needs to change.”

He emphasised the importance of taking a broader view of the economy:

“About two-thirds of the people employed in Hertfordshire aren’t in those priority sectors – they’re in the everyday economy, which is vitally important.”

Hertfordshire Futures has committed £30 million investment over the next three years to drive this activity and unlock significantly greater levels of funding.

A strong foundation for growth

The Sector Health Checks Panel reinforced Hertfordshire’s competitive advantage, with Professor Damian Ward, Dean of Hertfordshire Business School, highlighting the strength of its sector mix:

“If you look at Hertfordshire and you look at Government’s industrial strategy, we've arguably got the most aligned sectors in this country – advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, digital and creative industries… that’s a fantastic base to start from.”

Despite wider economic challenges, confidence in the county remains high:

“It’s really good to be in Hertfordshire. The opportunities here are immense.”

Innovation and global reach were also key themes. Vanessa Viney, Head of Innovation at Airbus Defence & Space UK, said:

“We’ve built a Mars rover… spacecraft going to Mercury… a third of geostationary satellites started here in Hertfordshire.”

She highlighted the importance of local supply chains in driving growth:

“We (Airbus Defence & Space, Stevenage) have around 2,000 suppliers… about half of which are SMEs, and we really help them to grow.”

Investing in skills to power the economy

Developing the skills pipeline needed to support growth remains a central priority.

Mo Alavijeh, CEO of Pharmidex, highlighted the growing demand for advanced capability:

“What we need are people who are not only scientists but also understand AI and machine learning – and that kind of talent is not easily available at the moment.”

Professor Anthony Woodman, Vice Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire, reinforced the university’s role as a key local employer, driver of growth and enterprise, and partner in delivery:

“We are a university for Hertfordshire… a major anchor institution with over 3,700 employees and 34,000 students, playing a central role in powering the county’s growth.”

Ensuring growth benefits everyone

A central theme of the conference was ensuring that economic growth is inclusive and benefits all communities.

Introducing the Next Gen and Next Steps panel, Hertfordshire Futures Board Member Celia Taylor, Head of Media Trust Films and Under-represented Talent (Chair), inspired audiences:

“If you're a child, you dream of being an astronaut, a movie director, a cutting-edge scientist, a farmer. These are all jobs you can do in Hertfordshire. It's an amazing county.”

And highlighted the urgency for inclusivity:

“Youth unemployment is at its highest level in decades, and we still have a significant disability employment gap – so if we want growth, we have to address inclusion.”

Keely Siddiqui-Charlick MBE, CEO of Sunnyside Rural Trust, challenged organisations to act:

“If you really believe you want Hertfordshire to be great, then ask yourself – where do you spend your money?... young people and people with disabilities need opportunity, and you may not realise your business has tons of them.”

Temi Fawehinmi, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Hertfordshire County Council, also addressed misconceptions around inclusive employment:

“Most reasonable adjustments cost less than £100 – but the cost of missing out on that talent is far greater.”

And reinforced the broader challenge:

“Talent is not rare. It is opportunity that is rare – and it is for us to create that opportunity.”

Shaping the future with the next generation

Young people also played a central role in the conversation, calling for a more active role in shaping the future economy:

Mohammed Kir-Allah, Development and Inclusion Lead, GSK; and Career Coach and Mentor, University of Hertfordshire, said: “AI isn’t just a risk – it creates opportunities. But young people need to be part of shaping how it’s used.”

He also issued an appeal to leadership:

“Don’t make decisions about us without us.”

A county of opportunity

Closing the event, Robert Voss CBE CStJ, Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, highlighted the county’s strengths and the importance of collective action:

“Hertfordshire is incredibly diverse… and that diversity is one of our real strengths.”

Speaking on behalf of Hertfordshire Futures Chair, Adrian Hawkins OBE, he added: “Hertfordshire possesses both the ambition and the capability to deliver and to do so collaboratively.”

He concluded with a call for collective action:

“Success depends on how we all act and work together… so let’s make sure that Hertfordshire remains – and continues to build on – being the county of opportunity.”

Driving the next phase of growth

With a clear focus on investable opportunities, skills development, and inclusive growth, Hertfordshire Futures is now leading the next phase of delivery – ensuring that the county not only grows, but that growth is sustainable, innovative, and felt by communities across Hertfordshire.

Thank you to all our speakers and panellists: Dr John Howie DL, Hertfordshire Futures Board Member; Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Treasury), and Deputy Leader, Liberal Democrats; Neil Hayes, CEO, Hertfordshire Futures; Richard Whitehead, Hertfordshire Futures Board Member, CEO, Europe and India, AECOM (Chair); Prof. Damian Ward, Dean, Hertfordshire Business School; Martha Lytton Cobbold DL, MD, Knebworth House, Park and Gardens, and Visit Herts Co-Chair; Vanessa Viney, Head of Innovation for the UK, Airbus Defence and Space; Mo Alavijeh, MD, Pharmidex, and Visiting Professor, University of Hertfordshire; Prof. Anthony Woodman, Vice Chancellor, University of Hertfordshire; Celia Taylor, Hertfordshire Futures Board Member, Head of Media Trust Films and Under-represented Talent (Chair); Joao Almeida, Partner/Patrao, Nando’s UK and Ireland; Temi Fawehinmi, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Hertfordshire County Council; Keely Siddiqui Charlick MBE, CEO, Sunnyside Rural Trust; Mohamad Khir-Allah, Development and Inclusion Lead, GSK, and Career Coach and Mentor, University of Hertfordshire; Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss CBE CStJ; Adrian Hawkins OBE, Chair, Hertfordshire Futures.