Think regionally to win from second: Matherly

GEELONG has much to be gained from groups that can co-ordinate and drive a region’s economic development, according to the immediate past chair of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

Barry Matherly, now president and chief executive officer of the Greater Richmond Partnership, was the guest speaker at an industry lunch hosted at Novotel Geelong by the Committee for Geelong (CfG) as part of its Winning from Second: International Speaker Series.

CfG used the city of Richmond, Virginia in the US as one of the case studies in its Winning from Second report.

Mr Matherly – who chaired the IEDC (a non-profit organisation serving economic development) throughout 2016 – discussed the advantages and opportunities that can emerge from the development of strong regional partnerships and alliances, including the increased number of services within the region, the opportunity for pooling of resources for marketing, and increased private sector funding.

“If you look at the way resources, assets and workers work, they don’t live in just one community… they move between jurisdictions. So your assets and your workers are regionally based.”

He also said that while advocacy can be overlooked, it is a valuable asset to retaining and driving partnerships.

“If you can bring people together and create an ecosystem where you’re aligned and advocating, it’s a very powerful tool. People love that when they come into your region, because they understand what you’re talking about.”