21st January 2010

Yorkshire Bank is to become a corporate partner of BioCity, the rapidly growing bioscience incubator business park in Nottingham.

The bank, which is based in Lock House, Castle Meadow Road, in the city centre, will support the growth of bioscience and healthcare technology companies at BioCity and across the East Midlands by offering bespoke financial services and business advice.

To mark the official collaboration between the two organisations, 60 businesses at BioCity have been invited to attend a presentation by leading economist Nick Parsons on Tuesday, February 9 at 5pm at the site in Pennyfoot Street, which is also open to East Midlands businesses.

Nick, head of markets strategy in Europe at National Australia Bank which owns Yorkshire Bank, will give his expert views on the issues that specifically affect the healthcare and bioscience technology sectors.

He will also provide an insight into the macro economic situation in the UK and its impact on UK companies over the next 12 months and beyond.

Jon Bell, business partner at Yorkshire Bank in Nottingham, said BioCity is a terrific example of a success story for the East Midlands economy.

He said: “We believe this is an excellent opportunity for Yorkshire Bank to further develop our links with businesses and individuals within the expanding health and bioscience sector in the East Midlands.

“Yorkshire Bank is keen to support local businesses not just by providing bank facilities but by adding value to our customers and our local community.”

Dr Glenn Crocker, chief executive of BioCity, said he believed this link-up would provide further foundations for the centre’s companies to grow.

“We are confident this corporate partnership agreement with Yorkshire Bank will provide our tenants with valuable business support,” he said.

“BioCity companies know better than most that there is a need to constantly evolve and the team of specialists at Yorkshire Bank will be providing high quality advice and information to help them achieve their business goals.”

Earlier in the day, Nick will be the keynote speaker at another free seminar. He will be focusing on the UK’s economy and the pound for 2010 at Yorkshire Bank’s Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) in Castle Meadow Road from noon.

Carl Ashley, senior partner at the Nottingham FSC, said the seminar would be of particular interest to companies trading internationally or were consider making the move into overseas markets.

“We hope Nick’s advice will help business in the region improve their currency risk management,” he said.

“Nick will be predicting that the conditions seen in 2009 will continue to affect companies exporting or importing in the foreseeable future. He will also discuss how effective and intelligent currency risk management adds directly to your bottom line.”

Lunch will be provided at the seminar in the FSC. Anyone interested in attending either of the events, should contact Graham Harper on graham.harper@eu.nabgroup.com

For further information, please contact:
Adam Dent/ Michelle Wilson / Pete Squires
Advent Communications
adent@advent-communications.co.uk / mwilson@advent-communications.co.uk / psquires@advent-communications.co.uk
02476 633636
07785 594415

Financial Solutions Centres:
Financial Solutions Centres (FSC) focus on the communities in which they operate. Each of the UK-wide network of 72 FSCs offers a tailored range of business and private banking services under one roof. A team of specialist partners provide customers with end-to-end solutions for all of their banking needs. Each customer benefits from the in-depth expertise of a dedicated relationship partner who takes the time to get to know them and their business and is able to make fast, local decisions. In addition to banking services, the FSCs also operate as a hub for local business, with a range of networking opportunities and meeting facilities available as a benefit of membership.

BioCity Nottingham
BioCity Nottingham provides business support, finance, labs & offices to bioscience, pharmaceutical, med-tech & healthcare companies. It operates one of Europe’s largest bioscience business centres, which is currently home to nearly 70 fast-growing companies, including R&D and business support services.
BioCity invests in early stage life science companies through its subsidiary, Mobius Life Sciences (launched in October 2009), which is the first investment fund in the Midlands region dedicated to the life sciences sector. www.mobiuslifesciences.com
BioCity was founded by Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and East Midlands Development Agency. http://www.biocity.co.uk