Speaking at the Asian Business Conference today Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone praised the significant contribution to London’s economy of the capital’s Asian businesses.
Held at City Hall the event was intended to build on the last year’s report into the contribution of Asian-owned businesses to London’s economy which showed that in 2003/4 London’s 39,000 Asian-owned businesses had a turnover of £60 billion and provided around 300,000 of the capital’s jobs.
Addressing delegates the Mayor said “In the coming decades the global economy will be dominated by Asia, particularly with the phenomenal economic growth of India and China.”
“If London is to continue to thrive, and ensure that the global companies that will inevitably emerge from the region choose our city as the place for their European headquarters, we will have to understand and meet these huge changes in the global economy.”
“London’s Asian owned companies are not only vital to London’s economy itself but play a major role in helping us succeed in these trends. I hope that today’s discussions will provoke thought, debate and ideas for new work and activity that we can take forward together.”
