The Isle of Man and Liverpool Chambers of Commerce took part in an event at The Comis Hotel recently to celebrate the success of north west region business collaboration.
The ‘Liverpool and Isle of Man Chambers Working Together’ event was attended by business leaders from both regions and began with speeches by Liverpool Chamber chief executive Paul Cherpeau and Isle of Man Chamber president Claire Watterson.
This was followed by a panel discussion which covered financial services and fintech, education, training and skills, and the visitor economy.
In her speech, Claire said: ‘Although separated by the Irish Sea, our two business communities are, in reality, very closely linked.
‘We share long-standing economic ties, complementary strengths, and, importantly, a similar entrepreneurial spirit.
‘The proximity between Liverpool and the Isle of Man is not just geographical; it’s commercial, cultural, and increasingly strategic. Today is about building on those connections.
‘It’s about creating the environment for conversations that lead to real opportunities, whether that’s partnerships, investment, innovation, or simply a better understanding of how we can work together more effectively.’
Paul added: ‘Liverpool City Region businesses have a superb opportunity to build connections and maximise opportunities in, and with, the Isle of Man.
‘Beyond geographical proximity, the respective economies provide excellent opportunities for collaborative growth, including across professional services, innovation, talent and skills and our visitor economy.
‘We look forward to supporting the ongoing collaboration between our city region and the island and to forging an increasingly exciting partnership delivering real and tangible benefits to businesses and the wider economies.’
The event brought together representatives from government, business, education and innovation to reflect on progress made since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in March 2025.
Commenting on this event, Claire said that it was ‘a timely reminder that this type of regional collaboration delivers results, so it provides inspiration for Isle of Man Government, Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce, and the wider business community to seek other similar opportunities’.
She added that it was also good timing as we look ahead to the General Election in September because boosting connectivity to the UK and beyond to access international markets is one of the five key issues Isle of Man Chamber wants voters and candidates to focus on in the election campaign.
Among business leaders present was Brendon Kenny, commercial and partnerships director at Irish Sea Rim which takes an innovative approach to enterprise zone investment to drive regional development.
He said: ‘The success of the collaboration between the Isle of Man and Liverpool City Region is worth celebrating, but today is also an opportunity to reflect on how much more could be achieved in the years ahead.
‘Viewed through an Irish Sea Rim perspective, the opportunity extends far beyond bilateral collaboration.
‘We have the potential to connect three nation states and six governments, creating powerful new economic, cultural and innovation partnerships across the region. The Isle of Man can be the strategic enabler of this vision.’