The Squeeze: How Smart Manchester Businesses Are Staying Ahead in 2026–2027
The Squeeze: How Smart Manchester Businesses Are Staying Ahead in 2026–2027
- Connect & Learn
The Big Squeeze
If you're running a growing business right now, you already know the feeling, squeezed on headcount, squeezed on costs, squeezed on time, and trying to keep up with a wave of regulatory and tech changes that aren't slowing down.
This exclusive fireside session brings together four experts across HR, technology, finance and wellbeing to tackle one question every business owner and leader in the room will recognise:
How do I run a lean, growing business without getting caught out by things I didn't know were coming?
Across a single, honest conversation, our panel will unpack what the next 18 months actually looks like for Manchester businesses, from the Employment Rights Bill reshaping how you manage people, to the cyber threats now targeting mid-sized firms, to the real impact of recent Budget changes on your bottom line, and why getting your retention and wellbeing strategy right has never mattered more.
This isn't death by PowerPoint. It's a straight-talking panel discussion with plenty of room for your questions, designed for founders, MDs and senior leaders in businesses with 20–150 employees who'd rather be ahead of what's coming than scrambling to catch up.
Expect practical insight, good conversation, and a room full of people navigating the same challenges you are.
Spaces are limited.
Register your spot.
Share:
About the Speakers:
Christian Spence
Founder & Chief Economist - Economic Analytics
With over fifteen years’ experience in economics and public policy across local government (Manchester City Council), think tanks (Core Cities), business organisations (Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and British Chambers of Commerce) and academia (Manchester Metropolitan University), Christian has since 2022 ran his own consultancy, Economic Analytics, providing economic and data science research, analysis, modelling and commentary to a variety of clients across all sectors, from not-for-profits to blue chip international companies. He specialises in UK economic and tax analysis, big data modelling and forecasting and public speaking.
Christian Spence
Founder & Chief Economist - Economic Analytics
With over fifteen years’ experience in economics and public policy across local government (Manchester City Council), think tanks (Core Cities), business organisations (Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and British Chambers of Commerce) and academia (Manchester Metropolitan University), Christian has since 2022 ran his own consultancy, Economic Analytics, providing economic and data science research, analysis, modelling and commentary to a variety of clients across all sectors, from not-for-profits to blue chip international companies. He specialises in UK economic and tax analysis, big data modelling and forecasting and public speaking.
About the Speakers:
Claire-Marie is a Chartered Engineer holding an MBA from Manchester Business School. Claire-Marie is a guest lecturer in Change Management and Entrepreneurship at Manchester Business School.rnShe is the alumni lead for MBS Women Leading in Business group and regularly hosts the Institute of Directors Womenu2019s Forum in the North West. rnrnClaire-Marie is a committee member of the IoD Manchester and has recently commenced working with EEF The Manufacturing Organisation to raise the profile of Women in Engineering.rnrnClaire-Marie is an expert in Change Management for many years and delivers the Day 3 workshop of the STRIDE programme u2013 Oakridgeu2019s 6 month leadership programme for female middle management development. Her workshop focuses on the managing business aspect. This is the final element of the programme and supports women attending to learn more about how they can impact their organisation, bring others with them and to become a role model for others.rnrnClaire-Marie is a member of the Manchester City Council International Womenu2019s Day Steering Group. To any challenge Claire-Marie brings energy, focus and action. Her core skills include u201cbreaking eggsu201d, u201cbuilding gladiatorsu201d and u201cmaking connectionsu201d. Claire-Marie believes organisations and teams succeed by working with the imagination and talents of their people.