AN EVENT held in London yesterday could lead to direct investment in to Merseyside, organisers claimed last night.

Tesco’s Liverpool-born chief executive Sir Terry Leahy was the keynote speaker at the event in the City of London that showcased the Liverpool city region to an audience of capital-based industrialists, investors, intermediaries and professional services’ sector representatives.

Co-ordinated by The Mersey Partnership (TMP) and the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA), the breakfast briefing was attended by more than 60 key business figures.

TMP’s director of operations, Mark Basnett, told the Post he and his sales team were already following up expressions of interest.

“Sir Terry and the other speakers painted a very positive picture of the potential for investment in the region,” he said.

“What they told the audience went down brilliantly and the response has been very positive. Our sales team is now following up around half a dozen enquiries and we will be speaking to people again in the very near future.”

Other speakers at the event – Doing Business in Liverpool – City of Opportunity – included TMP chief executive Lorraine Rogers, NWDA chief executive Steve Broomhead and Rodney Holmes, project director – Paradise Project, Grosvenor.