Investment and devolution - two subjects that will be at the top of the agenda for businesses across the North East.
Next week The Northern Echo's Level Up campaign will be bringing them together at a live event in front of an invited audience who will hear from a panel of decision-makers helping to plan the future of our region.
As we start Year Two of the campaign, which leads our coverage in print and online, we are once again holding a series of panel discussions on key themes - and this is your chance to join the audience for the first event of 2023.
To apply for a free ticket, CLICK HERE
On Thursday morning we are at Thorn Lighting in Spennymoor for an exclusive two-part insight into these key areas for an audience of senior business leaders.
Our panel discussion with our Level Up partners will be led by Durham County Council who will be giving a presentation about their economic strategy for 2023, which we will then get a chance to discuss.
After a buffet lunch we will turn to devolution, with a senior member of the Durham County Council team talking about their future as part of the £1.4bn LA7 deal bringing together seven local authorities.
- All of our Level Up stories throwing a spotlight on business success are HERE
The council will be joined by two leading businesses directly affected by the deal - Thorn Lighting themselves and global giant Black+Decker.
It's a rare chance to get a top-level briefing on how investment strategies and devolution deals will be rolled out this year - from people at the centre of the debate.
There will also be the chance of an exclusive guided tour of the amazing Thorn facility - a landmark factory for the region and the sector.
The Level Up campaign run by BUSINESSiQ, the Echo's business brand, works with a carefully-selected team of businesses from across a wide range of sectors who are as committed as we are to proving that the North East is the first choice for investment and jobs.
Seats for this latest event are obviously limited and are already being snapped up by our Level Up partners, but we always get a strong cross-section of businesses at our event, so we hope to see you there.
- If you would like to hear more about being part of the Level Up campaign, contact ryan.fenwick@localiq.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here