Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/1249269
Business development YES! Winnipeg showcases why Winnipeg is an ideal location and economic climate for business growth. Our team is connected, knowledgeable, responsive and knows how to successfully address key decision triggers for companies across sectors, including: » Talent attraction and retention » Issue management » Site selection » Supplier identification » Government program navigation » Qualified contacts In 2019, YW implemented new key performance indicators (KPIs) to track our team's successes, impacts and outcomes. As these KPIs are all new, year-over-year comparisons will begin in Q1 2020. Target Actual Economic outcomes facilitated* 6 6 100% Services delivered 400 697 174% National/international investment opportunities pursued/developed 35 39 111% Business retention & expansion meetings executed 65 73 112% *examples found in Successes section Foreign direct investment In 2019, Economic Development Winnipeg, the city, province and key economic development partners recognized the need to increase Winnipeg's visibility for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). We hired a Director of Foreign Direct Investment and a Business Development Coordinator for our YW team to increase Winnipeg's profile on the global stage. We developed a strategy in consultation with the provincial and federal governments. We cultivated valuable relationships with international organizations that could help us put Winnipeg on the radar of foreign investors. These groups included Global Affairs Canada, Canadian embassies in several countries and Consider Canada City Alliance, a network of the country's 12 major urban centres working together to draw investment based on each member's regional strengths. Talent & workforce development 2019 was also a big year for identifying another area where our YW team could add value for businesses. After meeting with more than 200 companies to gauge exactly what kept business leaders up at night, the answer was the same across the board: finding, developing and keeping talent was critical to keep companies growing here in Winnipeg. We hired a Director of Talent, as well as a dedicated Business Development Manager and Business Development Coordinator to meet with high-growth businesses, analyze talent and skills gaps, identify new channels for talent, align education and industry, and lead recruitment missions at home and abroad. 21 2019 Annual Report