IPSE twinned to counterpart in Plymouth

by Anthony Manduca

A twinning agreement was recently signed between IPSE (Institute for the Promotion of Small Enterprise Limited) and Prosper, an independent British agency operating in Cornwall and Devon and based in Plymouth. Like IPSE, Prosper is actively involved in the promotion, assistance and growth of small enterprises. Prosper is central to the economic development of the two counties of Devon and Cornwall and regularly assists in ensuring that the workforce available to companies in the region are well trained and have the skills that industry requires.

There is also another Maltese connection to Prosper. The export development counsellor with Business Link, which is Prosper's agency that provides information and support for businesses, is somebody called Adrian Wirth, who is Maltese. He must have been instrumental in getting the twinning agreement in place.

The agreement was signed in Plymouth by IPSE chairman Lino Callus and Prosper chief executive Bob Dow, in the presence of British High Commissioner Howard Pearce and Josef Bonnici, Minister for Economic Services.

The main objective of the agreement is to find solutions to common challenges and to ensure that small enterprises have an active role in generating economic growth in their respective country.

Prof. Bonnici said that through this agreement, Malta could serve as a platform for Cornwall and Devon entrepreneurs to reach the north African markets and the rest of the Mediterranean.

Last month IPSE's manager Ray Muscat visited Prosper's premises in Plymouth. The discussion focused around the assistance that Prosper is able to provide to IPSE in establishing its Business Incubation Centre, and in creating cluster groups and networks among local SMEs.