Aberdeen City Council is to host a new conference called ‘Bond Investments – Transforming Delivery of City Growth’ supported by The Improvement Service, giving attendees the opportunity to hear from leading investment firms and issuers on Bond Investments.
In November 2016, Aberdeen City Council became the first Scottish local authority to issue an index linked bond through the debt capital markets, raising £370m to drive forward an ambitious c£1bn five-year capital programme, supporting vital infrastructure throughout the city.
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The conference will feature expert speakers from London Stock Exchange, KPMG, HSBC, Brodies LLP, RBS and more. Sector-specific sessions will focus on addressing the challenges and opportunities of a bond issue to drive a city’s economic growth, while interactive panel discussions will explore the different technical aspects of a Bond Issue and Credit Rating.
Council Co-Leader and Convener of Aberdeen City Council’s Finance and Policy Resources Committee, Councillor Douglas Lumsden said: “Aberdeen City Council broke new ground in its bond issue to support delivery of an ambitious and transformational capital programme. This will deliver major infrastructure improvements and assets that will help attract new investment to Aberdeen, and, in turn drive our city’s future growth.
“Following the feedback we have had since the issue, we are delighted to host a conference that looks at Aberdeen’s experience, how bonds can be used by the public sector, and lessons learned to drive innovation going forward. As the Council’s Finance Convenor, I am particularly interested in the access this event provides to the expertise of leading professionals from industry covering all aspects of bond investments and their use in different development scenarios.
“Working with the Improvement Service, we have secured some of the most influential and knowledgeable speakers in the field of finance that will allow other organisations, in both the public and private sectors, the opportunity to discover more about Aberdeen’s innovative approach to transforming the city centre, and the benefits of this type of finance option”.
Colin Mair, Chief Executive of the Improvement Service said: “All councils are looking for innovative ways of achieving regeneration and growth within their local economies. Aberdeen has led for Scotland in exploring and exploiting bonds as a mechanism for doing this and this event is a chance for others to share in and learn from Aberdeen’s experience. There is a stellar cast of national and international experts contributing to the event so don’t miss it!”
Entry to the conference is free and tickets are available now at www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/bondinvestments
