Overview
East Dunbartonshire presents a diverse economic landscape with significant activities in professional, scientific, technical, construction, and retail sectors. Despite no recent IPOs, there’s notable employee growth and a robust SME presence, suggesting a dynamic, evolving business environment. Gender diversity in leadership roles shows progress yet indicates room for improvement.
Employment and Business Growth
- Total Employees: 11,336. The region has seen a 14.55% growth in employment, reflecting a healthy job market. With 21 companies reporting an increase in employees, this growth signifies a positive economic trajectory.
- Top Sectors by Company Count: Professional, scientific and technical activities lead (669 companies, 17.55%), followed by construction (525 companies, 13.77%), and retail trade/repair of motor vehicles (457 companies, 11.99%). This diversity suggests a balanced economic structure.
- Sector Dynamics: The top sectors with rising company numbers are Distribution, Consumer Banking and Financial Services, Analytics, Insight, Tools, Food and Drink Processors, and Clean Energy Generation, each with one new company. This indicates nascent growth in these sectors.
Business Continuity
- Company Cessations: There were 5337 company cessations and 403 deaths, indicating a churn in the business landscape. This could reflect market dynamics or external economic pressures.
- New Companies: In the last two years, 997 new companies emerged, contributing to the total of 570 new companies. This shows a robust entrepreneurial spirit and a growing business ecosystem.
- Scaleups: The region hosts 9 scaleups, demonstrating the potential for high-growth companies.
- SMEs and Exporters: With 2950 SMEs and 39 exporters, the region shows a strong base of small and medium-sized enterprises, crucial for economic resilience and diversity.
Leadership and Innovation
- Gender in Leadership: Female founders represent 20% of the total, while male founders are 80%. In directorial roles, 28.52% are women, and 66.47% are men, indicating a gender gap in leadership positions.
- Young Companies and Directors: 141 companies have young directors, suggesting an infusion of new ideas and leadership styles.
- Innovation Indicators: East Dunbartonshire has 5 patent owners and 37 grantees, indicative of a moderate level of innovation activity.
Conclusion
East Dunbartonshire’s economic profile is characterised by a diverse and growing business sector, with a notable increase in employment and new company formations. The region shows strength in traditional sectors like construction and retail, alongside emerging growth in clean energy and analytics. However, the high number of company cessations and the gender disparity in leadership roles suggest areas for future focus and improvement.