Overview
Lewisham’s economic landscape is characterised by a diverse range of sectors, with a strong presence in professional, scientific, and technical activities. The region shows a healthy mix of company dynamics, including scaleups and new companies, indicating a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit. Despite zero IPOs, there’s notable employment growth, suggesting a robust job market.
Employment and Business Growth
- Total Employees: Lewisham has 36,001 employees, signifying a substantial workforce. The 11.31% employee growth rate is impressive, reflecting an expanding job market and possibly a growing economy.
- Top Sectors by Company Count: Leading sectors include professional, scientific, and technical activities (14.47%), retail trade/repair of motor vehicles (13.84%), and information and communication (11.38%). This diverse sector distribution implies a balanced economic structure.
- Top Sectors by Company Growth: Sectors with the most significant growth include Analytics, Food and Drink Processors, Business Services, Internet Platforms, and SaaS, indicating a tilt towards technology and services.
- Scale-ups: The presence of 35 scale-up companies illustrates a dynamic business environment with growing enterprises.
- New Companies (Last 2 Years): 3,718 new companies have emerged, showing robust entrepreneurial activity and business optimism in the region.
Business Continuity
- Company Cessations: The cessation data is not directly provided, but indicators like new company formation and scale-ups suggest healthy business continuity.
- SMEs: With 14,146 SMEs, Lewisham has a strong foundation of small and medium enterprises, crucial for economic resilience and employment.
Company and Founder Dynamics
- Gender Balance in Leadership: Founders show a gender distribution of 23% female, 73.81% male, and 3.17% unknown. For directors, 33.8% are female, 60.79% male, and 5.41% unknown. This data reflects moderate gender diversity, with room for improvement, especially among founders.
- Age of Directors: Directors are well-distributed across age groups, with the highest concentration in the 40-50 age range (27.71%). This age diversity can imply a blend of experience and innovative leadership.
Innovation and International Presence
- Patent Owners and Grantees: With 27 patent owners and 7 grantees, there is evidence of innovation in the region.
- Exporters and Foreign Parent Companies: 147 exporters and 56 companies with foreign parentage indicate international business ties and global market engagement.
Conclusion
Lewisham’s economic health is marked by a diverse and growing job market, vibrant new business creation, and a mix of traditional and innovative sectors. The region shows potential in innovation, though there’s room for greater gender balance in leadership. Its economic fabric, comprising a significant number of SMEs, scale-ups, and internationally engaged firms, positions Lewisham as a dynamic and evolving business hub.