In the latest episode of Placecast, host Dr Nicola Headlam is joined by Richard Jeffery, National Director at GC Insight and long‑standing leader in local economic development, and Nathan Shoesmith, Economic Consultant at GC Insight, specialising in data‑driven economic development and place‑based strategy. Together, they explore a deceptively simple question with profound implications for policy and practice: what actually makes places grow?
The conversation ranges from mayoral devolution and business support to data literacy, optimism in tough policy environments, and the often‑overlooked power of foundational economies. What emerges is a compelling case for putting evidence, place and people back at the heart of growth.
Placecast is a Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub production based at City-REDI, University of Birmingham. Our new podcast is essential listening for those keen to explore the ins and outs of knowledge mobilisation for influence in central and local government, based on the view that it’s only through animating the power of place-based leadership that the wicked problems of 2026 can become more manageable.
Guest Speakers
Richard Jeffery
Richard Jeffery is National Director at GC Insight, part of The Growth Company, with over 25 years’ experience designing and delivering enterprise and business support programmes across the UK. Richard is an economic development leader, skilled in business growth, international trade and investment, business planning, strategic planning, business development and funding. He is leading the national expansion of The Growth Company’s support services, providing advisory services to local areas, government departments and private partners on how best to design and deliver business growth programmes. He founded the UK’s first Growth Hub, which became the blueprint for the national network, and has since led major programmes supporting thousands of businesses to start, grow and innovate. He has also been at the forefront of data-led innovations such as Growth Flag.
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Nathan Shoesmith
Nathan Shoesmith is a Consultant at GC Insight, specialising in data‑driven economic development and place‑based strategy. He leads on insights and analysis across the UK for Growth Flag, a predictive business growth tool supporting local and national decision‑making on business support, place-making and investment. Nathan has a proven track record in analysing complex datasets and government policies, and is an experienced communicator, author, and TEDx speaker. In 2025, Nathan was named Institute of Economic Development Rising Star of the Year in recognition of his work in local and national economies, as well as leadership in data innovation, youth and mental health advocacy.
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Host
Dr Nicola Headlam
Dr Nicola Headlam has over 20 years of experience working across all aspects of the multi-helix innovation system, including central and local government, civil society and campaigning, academic research and knowledge mobilisation, and industry. Along the way, she has honed her expertise in urban and regional subnational economic development, the roles of government in shaping place, and in utilising data and evidence for transformation.
In 2024, she became a freelance economic advisor on the role of leadership and partnerships, urban and living lab forms for research, future of cities and foresighting methods, urban transformations, place-branding and urban regeneration and the spatial consequences of public policy.
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Transcript
Find out more about the Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this analysis post are those of the author and not necessarily those of City-REDI or the University of Birmingham.
Generative AI was used to generate parts of the blog using the transcript from the podcast.