"We remain open for business".

These are the words of city council leader Satvir Kaur as she addressed a room full of business leaders yesterday who met to discuss how best to invest in Southampton.

Investors, developers and stakeholders gathered at St Mary’s Stadium for the Business South Regenerate South conference.

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The annual summit is organised by Business South - a lobby group made up of 'business leaders, educators, entrepreneurs and public bodies', according to their website - and saw 160 delegates talk about ways to bypass obstacles preventing the South Coast from being a 'global gateway to innovation, technology and the marine and maritime economy'.

Business South chief executive Leigh Sara-Timberlake said: “The conference is all about working together, private and public sectors, working collaboratively and that's how we put the Central South on the map.”

Guests were welcomed by Cllr Kaur, who said her administration was focusing on 'three areas of purposeful growth': marine and maritime industries, ensuring Southampton is a destination city, and developing future growth areas.

She told the conference: “We are focused on delivering short-term and thinking long-term.

“In Southampton, we remain open for business. We have the vision, collaboration and grit to move us forward.”

Daily Echo: Satvir Kaur addressing the Regenerate South conference

This year’s conference theme was ‘collaborating for a better future’ and focused on topics including housing, energy and sustainability.

It included speeches from Lucy Greenwood, director of residential research for real estate company Savills, and a discussion board featuring Matt Turpin, Public Affairs Lead at Vivid Housing, and Ben Walker, Head of External Affairs at Persimmon Homes.

The conference was brought to a close by Tim Newns, managing director for Levelling Up at the Office for Investment: a body that links No 10 Downing Street and the Department for Business and Trade.

He said he was 'delighted' to be at the event, adding it was an opportunity for him to learn more about the region.

He said: “Organisations like Business South are really important - the public sector, private sector and academic sector can’t do this on their own but together they are incredibly strong.

“It fills me with confidence when I see what is happening here in the Central South and it feels to me like there is a really bright future here.”