A Word from Our CEO, Murray Norton, February 2025

I do wonder what we would want, if we sat down and designed the working relationship between Government and Business from scratch. If I were trying to create more work for myself, I'd already be busy writing a draft MOU, ready for discussion and future engagement. And here we are calling for less red tape and introverted discussion on how we should do things, so we can do things.

Jersey has a further opportunity to build on an economy that overall, we perceive to be in a better place than some would have us believe. After all, what would they get to talk about if they couldn’t throw the slings and arrows of their outrageous fortune to the masses. If your relevancy and currency is convincing people that everything is terrible, you might just be part of the problem.

That said we must challenge and using whatever collective skills we have be part of the solution, not the problem. Businesses can drive a successful economy, and government can and should enable and support them, not over-complicate it. By working together—government, the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the IoD, the arms-length organisations, and other key economy sectors when relevant, we should be capable of tapping into the combined skills, knowledge, and resources available to get better results for the island.

That collaboration needs trust, that all involved are on the same team for the same purpose – ‘Jersey Inc.’ I’d like to think businesses know what they need to succeed (and what they don’t) and I’d like to think Government is ready, willing and able to ask and provide policies to enable economic sustainability and growth. If they don’t, that should be a worry. Yes, I have been told I’m an optimist and a bit of a dreamer and that may well be true. But what if we put some trust in each other and had that conversation?

As I said before, in many places, that is just what we are doing. And the good news is, it works when we do that. I’m absolutely certain that separately business leaders don’t have all the answers and neither do government officers or the 49 politicians that (a ridiculously low percentage of) islanders choose to elect, but together we might be able to find the art of the possible. In reality, I think the combined Chamber and the IoD thinking is only a few short steps from this.

With the world in a scary state of flux, Jersey needs to focus on what it can control. For me that means ditching the negativity, embracing a ‘Team Jersey’ mindset. We’re a small successful island that is already the envy of many, and we are small enough to be agile in our actions.  If the goal is to make Jersey the best place to live, work, and do business, with a competitive edge and improved offerings to attract and retain talent, then the right collaboration and a forward-thinking attitude, is the starting point.