Gus is a Policy Analyst and Research Officer at Business West. He provides information, research, analysis and policy development support to Business West and its Policy, LSIP and Initiative teams.

We chatted with Gus to learn more about his background, his current roles at Business West, and what his perfect Sunday would look like.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your career background.

I'm originally from Argentina and came to the UK eight years ago. Since I've been here, I've worked for Bristol City Council in citizen services and as a homelessness adviser. The latter involved a significant amount of policy knowledge and interpretation, which, combined with my previous background in economics, made the idea of working at Business West very appealing. On a more personal level, I love The Beatles and food!

What is your current role at Business West?

My current role at Business West involves two positions. I work as a Policy Analyst within the Policy Team and I am a Research Officer for the LSIP team. With the LSIP, I focus on gathering and analysing Labour Market Intelligence, as well as secondary data from official sources, both at a regional and national level. In the policy team, one of my main tasks is to work with the Comms and Marketing teams to publish the Quarterly Economic Survey that Business West runs as part of the British Chambers of Commerce Network.

What is your favourite aspect of your role?

One of my favourite aspects of the role is having the chance to contrast the hard economic data with the everyday life experiences of businesses of different sizes and sectors - seeing how the trends in current events impact reality. I also enjoy learning new things to be able to better understand the topics we cover.

What does a typical week look like for you?

My weeks do vary quite a bit depending on deadlines and projects schedules, but they tend to include a considerable number of hours of spreadsheet work and data collection. I also attend events and write summary reports.

How can businesses get involved with the LSIPs?

One of the great things about the LSIPs is that they offer a lot of options for businesses to engage, depending on their time and their preference. There are 1-2-1 discussions with our executive team, businesses can also participate in events and focus groups, and they can also email their queries and concerns. Business West’s LSIPs also have skills advisers offering skills clinics.

Tell us about your perfect Sunday – what would it involve?

A perfect Sunday would probably involve getting up not too late on a crisp, sunny morning and having a cappuccino and a croissant after a nice walk in the park. Making some homemade pasta with a slow-cooked sauce and watching a good film to relax for the rest of the day. All this in the company of my lovely partner, Maisie.