By Daniel Hunter, Fresh Business Thinking
The International Festival for Business 2014 — the UK’s biggest ever trade promotion festival which is taking place in June & July 2014 — has received the enthusiastic backing of Britain’s leading business organisations.
Spearheading the IFB 2014 are the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, British Chambers of Commerce & UKTI, who today confirmed their active support.
IFB 2014 hosted a launch evening where guests heard from business leaders about how their organisations can maximise on the opportunities made available by the festival.
Guests at yesterday’s Gala Dinner heard commitments from business leaders, including John Cridland, Director General of the Confederation of British Industry; John Allen, National Chairman, the Federation of Small Businesses; Doug White, Global Partnership Director, Corporate Games; and Sara Geater, Chief Executive, FremantleMedia UK.
Also speaking was Greg Clark MP, Minister for Cities; Dr Pippa Malmgren, President & Founder of Principalis Asset Management; Lord Bilimoria, Chairman of Cobra Beer Partnership; Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool; Max Steinberg, Chief of the IFB 2014, and Katie Derham, BBC Presenter.
Some of the first events to be announced as part of the overall IFB schedule include:
• British Business Embassy — 5-6 June 2014
• Undersea Defence Technology - 10-12 June 2014
• Global Leaders Summit - 17-19 June 2014
• ACCELERATE 2014 - 20 June 2014
• World Corporate Games - 26-29 June 2014
• Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Council — 2 July 2014
• UK Property Forum — 2 July 2014
• British Chamber Annual Export Conference & Exhibition — 14-18 July 2014
• International Business of Sport — 21-22 July 2014
[See Notes to Editors for full details]
IFB 2014 will focus on key business sectors and themes, including:
• Maritime, Logistics & Energy — week commencing 9th June 2014
• Higher & Further Education — week commencing 16th June 2014
• Cities, Enterprises & Urban Business — week commencing 16th June 2014
• Manufacturing, Science & Technology, week commencing 23rd June 2014
• Knowledge, Professional & Financial Services — week commencing 30th June 2014
• Low Carbon & Renewables — week commencing 14th July 2014
• Knowledge, Creative & Digital — week commencing 14th July 2014
IFB 2014 will be a global showcase of great British industry, comprising hundreds of world-class events. It is a key part of the government’s ambition to promote economic growth, rebalance the economy and double UK exports by 2020.
Max Steinberg, Chair of IFB 2014, said:
“The IFB will be the most important international business event for Britain in 2014 and it is happening here in Liverpool. Through partnerships with the Confederation of British Industry, UKTI, British Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses, IFB 2014 will appeal to businesses across the UK and beyond, from small firms to large corporates, and from pubic to private sectors. It will be a showcase of everything that is brilliant about international and British business, bringing 250,000 visitors to Liverpool next year.”
John Cridland, Director General of the Confederation of British Industry, said:
“Britain punches above its weight around the world but we are only 60 million in a 7 billion world so we have to make ourselves well known, we have to shout pretty loud and I can’t think of a better place to be doing that than Liverpool. The IFB 2014 is the place to be seen at - it’s the place to be - and that’s why the CBI wants to be there.”
