Conference for Growth joins UKTI Business Festival

17th June 2014

A Sheffield City Region conference has become the latest event to join the UKTI Yorkshire Grand Depart International Business Festival.

The third Conference for Growth will take place at EIS Sheffield on July 3 to discuss the city region Local Enterprise Partnership's Growth Plan's suitability to drive the economic growth needed and how to make it happen. Toby Perkins, Labour's MP for Chesterfield and Shadow Business Minister, will be the guest speaker at the event, where more than 250 people are expected to attend. The conference has been running since 2012 and is organised by all four of the Sheffield City Region's Chambers of Commerce. This year Sheffield Chamber of Commerce is taking a lead on proceedings, after previously being arranged by Doncaster Chamber and Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber. Key speakers will include Sheffield Chamber president Stephen Williams, Richard Spacey of Vestra Wealth and economist Justin Urquhart-Stewart. Also, Julie Kenny CBE, chairman and chief executive of award-winning Pyronix, will lead a panel of four business leaders to discuss how and whether the LEP's Growth Plan will deliver its objectives for the city region. Others on the panel include Dave Sheridan, chief executive of Keepmoat, Chris Sprenger from Highfield ABC and Brian Reece of Sheffield Precision Medical. UKTI, Welcome to Yorkshire, and partners like the Chambers are organising a series of events across the county between the 2-4 July in the build-up to the start of the Tour de France. The intention is to deliver a lasting economic legacy using the global cycle race. As part of the festival there will be a number of activities taking place at EIS Sheffield at the same time as the Conference for Growth. Richard Wright, executive director of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said: -Businesses often say they don't really understand what the Growth Plan is and how it will be delivered. We also a need to get external views of the plan and this year's conference will do both of those. -A common comment is that the Growth Plan does not contain the transformational projects that will step change our economy. But are we a good place to invest when looked at from outside? Hopefully Richard and Justin will be able to give some excellent insight into the reality of the situation. -Each year the conference has attracted significant interest from business leaders across the Sheffield City Region and by being part of the UKTI Business Festival will enhance this further, especially as the Sheffield leg of the Grand Depart will be just days away. Entry into Conference for Growth will be £25 + VAT per person for Chamber members and £35 + VAT per person for non-members. Registration will start at 8am for breakfast, with the event running from 9am until 1pm. Any businesses interested in sponsoring the event or for more information visit www.scci.org.uk/events or call 0114 201 8888. To book - click here