Member Article

Countdown to IFB 2014 - starting at Number 10

Government ministers, business leaders and IFB Ambassadors were among those who attended an exclusive Downing Street reception, held to mark 200-days until the start of next year’s International Festival for Business.

Guests were welcomed to Downing Street by Minister for Cities Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, and heard inspiring speeches from Lord Green, Minister for Trade & Investment, Lord Young, the Prime Minister’s Enterprise Adviser, Lord Heseltine, Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool and Max Steinberg CBE, Chairman of IFB2014.

Among the high profile guests were leading UK entrepreneurs including Sara Murray, founder of Confused.com & Buddi, Ed Wray, Co-founder of Betfair, Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen, Will King, Founder of King of Shaves, and Lord Bilimoria, Chairman of Cobra Beer.

Speaking at the reception, Lord Green said: “From a trade point of view it [IFB] is particularly exciting. We have a good track record in this country in welcoming inward investment.

“IFB gives us a wonderful opportunity to showcase the whole of business and the opportunities for investment in Britain.”

Lord Young described the festival as a very important statement for Britain, that will “redefine the great North-South divide”.

He was joined by Lord Heseltine who said: “There is a wind of change blowing Liverpool is the symbol of that change. It is symptomatic of the dramatic decision by Government to give back much of the power to the local economies.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson described Britain’s cities as vitally important and highlighted the UK-wide focus of IFB. He said: “The UK needs to showcase and be confident about what it’s doing and that’s what the Festival aims to do.”

Chairman of IFB Max Steinberg CBE closed by reinforcing the ambition of the Festival, to bring more jobs and foreign direct investment to the UK.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .