Member Article

Vince Cable launches UK IFB 2014 in Brussels

Plans for the UK’s first International Festival for Business (IFB 2014), the 50-day expo of world-class events hosted in the Liverpool city region, have been unveiled today by Dr Vince Cable MP, the UK’s Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills at a UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) event hosted by the British ambassador to Belgium, Jonathan Brenton.

At the British Residence in Brussels, the Business Secretary told the high-profile audience that businesses in Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) should take advantage of the multitude of opportunities offered by this huge UK business and trade event.

IFB 2014 will be a global showcase of great British industry, bringing the world of business to Liverpool in June and July 2014 and is a key part of the government’s ambition to promote economic growth and double UK exports by 2020.

The Festival, comprising up to 200 events and a complementary cultural programme, will offer considerable opportunities for small, medium and large businesses to make international connections, exchange new ideas, promote their products, create new partnerships and seek new sources of finance.

As part of the Festival, UKTI will present a Benelux Day on Thursday June 19 which will showcase priority investment sectors in the UK for Benelux companies and business opportunities for British companies in the Benelux region.

Dr Cable said: “In the UK we are seeing encouraging signs of recovery in the economy but to ensure that it’s built on the right foundations, we need to boost exports. The International Festival for Business will be a catalyst for businesses large and small to accelerate their expansion plans and fulfil their trade ambitions.

“It is rare that an event of this magnitude is staged anywhere so I hope that businesses across the whole of the EU will seize this opportunity and use it to showcase their products and services to the rest of the world.”

British ambassador to Belgium, Jonathan Brenton, said: “The International Business Festival will showcase impressive opportunities to the world. I’m looking forward to the UK Trade & Investment Benelux Day on 19 June.

British companies will get to see the great business opportunities available to grow their exports in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. And we’ll be promoting the UK as the investment destination of choice for Benelux companies. To win in the global race, our neighbours offer us great opportunities close to home.“

Ian McCarthy, director of IFB 2014, said: “This is another significant milestone for IFB having already been launched in India, Russia, the USA, the Middle East and China as well as across the UK.

“Europe though remains the UK’s key export market and it is vital that the whole of the continent and the Benelux countries take part. As the name suggests it is an international festival and every single one of the events would be useful to EU businesses.

“We live in a truly international economy. At its core IFB 2014 provides an unprecedented international business networking opportunity.”

To help and encourage businesses to showcase their business and access new markets, the festival is operating an Investment Trade Hub through which companies can enjoy free access to a wide range of fantastic facilities and high value services.

Companies will have the unique opportunity to gain valuable business advice via one-to-one appointments and business brokerage sessions with specialists in particular sectors and markets.

Advisors will come from a range of key bodies, including UKTI; CBI; British Chambers of Commerce; the manufacturers’ organisation EEF; the Federation of Small Businesses; as well as International Promotion Agencies, Financial, Legal and Professional Services and IFB partner organisations. Individual brokerage sessions will cover all aspects of international trade and export, focusing on supporting SMEs in particular to expand their business into international markets.

Dr Cable added: “Companies and individuals should register now for the IFB Business Club providing access to this range of high value services and opportunities.”

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