Member Article

Top businesswomen address unique International Festival for Business event

Michelle Mone, former model, mum-of-three and founder of international lingerie brand Ultimo, is aiming to supercharge the UK’s best businesses in Liverpool this summer when she speaks at Accelerate 2014.

Accelerate 2014 focuses on helping businesses with excellent prospects to achieve their growth potential and is a key event at the UK’s inaugural International Festival for Business (2014) - the 50-day showcase of British industry being held in Liverpool and the North West in June and July.

Bringing together outstanding speakers from the world of business and beyond, Accelerate 2014 will provide delegates with the inspiration and concrete tools they need to take their business to the next level.

Michelle Mone is listed as one of the top three female entrepreneurs in the UK and has been awarded an OBE for her contribution to business. Michelle has built a hugely successful career on an incredibly simple concept: ‘helping women look and feel their very best’.

She said: “Accelerate is a festival with a clear focus on high-growth businesses, which are transforming communities and countries all over the world with their ambition and performance – and it is imperative that we lend them the continued inspiration and support they need.

“Accelerate is also about unearthing people with the best business acumen and I want more women to feel confident enough to realise their business dreams and to grow their business and give jobs to other people.”

Ms Mone is also joined at Accelerate 2014 by Karren Brady CBE, Business Ambassador and Star of BBC’s TV Show “The Apprentice”.

Also featuring is Lara Morgan, founder of Pacific Direct, the global luxury hotel goods supplier who started her first business at the age of 23, selling it 17 years later for £20m.

Kreese Wesling formed luxury accessory company, Elvis & Kresse with her husband. She has followed her passion, creating “luxury” from “waste”. The company now collects from 12 different waste streams, has several charitable partnerships and is involved with collaborations across industries, from fashion houses to FTSE 100 companies.

Alongside their male counterparts these leading ladies are set to present to around 1000 delegates on passion, power and performance in business.

Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, which developed the Accelerate initiative, is also the Chair of IFB 2014. He said: “Last year’s inaugural Accelerate event was really inspiring and underlined Liverpool’s commitment to support business and to help secure Britain’s economic recovery.

“Accelerate 2014 is a key event in IFB and the lineup of speakers is truly outstanding, led by three of the nation’s most prominent female entrepreneurs in the UK.

“All of our speakers were approached to take part because they have demonstrated the passion, the power and the performance to create top class businesses and I am delighted that they will be sharing their insights and helping others to emulate them.”

Accelerate 2014 is a one day event at the Arena & Convention Centre Liverpool on Thursday, June 20th. Tickets are available at the early bird price of £65 plus VAT and booking fee and are available via the website: www.accelerate2014.co.uk

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