Invitations to IEPC 2009 are published below.

2010 Invitations will be published here later.

Lord Mandelson

Government:

Lord Mandelson
First Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills

Some of Britain’s biggest business successes have begun with innovative start-ups and SMEs defying a recession to seize opportunity, and entrepreneurs taking a chance to strike out on their own. That ambition and drive is central not only to Britain’s fight-back to recovery now, but also its prosperity for decades to come.

Government is committed to supporting British enterprise in every way it can - ensuring the best possible help and environment for Britain’s entrepreneurs to succeed here and around the world.

This event can help inspire and inform entrepreneurs looking to turn their ideas into a thriving enterprise and small businesses that want to grow. I want to wish both them and this event every success.

Mark Robson
UKTI

Sponsor:

Mark Robson,
International Trade Director, UK Trade & Investment, Yorkshire & the Humber

Yorkshire is a hugely enterprising place, home to many great and innovative businesses, so it is fitting that Yorkshire is host to the first International Enterprise Promotion Convention.

In my role as Trade Director for the Yorkshire region I meet with a wide range of businesses succeeding overseas. We sell everything from tea to China, to research excellence in materials to major US corporations and from huge steel castings that would barely fit in the convention centre to legal services. Success is about having great products and services, good management and access to finance, but behind this sits good advice and support across the board.

In the UK we celebrate great advice and support through The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion and, as the agent for The Queen’s Awards in Yorkshire, I am delighted that so many winners from around the UK will be attending this convention

Phil Willis MP

Harrogate MP:

Phil Willis MP
Member of Parliament for Harrogate & Knaresborough
Chair of the House of Commons Select Committee for Science and Technology

As the Chair of the UK House of Commons Select Committee for Science & Technology I know just how important the process of creating and developing a new business is to the economy. This is particularly true of those businesses based on advanced technology and scientific research. I therefore endorse the objectives of this Convention to share experience and promote best practice between the many individuals and organisations that promote and support enterprise in all sectors of the economy around the world.

In my role as the Member of Parliament for Harrogate & Knaresborough and as a former Chair of the HIC I am naturally delighted that this new Convention is being held in the Harrogate International Centre. This Centre has the best combination of conference and exhibition facilities together with numerous nearby hotels and restaurants compared with anywhere else in the UK if not the world.

I welcome you all to this convention and to the Harrogate district; the jewel in the Yorkshire crown!

David Irwin
Chairman

Chairman:

David Irwin (QAEP 2009)
Partner, Irwin Grayson Associates;
former Chief Executive, DTI Small Business Service 2000-2002.

New and growing businesses are vital to economic growth and innovation. Many people round the world are engaged in promoting enterprise and supporting entrepreneurs and there are some exciting programmes. There seems to be a tendency amongst practitioners, however, not to shout about their success, perhaps because they don't recognise the scale of their success or because they don't believe that what they are doing is any different to anyone else.

Better sharing of lessons would enable practitioners to replicate successful approaches and allow many more entrepreneurs to be supported. And so providing a forum where practitioners can share lessons from their own work and seek new ideas from their peers is the purpose of this first International Enterprise Promotion Convention. I do hope that you will be able to join us and I greatly look forward to welcoming you personally to Harrogate.

I do hope that you will be able to join us and I greatly look forward to welcoming you personally to Harrogate.

Brian Dunsby
Organiser

Organiser:

Brian L Dunsby, Principal, (QAEP 2008)
Perlex Associates;
former Chief Executive, Institute of Business Advisers 1992-2000

Do you promote enterprise or support entrepreneurs as they struggle to survive and thrive? If so, please come and tell others about your own programmes and achievements in this crucial role. The event will showcase best practice and innovation in the creation and support of small businesses world-wide. it will be valuable CPD for all professional practitioners in this field.

This is a unique opportunity for all business advisers, coaches, consultants, counsellors, educators, facilitators, financiers, mentors, networkers, teachers and trainers to promote their own successes and to network with like-minded specialists in enterprise creation and development from all around the world. This new event also provides an opportunity for many overseas delegates to exchange experiences and learn about best practices in enterprise promotion in other countries. Reduced registration fees are offered for delegates from developing economies. I invite all who promote enterprise to come and experience Harrogate.

Note:  If you require a personal invitation letter for obtaining a visa or for funding purposes, please send an e-mail with your requirements to registration@enterprisepromotion.org