How did the YIBC rate this year?

9th June 2008

By David Parkin
Editor

THE Yorkshire International Business Convention is over for another year, but how did the speakers rate this time around?

This is my opinion. But do you agree? Feel free to comment below - or add your marks out of 10 for the speakers.

Rory Bremner 7/10

He had some new material, but there was a lot of old stuff. A joke about John Prescott was dusted off for the third time in a row. But his impressions and sharp wit are great - although he does need to do some work on his David Cameron impersonation.

Richard Reed 8/10

The Yorkshire-born co-founder of smoothie firm Innocent told the story of the success of his business. He showed the audience how you can build a business ethically and by treating the staff well. He's young, good looking, trendy - just the sort of entrepreneur to inspire youngsters to see business as anything but dull.

Ken Hames 8/10

The former SAS man told the story of how he has taken disabled young people on extraordinary expeditions. In challenging them to achieve more, he has done some remarkable things. But he also applies what he does to a business audience. You couldn't help to be inspired by the story he told.

Elle Macpherson 6/10

The supermodel told of her "journey" from small-town Australia to global glamour icon. She now has an impressive business empire but doesn't really sound like an entrepreneur. She was good to look at but what she said was pretty bland.

George Foreman 8/10

The former heavyweight champion is an assured and amusing speaker. He's had so many experiences in his life there is plenty to speak about. He hardly mentioned his grill business - it has sold 100m products - and talked about his days as a teenage thug before boxing and then religion showed him a new path.

John Howard 6/10

It depends on your politics on whether you think this was the frank and honest views of a conviction politician or the bitter reaction of a man still smarting from being dumped out of office last year.
It certainly was refreshing to hear a politician saying what he thought.

Hull Truck Theatre Company 2/10

In a bizarre post-lunch stunt, YIBC founder Mike Firth was surrounded by half a dozen security staff who then proceeded to chant an amateurish rap song.
When Firth announced that these were members of John Godber's Hull Truck Theatre Company most in the audience were too surprised to applaud them.
It was on a par with Cannon & Ball for the cringe factor. For a theatre company with a great reputation, it was an odd thing to do.

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