IFB 2014 to hit top gear for Professional & Financial Services week

AN eclectic mix of speakers, including business grandee Sir Terry Leahy, the boss of F1 racing team McLaren, broadcaster John Humphrys and former England rugby star Rory Underwood, feature during  the IFB 2014’s Business 2014’s Professional & Financial Services week.

Highlight also include Santander’s special summit for SMEs, the International Business of Health festival, the UK Property Forum and the fifth International Banking & Finance Forum.

Former Tesco boss and now investor in a number of private companies,  Sir Terry is speaking at the UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA) Investment Summit on  Tuesday at St George’s Hall and the ICAEW Business Futures Conference at Liverpool Town Hall on the same day, where he will be joined by Jonathan Dimbleby, presenter of Radio 4’s political show, Any Questions.

UKBAA’s investment summit also contains a roundtable by Silicon Valley Comes to the UK (an organisation set up by the founder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman and serial Entrepreneur Sherry Coutu) from 3.30-5.30pm aimed at high growth potential companies.

John Humphrys, scourge of politicians and presenter of Radio 4’s flagship news programme, Today, is a speaker at the Investec Investment Conference at the Hilton Hotel on Friday July 4.

Rugby legend Rory Underwood is facilitating three events: the Battle of the Economists featuring John Ashcroft, chief economist at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Lee Hopley, chief economist at EEF; the World According to Finance Directors, both on July 2, and the day after, Leading Across Cultures, all at Liverpool Cruise Terminal.

Meanwhile Ron Dennis, chairman & chief executive of McLaren Group is a keynote speaker at Santander’s SME summit at the Cunard Building on 3 July.

Sir Jon Cunliffe, who is the Deputy Governor for Financial Stability at the Bank of England, is appearing at Professional Liverpool and Cheshire Professionals’ Networking Lunch and Q&A at Liverpool Town Hall.

David Gauke MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury is speaking at the Law Society’s Red Tape guide for SMEs at the IFB Hub on July 3 and Peter Sissons, celebrated journalist and former classmate of Sir Paul McCartney is at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine’s Parasite event at Merseyside Maritime Museum on July 2.

Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive, Manchester City Council, Sir Michael Bear, chairman, UKTI Regeneration Investment Organisation and Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation join a line-up of exper speakers at the UK Property Forum at the Crowne Plaza, 1-2 July.

Julie Simms, partner at law firm DWF and chair of the committee for the Professional and Financial Services week, said: “The quality and diversity of the IFB 2014 programme for the Professional and Financial Services week is a credit to those involved and the hard work of the committee alongside that of Liverpool Vision.

“We have pulled together an interesting and vibrant programme in what will be a dynamic and busy period during IFB 2014.

“As a centre of excellence for professional and financial services, Liverpool and the firms based here have committed to IFB and will particularly enjoy and engage with the opportunities presented during this particular week and the festival as a whole.”

Some of the notable events in a programme of more than 40 include:

•         Five lunchtime seminars from Professional Services Marketing Group, including Finance for Marketers, 12-2pm, Weightmans, 100 Old Hall Street, 12 – 2pm
•         Tax for Buccaneers, 8-9.30am, 1 July, The Bluecoat
•         PwC’s Regions of Opportunity, with Ged Fitzgerald, CEO, Liverpool City Council; Robert Hough, Chair Liverpool LEP; Andrew Sentence, senior economic Adviser to PwC; Iwan Griffiths, PwC’s North West head and chairman of Marketing Manchester and Mike Blackburn, Regional director, BT, 1 July, IFB Hub
•         Isle of Man, Managing your Family Office, with the Department of Economic Development CEO, Chris Corlett 1 July, IFB Hub
•         CIPFA & Grant Thornton’s Conditions for Growth with Ian Ball, Chairman, CIPFA.  International Liver Building, 11.45am – 2pm
•         SFEDI’s Meet a Mentor, 10am – 1.30pm, 1 July, The Racquet Club, Chapel Street
•         Institute of Directors’ Economic Forum with James Sproule, IoD’s chief economist, 1 July, Rathbone Hall
•         The Law Society’s The Single Market, Looking Back and Looking Forward, 6-7.45pm, 1 July, IFB Hub
•         Hotel Investment discussion, with Graham Dodd, UK & Ireland development director, Hilton Worldwide, 2.30-5pm, 1 July, DWF, 5 St Paul’s Square
•         Institute of Directors’ UK Legislation & Business Regulation, 2 July, Weightmans, 100, Old Hall Street