Join Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP and a stellar line up at Invest Midlands

Invest Midlands has unveiled more exceptional  speakers for its first virtual conference which takes place on Wednesday 26 May.

The event brings together the brightest minds and passionate voices of the Midlands to set the agenda for what happens next.

With lockdown restrictions beginning to lift, the large-scale event is perfectly timed to examine how the Midlands can move forward and accelerate its post-Covid recovery.

The latest new additions as speakers include:

Invest Midlands is a full day packed with insight, analysis and original research that will make it an inspiring and informative event that you can’t afford to miss. The event is being curated by TheBusinessDesk.com and supported by headline sponsors EY, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, Shakespeare Martineau, Impact Data Metrics and The Midlands Engine Investment Fund. The event is also being supported by Cartwright Communications and Story Comms.

The virtual conference takes place on Wednesday, May 26, and tickets are now on sale for an early bird price of £30+VAT. For more information about Invest Midlands and how to book your tickets, visit investmidlands.uk.

A stellar line-up of speakers are already confirmed with leading voices from across the region’s business scene. We will be announcing even more speakers over the coming days and weeks.

The day’s highlights include:

Understanding Changing Trends – EY’s Midlands market leader Simon O’Neill leads a session exploring some of the changing trends that will shape our region in the years ahead, ideas and opportunities that will boost productivity, fuel the recovery and unlock growth across the Midlands.

Diversity in action: Pointing a rainbow of talent towards a bright business future for the Midlands – Shakespeare Martineau’s Sarah Walker-Smith chairs a panel asking how the business leaders of today can weld together a compelling story so that the entrepreneurs of tomorrow have the confidence to go out to the world and sell the Midlands message.

The Transport Vision to Accelerate Growth – Midlands Connect’s Maria Machancoses introduces a panel debate as we ask: Is the Midlands joined up – or two separate islands. She is joined by Claire James from East Midlands Airport, Dave Penney from Network Rail and Jeff Counsell from Trent Barton for a panel debate.

From Farm to the Future – leading innovations in Agri-tech – Representatives from some of the Midlands leading companies in the sector discuss how the region’s rural businesses are driving growth through sustainability and the use of technology.

Staying at the Front of the Global Automotive Race – Chris Reeves from Horiba-MIRA joins a panel discussion asking; how does the Midlands remain at the front of the international race towards new ways of working in the automotive sector.

Putting Inclusivity at the Heart of Growth – Diversity is no longer a “nice to have”; it’s crucial that businesses embrace inclusivity if they can truly claim to be responsible members of the society they operate in. Reshma Sheikh from Octavian UK, Sarah King from weareradkil and entrpreneur Tru Powell  join a panel committed to diversity.

Clearing Hurdles: Freeports as a Gateway to Global Growth – with the announcement in the recent Budget that East Midlands Airport is to host one of eight Freeports across the UK, we hear from a high-profile panel on how the area will be developed and how it will elevate the region on an international scale.

Big Ideas to Change the Midlands – Matheu Parr from Rolls-Royce, Christopher Ware from Conygar – and others – present their case for the fundamental change for the Midlands, and how their companies are set to alter the perception of the region forever.

The virtual conference takes place on Wednesday, May 26, and tickets are now on sale for an early bird price of £30+VAT. For more information about Invest Midlands and how to book your tickets, visit investmidlands.uk.

Invest Midlands is supported by the following partners: