Barclays to sponsor YIBC

BARCLAYS Commercial Bank is to sponsor this year's Yorkshire International Business Convention.

The event is being held at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate on June 6, with a sister event taking place in Hull.

Previous keynote speakers at the convention – now in its 13th year – include Mikhail Gorbachev, former US President Bill Clinton, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bob Geldof, and pioneering astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Mike Firth, YIBC's chief executive, said: “Barclays and our convention both have the same aims – and that's to make sure we help the people who come to us get the best from the time they invest with us, both for them as individuals and for their businesses.

Lee Collinson, corporate director at Barclays Commercial Bank, said: “The Yorkshire International Business Convention is an important day in the calendar for Yorkshire businesses and we are delighted to be lead sponsor for this major event.

“Our research shows that Yorkshire businesses are confident about managing the challenges that 2008 may bring, with more than half actively planning an acquisition, merger or management buyout over the next twelve months.”

An announcement on this year's keynote speaker is expected in the next few weeks.