Thousands set to attend Leeds’ week-long business celebrations
THE city is playing host to a week of business events as companies come together for the annual Leeds Business Week.
According to organisers, the largest event of its kind in the UK, the business festival will take place , from 17 – 21 October, with thousands set to attend.
Events will happen throughout the week, with Social Media on Toast launching the programme, giving people an opportunity to learn more about online tools and how social media can benefit business.
A series of seminars will follow providing delegates with insights into starting a business, finance, creativity and a discussion on what’s next for the Northern Powerhouse.
On Tuesday the Customer Conference will take place at The Leeds Club, which will explore how organisations can improve their knowledge of how to generate, target, funnel, grow and engage with customers.
Wednesday will see The Festival of Business again at The Leeds Club, focusing on social media, managing business, investment, the art of contracting, dealing with cash and talent, IP mistakes, content management systems, staying legal in a digital age, being ethical in business, short-term funding, digital support, how to win business, big data and engaging with the cultural sector.
On to Thursday and further events planned include a breakfast meeting at Gusto with the Leeds Rhinos Foundation followed by a full day of seminars covering topics including intellectual property, crisis communications and how to prevent conflict in the workplace.
Thursday will also feature two of the largest events in the schedule with the Leeds Business Lunch at Bibis Italianissimo from 12 – 15.00 and the Yorkshire Mafia, Big Drinks Evening from 18.00 at Chaophraya.
The final day in the series, Friday, will see an early start with networking from 7.30am with Sue Ryder Wheatfields. In addition, later events in the day will include culture, creativity and regeneration at the Tetley before a final Meat and Drink at the Grill on the Square from 16.30 – 18.30 will bring the event to a close.
Organiser Geoff Shepherd said: “Leeds Business Week is not just a celebration of business; it is about bringing people together to make things happen. There is no point in standing in a room to collect business cards; we need to learn, to share and to create meaningful relationships that will benefit us all as a community.
“Far too often events happen, people meet, they talk and they leave. We want Leeds Business Week to be about more than that. So much effort goes into making these things happen, so we want people to get as much out of it as possible.
“There is a huge line up of events, and once again more than 100 businesses have shown their support. We know we have the talent, we have the credibility and we have the potential, it’s time to put all of those things into practice and give Leeds its rightful place on the map as a centre for doing business.”
This year’s event is sponsored by Leeds Beckett University, Leeds City Council, SME Capital, Leeds 2023 and the Leeds Bid. Event sponsors include Blacks Solicitors, The Works recruitment, Lockyers, and bjss alongside TheBusinessDesk.com as media partners.
Other businesses involved in the week include Direct Line, PWC, Natwest entrepreneurial spark, emirates, Google and Yorkshire Building Society.
