The Growth Challenge: afternoon agenda

in News by Matthew Rock. Permalink.

How British SMEs can prosper on the world stage will be a key theme at the 2012 Entrepreneurs' Summit

High-performance management; how SMEs can avoid being swamped by bigcorps; creating the best possible management team; and building a global business.

These are the four key afternoon themes for the 2012 Investec Entrepreneurs' Summit, which will be explored by some of Britain's finest high-growth, mid-sized companies.

Geoff McGrath, MD of McLaren Applied Technologies, will be sharing lessons from the world of Formula 1 in how to create a high-performance culture within an SME. This exciting presentation takes place over the lunch session at the 2012 Summit.

Delegates can then hear tactics for ensuring their voice is heard when dealing with large-corporate and government clients. Chaired by Real Business founder-editor Matthew Rock, on the panel for this "David and Goliath" session are:

  • Sam Ferguson, group CEO, EDM - the information management business that serves some of the UK's largest companies and sections of the public sector
  • Farida Gibbs, CEO & partner, Gibbs S3 - award-winning recruitment entrepreneur
  • Paul Lindley, founder, Ella's Kitchen - creator of the internationally renowned food brand

The penultimate, plenary session of the UK's most important event for high-growth mid-sized companies features a group of seasoned business leaders sharing their secrets of building an effective management team. They are:

  • Phil Doye, CEO, Kelway - fast-growing IT services business featured in this year's Investec Hot 100
  • Bev Hurley, CEO, YTKO - award-winning champion of UK SMEs and women in business
  • Martin Leuw, chairman, Incube8it - former CEO of Iris and serial entrepreneur

Up for discussion will be:

  • where to find and how to identify talent
  • how to identify weaknesses and make changes
  • how to construct the most effective board
  • how to find a strong chairman
  • finding an FD who can cope with today's economy
  • the FD/chairman relationship
The Entrepreneurs' Summit concludes with a keynote presentation from one of the UK's foremost entrepreneurs: Lloyd Dorfman, founder of the international Travelex business.

The 2012 Investec Entrepreneurs' Summit, supported by the CBI, Land Rover, Enterprise with Plymouth University and Spring Law, takes place on June 13 at the London InterContinental, Park Lane. This will be the most high-density gathering of high-growth businesses in the UK this year.

For tickets and information about the 2012 Entrepreneurs' Summit, visit the Summit website or contact Silvia Natalicchi on silvia.natalicchi@caspianmedia.com

Star-name speakers at the Summit include:

  • Business secretary Vince Cable
  • Lloyd Dorfman CBE, founder and chairman, Travelex
  • Neil Bentley, deputy director-general, CBI
  • Geoff McGrath, MD, McLaren Applied Technologies
  • Stuart Garner, CEO of Norton
  • Scott Button, CEO, Unruly
  • Margaret Manning, CEO, Reading Room
  • Bev Hurley, CEO, YTKO
  • David Van Der Walt, CEO, Investec
  • Kelway CEO and founder, Phil Doye (in this year's Hot 100)
  • David Spencer-Percival, CEO of Spencer Ogden Energy
  • Ed Cottrell, Investec
  • Farida Gibbs, CEO, Gibbs S3
  • Andrew Mullinger, co-founder & director, Funding Circle
  • Will King, founder, King of Shaves
  • Dermott Rowan, co-founder of the international Orla Kiely brand
  • Wayne Lysaght-Mason, online pioneer and CEO, Ironmongery Direct
  • Surinder Arora, one of Britain's most remarkable hotel entrepreneurs and founder of Arora International
  • Alastair Mills, CEO, Six Degrees Group
  • Tim Perry, CEO-founder, Spring Law
  • Martin Leuw, former CEO, Iris
  • Paul Lindley, CEO, Ella's Kitchen
  • Dr Graham Hine, CEO, SGX Sensortech
  • David Milner, CEO, Tyrrells Crisps
  • Stephen Welton, CEO, Business Growth Fund
  • Katherine HIbbert, founder, Dot Dot Dot
  • Will Butler-Adams, CEO, Brompton Bicycles