Invest Midlands summit unveils speaker lineup with leading voices from across our region

Invest Midlands has unveiled a lineup of exceptional speakers for its first virtual conference which takes place on 26 May, bringing together the brightest minds and most passionate voices to help set the agenda for our region.

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 additions to the speaker lineup include the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Managing Director of East Midlands Airport Claire James and Central Route director for Network Rail Dave Penney.

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 sponsors including Midlands Engine, EY, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, Shakespeare Martineau, Impact Data Metrics and The Midlands Engine Investment Fund.

For more information about Invest Midlands and how to book your tickets, visit investmidlands.uk.

The event will feature discussions on issues affecting the Midlands and led by influential voices in our region including:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Representatives from some of the Midlands leading companies in the Agri-tech sector discuss how the region’s rural businesses are driving growth through sustainability and the use of technology.
• 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?
• Reshma Sheikh from Octavian UK, Sarah King from Weareradikl and entrepreneur Tru Powell join a panel to discuss the importance of businesses embracing inclusivity if they can truly claim to be responsible members of the society they operate in.
• A high profile panel showcasing how the new Freeport at East Midlands Airport, will elevate the region on an international scale.
• 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.

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