FT UK Business Conference 2018 | Financial Times | 24 May 2018 | The Principal Hotel, Oxford Street, Manchester M60 7HA, UK

This event will bring together leading executives from UK business, government and think tanks to explore the opportunities and challenges facing British business throughout the UK in a post-Brexit environment. It will highlight successful strategies and obstacles within innovation, talent, trade, growth, technology and all the key areas of focus involved with maintaining and growing a prosperous business. Following the triggering of Article 50, businesses and public sector leaders in the UK are grappling with what leaving the EU could mean for them and the economy and how a cross-sectoral public-private approach may be the answer to ensure stakeholder’s long term needs are met.

The unique event provides an overview of the key issues affecting all businesses in the North in the morning, with more detailed roundtable discussions on key topics in the afternoon before reconvening for a summary of the findings and the overall event.

The success of UK companies must come from their ability to innovate, export, expand, garner government support and to build recognisable brands that will one day become world renowned. This success does not come without its challenges as companies search for growth capital, try to maintain and attract high quality talent, keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and deal with a turbulent economic environment.

In a country that has a London centric viewpoint on business, other areas of the UK are not always in the spotlight. However, the North of England has a booming business sector and due to the cost and infrastructure pressures in the capital and the South East, there are benefits of looking elsewhere. Following the triggering of Article 50, businesses and public sector leaders in the North West of England are grappling with what leaving the EU could mean for them and how a cross-sectoral public-private approach may be the answer to ensure stakeholder’s long term needs are met.

2018 Speakers

KEYNOTE:

Andy Burnham
Mayor, Greater Manchester

Bridget Rosewell OBE
Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission, Senior Advisor, Volterra Partners

Juergen Maier
UK Chief Executive, Siemens

SPEAKERS:

David Duffy
Chief Executive Officer, CYBG PLC

Jon Andrews
Member of UK Executive Board, Head of Technology and Investments, PwC

Jake Berry
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth

Sarah Glendinning
Regional Director, CBI

Nick Henry
CEO, James Fisher and Sons

Leo Johnson
Disruption Lead, PwC

Emma Degg
Chief Executive Officer, North West Business Leadership Team

Lou Cordwell
CEO, Magnetic North,Director for the North, AllBright

Clive Memmott
Chief Executive,Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

Piers Linney
Chairman, Soulmate Food, Investor, Trustee, Nesta; Former Dragon on BBC's Dragons' Den

Marian Sudbury
Director, Global Operations, ‎Department for International Trade

Dean Cook
Head of Regional Engagement, Innovate UK

Pete Gladwell
Head of Public Sector Partnerships, Legal and General

CHAIR:

Andrew Bounds
Northern Correspondent and Enterprise Editor, Financial Times

MODERATOR:

Chris Giles
Economics Editor, Financial Times

Chris Tighe
North East England Correspondent, Financial Times

2018 Sponsors and Partners:

FOUNDING SPONSOR:
• Yorkshire Bank

LEAD SPONSOR:
• PwC

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS:
• The University of Manchester
• r4

INNOVATION PARTNER:
• Innovate UK

MEDIA PARTNER:
• M.E.N. Media

SUPPORTING PARTNERS:
• Downtown in Business (DIB)
• Greater Manchester Chamber
• MIDAS

PRESENTED BY:
• The Financial Times