Member Article

The ‘Summit’ of Leeds Business Week

An impressive line-up of heavyweight business leaders and opinion formers has been confirmed for the Leeds City Summit, which will bring Yorkshire Business Week to a close on Friday, at The Carriageworks on Millennium Square.

The Summit will bring together high profile leaders from key stakeholder organisations in the city for a Q&A discussion with an audience of local business owners. Run in the style of BBC Question Time and chaired by Andy Clarke, the aim of the event is to answer the Leeds business community’s questions on all aspects that affect commercial activity in their city.

Appearing on Friday will be:

Andy Clarke, president & CEO of Asda Stores Ltd and chair of Leeds and Partners

After starting his Asda career in 1992 Andy quickly progressed in the company and in 2010 was appointed president & CEO. Since then he has supported young people and personally committed to creating 15,000 work experience placements for 14-16 years old as well as 15,000 retail apprenticeships. Headquartered in Leeds, the company employs over 3,000 people in the city and features prominently in lists of “best companies to work for. It is the UK’s second largest supermarket with over 400 stores and 200,000 employees nationwide.

Professor John Fisher, deputy vice chancellor of the University of Leeds and Leeds and Partners board member

John supports the Vice-Chancellor across a range of activities focusing in particular on internal affairs including strategy, academic development and faculty oversight and management. He is also a leading researcher in the Medical Engineering faculty. His flagship research programme “50 active years after 50” aims to increase the quality of life for Britain’s ageing population. Over the next 5 years his team will spend £50m developing new medical devices and therapies.

Tom Riordan, chief executive of Leeds City Council

Since 2010, working with the leader and across all political groups, Tom has overseen the construction of a state-of-the-art arena and £100m of efficiency savings without reductions in frontline services. He sits on the Centre for Cities board of trustees and helped secure the Tour de France Grand Départ for Yorkshire in 2014. Leeds City Council is aiming to be the Best Council in the Best City through a new leadership style of civic enterprise, where the council becomes more enterprising, businesses and partners become more civic, and citizens become more actively engaged in the work of the city.

Gerald Jennings, portfolio director of Land Securities

Gerald heads the company’s Leeds office and has worked in the retail property sector for over 20 years. He is responsible for Land Securities’ shopping centre portfolio in the North of England and Scotland, including the White Rose Shopping Centre and the flagship Trinity Leeds right in the heart of the city.

Tony Hallwood, aviation development and marketing director of Leeds Bradford International Airport

Tony has over 25 years of route development, aviation planning and commercial contracting experience. Previously, he transformed the fortunes of Bristol International Airport growing passenger numbers from 3.6 to 5.8 million and his extensive sales, marketing and PR expertise has raised Leeds Bradford’s profile regionally, nationally and internationally. It was the fastest growing UK airport in 2013.

Hilary Benn, Leeds Central MP

Hilary was elected Member of Parliament for Leeds Central in June 1999. He has a reputation as a hard-working and approachable representative who fights hard for his constituents and holds regular advice surgeries. He supports many local community organisations, including, Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London, Holbeck Elderly Aid and St Vincent Support Centre.

Starting today and organised by business networking group, The Yorkshire Mafia, Leeds Business Week is being staged to share information and build better business relationships across a host of varied events and seminars. It brings together all Leeds’ stakeholders – city leadership; big business; public sector; arts and culture; charities and social enterprise; business membership groups; creative and digital sectors; and Leeds City Council.

For further information and to attend, go to leedsbizweek.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Gatehouse .