Speakers announced for first Midlands Engine International Trade Summit

Business leaders to speak at inaugural summit.

Some of the country’s leading finance experts and business leaders have been signed up to speak at the first Midlands Engine International Trade Summit this spring.

Mark Garnier MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade, will make the keynote speech at the free event, which takes place at The Vox, Birmingham, on Thursday, March 9th.

He will be joined by Patrick Magee, chief operating officer at the British Business Bank, and Louis Taylor, CEO of British Export Finance, for a question and answer session. Also addressing delegates is Lee Hopley, chief economist at manufacturers’ organisation EEF.

Ian Harrison, acting director of the Department for International Trade Midlands, which is organising the summit, said the day-long event was the ideal opportunity for businesses across the region to learn how the Midlands Engine can support their plans for international business growth.

He said: “The Midlands Engine is a flagship Government initiative that is single-mindedly focused on driving growth and productivity, raising the ambitions of business and attracting investment. This summit will enable companies to interact with inspirational speakers from the worlds of export finance, business and Government, as well as hear from potential business partners.”

Delegates can also attend a series of workshops on topics such as exporting and using the web to sell, and arrange one-to-one meetings with experts in the fields of finance, overseas markets and export.

DIT Midlands offers businesses in the region a wide range of support packages and programme to help them break into overseas markets. Any company interested in starting to export or that wants to grow their exports, should visit the new online trade hub, great.gov.uk, part of the Government’s Exporting is GREAT initiative.

great.gov.uk is a single digital destination for trade and investment, bringing together and connecting UK businesses, international buyers and international investors. Whether businesses are new, occasional or frequent exporters, they will be able to take advantage of the new suite of tools and exclusive deals on fees or commissions with some of the world’s leading online marketplaces.

For more details – or to sign up for free tickets for the Midlands Engine International Trade Summit – visit their website. Businesses can also contact their local DIT team on 0345 222 0159 for the West Midlands or 0345 052 4001 for the East Midlands.