Three billion pound business leaders respond at North West IoD conference
How does doing business in the North West compare? What about red tape? Pensions? Innovation? How do you handle a takeover? Best lessons on profitability and growth? These are some of the topics considered for discussion in a panel debate chaired by Mark Edwardson of BBC GMR at the inaugural IoD North West Annual Conference.
The panel comprises some of the most noteworthy, successful and influential managing directors and chief executives across the North West with a combined turnover approaching £3 billion and employing over 25,000 people for sales into 130 countries world-wide. Each bases their business in the North West.
They include Stuart Chambers, chief executive of Pilkington plc, Nighat Awan OBE, chief executive & co owner of the Shere Khan Group, David Briggs, managing director of Dawsons Music and Edwin Booth, executive chairman of E H Booth & Co Ltd. (Biographies below.)
The audience will also get their turn to ask questions too, making this a valuable reason to attend.
Laura Wolfe, regional director of the IoD in the North West; “This event is not to be missed. It is the first regional venture of this kind outside of London for the IoD. Its world-renown annual conference is traditionally held at the Albert Hall and we are lucky to be able to host this inaugural event here in the North West. It is important anyone serious about business and leadership in the region attends.”
The conference takes places on Thursday, 9 March at the prestigious City of Manchester Stadium. Speakers include Olympic medallist, World, European and Commonwealth athletics champion, Kriss Akabusi MBE and retail tycoon, Gerald Ratner, responsible for one of the most famous gaffes in corporate history.
Tickets are available by booking online at Click here to view the website . Alternatively email Click here to email or call 0161 209 3150.
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Stuart Chambers, 49, is group chief executive of Pilkington plc, one of the world’s leading glass manufacturers. He was appointed to this position in May 2002, having spent the previous three years as president of Pilkington Group’s global building products business. Before joining Pilkington, he held several senior sales and marketing positions with Mars Corporation, which he joined from Shell. Stuart is a key member of the North West Business Leadership Team and a non-executive director of Associated British Ports Holdings PLC, the UK’s largest port operator.
Nighat Awan OBE is chief executive & co owner of the Shere Khan Group. Nighat counts four highly successful and very diverse companies amongst her business achievements, encompassing fashion, floristry and food. She is also a respected community figure in the North West, who has overcome a number of personal challenges and illnesses. Her OBE was awarded in 2004 for “Services to Export and to Charity”. She was a finalist in the business category for the Daily Telegraph’s ‘Great Briton 2005’ awards.
The Shere Khan Group has five restaurants in the North West and has developed the concept of quality restaurant food presented in a fast food format with their Express restaurants in the Trafford Centre (Manchester), Bluewater (Essex) and Meadow Hall (Sheffield) with more planned. Shere Khan was the first restaurant chain to launch their own range of curry sauces listed in the UK by supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsburys and stores House of Fraser and Selfridges. Nighat is currently developing export lines for the Shere Khan ranges in Hong Kong, Canada, USA, Spain, France and Belgium.
David Briggs is chairman of Dawsons Music Ltd. David graduated from St Andrew’s with 1st Class Honours in Law, went on to qualify as a Barrister and then obtained his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. David has held managerial roles in companies including Hanson Transport Group Ltd and Hepworth Plastics International Ltd. For the past 26 years David has been chairman of Dawsons Music Ltd. David is also the Chairman of St John’s Ambulance in Cheshire and Chairman of the Warrington Youth Club. He is the Institute of Directors’ Cheshire Director of the Year 2005.
Edwin Booth is the Executive Chairman of E H Booth & Co Ltd., the proprietor of Booths Supermarkets. The company also operates www.everywine.co.uk and www.booths-wine.co.uk. Edwin, who entered the business immediately after school, represents the fifth generation of the family that has operated the business since 1847. Wine became his speciality for many years enabling him to gain Booths national recognition for their wine. Booths have been members of NISA Today’s (Holdings) Ltd., since its foundation and Edwin is presently the group’s Deputy Chairman. Edwin is the 2005 IoD North West Director of The Year.
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