Kent and Medway Business Summit - Delegate pack 2023

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 6th Kent and Medway Business Summit.

With our summit partners, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors, we at Kent Business School are looking forward to sharing with you a day filled with opportunities to connect, collaborate and learn from each other in the inspiring environment of our stunning Sibson building.

In what is the most challenging business environment for a generation, the Summit is a place where businesses, politicians, local government, key policy makers and academics come together to build a roadmap for sustainable economic growth.

With insightful keynotes, panel sessions and effective networking, we want you to use this day to discuss, inform and influence. There is a core focus on key areas of business need including skills, productivity, placemaking and sustainability all underpinned by the drive for innovation.

We want you to share your experiences, best practice and exciting plans which all combine to keep Kent and Medway a dynamic, innovative, diverse, forward-thinking and outward-looking place where people want to live, work, learn and visit.

We hope you enjoy the content in this delegate pack. It contains not just everything you need to know to join the summit, but reference to useful resources, business insight, comment and more!

All event partners would like to thank sponsors British Business Bank, KAYO Digital, Lower Thames Crossing and Social Enterprise Kent without whose financial support the Summit would not have been possible, as well as from supporting sponsors Betteridge & Mislon, Holiday Extras and Spark Productions. Thanks also go to our official media partner KM Media Group

If you wish to receive regular updates about next year’s summit and future opportunities, please follow Kent Business School News & Events

We wish you a very constructive and enjoyable day.

Prof Marian Garcia, Dean, Kent Business School

Agenda Friday 13 January 2023

08.50-09.15

Networking – Kent Business School, Sibson Atrium 09.15-10.30 Welcome and opening remarks – Lecture Theatre 3

Welcome: Professor Karen Cox, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kent and Professor Marian Garcia, Dean, Kent Business School

Key policy and strategic regional overviews: Councillor Roger Gough, Leader, Kent County Council; Richard Hicks, Medway Council, Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive Latest economic overview and predictions for the UK economy: Kitty Ussher – Institute of Directors (IoD), Chief Economist

How to flourish – What the changing economic conditions in the South East mean for business: Adam Bryan, CEO, South East Local Economic Partnership

BREAK

10.45-11.35

Panel discussion: Discussion and debate around priority issues for business –Lecture Theatre 1

Placemaking: Can ‘Brand Kent’ draw and retain investment, businesses, jobs and talented people?

A co-ordinated approach to transport infrastructure, planning and economic development

Chair: Richard Hicks, Medway Council, Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive

Headline Panellist: Emily Dawson, Head of Benefits, Lower Thames Crossing Panellist: Graham Galpin, High Street Expert Panellist: Professor Samer Bagaeen, Kent School of Architecture and Planning

Panellist: Dierdre Wells OBE, Chief Executive, Visit Kent

Panel discussion: Discussion and debate around priority issues for business – Lecture Theatre 2

Skills: Developing culture – How can building loyalty and diversity in the workforce impact on skills, training, retention and recruitment

Chair: Professor Nicholas Clarke, Deputy Dean (Planning and People), Kent Business School

Headline Panellist: Rebecca Smith, CEO, Social Enterprise Kent (SEK)

Panellist: Sapphira Waterson, Chief Executive Officer, Management Development Services (MDS)

Panellist: Michelle Clarke-Cowell, Associate Director, Holiday Extras

Panellist: Jessica Bartindale, Employability Project Manager, Social Enterprise Kent (SEK)

BREAK

11.45-12.30

Panel discussion: Discussion and debate around priority issues for business –Lecture Theatre 1

Productivity: The productivity challenge –How can digital tools boost profits and drive measurable efficiency improvements?

Chair: Professor Catherine Robinson, Deputy Dean (Medway), Kent Business School

Headline Panellist: Richard Pilton, Managing Director, KAYO Digital Limited

Panellist: Dr Maria Balta, Researcher in business model pivoting through the use of digital technologies, Kent Business School

Panellist: Sally Newall, Founder and Managing Director, Simply Ice Cream

Panel discussion: Discussion and debate around priority issues for business – Lecture Theatre 2

Sustainability: Funding your green future –How sustainability can improve your business’s bottom line

Chair: Martin White, Company Founder at Green Business and Construction Hub, Supply My Business and Biz Connect Radio Show

Headline Panellist: Susan Elliott, Senior Manager, South East UK, British Business Bank

Panellist: Paul Gannaway, Director, Betteridge and Milsom (B&M)

Panellist: Josh Pitman, Managing Director, Priory Direct

Panellist: Lisa Carlson, Chief Executive, Canterbury Business Improvement District (BID)

BREAK

12.45-13.30

Business partnerships, keynote and closing remarks – Lecture Theatre 3 Showcase of collaboration success – Knowledge Transfer Partnership: Kent Business School and Port of Dover

Professor Kathy Kotiadis, Operational Research, Kent Business School and Timothy van Vugt, Strategy Manager, Dover Harbour Board Keynote inspirational speaker – Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE

1.30-14.30 Kentish buffet lunch (Atrium) – Enjoy a buffet of delicious Kentish produce, network and take your lunch into one of our three drop-in sessions, below 14.00

Chartered Directors

Insights – (MBA Suite) Are you a director or strategic business leader? being prepared for your responsibilities can affect the growth of your business Presentation and Q&A delivered by Institute of Directors professional Chartered Directors (CDir)

13.30-14.30

Pitching session (Seminar Room 2) – The founders of three Kent-based high-growth businesses will be pitching to showcase their exciting innovations.

Growing Kent & Medway Food Accelerator businesses

13.30-14.30

Quiz the Experts (Atrium) –Find out more about grant funding and support available to Kent business

University of Kent, Kent Business School, Innovate UK EDGE, Kent Growth Space Initiative, Growing Kent & Medway, University of Kent – Future Human

Attending the Summit

We look forward to welcoming you to the 6th Kent and Medway Business Summit. Here is some information to help make your day run smoothly. For any queries on the day please email kbsbusiness@kent.ac.uk and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.

Location

University of Kent, Kent Business School, Sibson, Park Wood Road, Canterbury, CT2 7FS.

Getting here

The campus has excellent transport links and is easily reached by road, rail and bus. For more information on travel go to www.kent.ac.uk/locations/canterbury/directions

If you are driving to campus you will need to provide your car registration number in advance as part of the registration process and follow directions to car parks. Follow directions to the Giles Lane car park (CT2 7BQ) where spaces have been reserved for Summit visitors. Campus map www.kent.ac.uk/maps/canterbury/canterbury-campus

Accessibility

There is accessible parking immediately outside Sibson building, please display your blue badge to park in these spaces.

Taxis are able to drop-off and collect from waiting bays outside the building. A bus stop is immediately opposite the building.

There are accessible entrances on both sides of Sibson and lifts to all floors of the building. There are accessible toilets on all levels of Sibson.

If you require a personal assistant or companion, they will not be charged for a ticket.

Guide and assistance dogs are welcome.

To discuss access or other requirements please email kbsbusiness@kent.ac.uk

Share your news at the Summit

To further increase the collaboration potential we’re inviting you to share your news, opportunities and views on our ‘share board’.

Located in the central atrium space, the share board is a place to share your interests and opportunities. So, when you come to the Summit, bring a business card, flyer or leaflet and we’ll provide blank cards for you to add further details.

Let’s bring Kent and Medway businesses together to create a stronger, better future.

Your views count

We would like to hear your views and experience of the current business landscape to inform our discussions at the Summit and in feedback on the day.

Please scan this QR code to take a brief survey.

Thank you.

session

2pm Chartered Directors Insights

Quiz the experts

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IoD South Creating connections across the South of England and beyond

IoD South stretches from Banbury in the north to Dover in the east, with seven branches representing a huge diversity of businesses and sectors. Our region is one of high output and remarkable achievement, and our branches provide opportunities for inspiration, discussion and development of ideas and interests.

For more info, please visit: iod.com

Institute of Directors Better directors for a better world

Keynote speaker Lord Dr Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE

Lord Dr Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE is an Independent Peer in the House of Lords and has had a fulfilling career across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, working within education, philanthropy, and business to support and develop communities around the world. He is Chairman of SOAS, University of London and the recent Chancellor of Regent’s University London. He remains the Professor of Leadership at the Stephen L Covey Institute at the Huntsman Business School, University of Utah, USA.

He is a Non-Executive Director at Saxton Bampfylde, the Executive Search firm and is Chair of the London Chamber of Commerce Black Business Association and a director/trustee of the new National Institute of Teaching.

He is also a Vice President at UNICEF UK, an Ambassador for Tear Fund and Chair of the Council of ZANE (Zimbabwe Aid) and a trustee for the Africa Philanthropy Foundation. Lord Hastings is the former Head of Public Affairs at the BBC and was their first head of Corporate Social Responsibility. He also served as the Global Head of Citizenship for KPMG and is a former Trustee of the Vodafone Group Foundation and subsequently a Governor of the Vodafone/Safaricom M-PESA Academy in Nairobi for 800 of Kenya’s poorest children. He is a passionate advocate for the SDG’s – the 17 Sustainable Development Goals the world must reach by 2030 to give dignity to all.

Lord Hastings began his career as a teacher in 1980 having graduated in Theology from the London School of Theology in 1979 and then Westminster College Oxford in Education in 1980 and then from 1986 worked across government agencies on policies to build racial equality, workforce development, and safer and more effective crime prevention strategies moving to live UK wide TV broadcasting in 1990 and then Head of Public Affairs for the BBC in 1996.

He was conferred with a Doctorate in Civil Law from the University of Kent, Canterbury in 2014 in recognition for his leadership at KPMG, the BBC and for his work in international development and corporate responsibility and in 2019 was the first ever recipient of the Stephen R Covey Leadership Award for a life built on principles and pragmatic delivery.

Opening remarks

HOST: Deborah Turner, founder of Deborah Turner Ltd

Deborah Turner was raised in Kent and still lives and works in the County.

She established her own company Deborah Turner Ltd and has two quite different business interests. Deborah is a chartered surveyor with over 25 years’ property experience and provides property consultancy advice to local authorities and small businesses.

Deborah has always had an interest in personal styling and in 2007 trained as an image consultant alongside her property career. As her passion project, she created You Image Consultancy in 2013, specialising in Personal Branding.

Professor Karen Cox, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kent

Professor Karen Cox joined the University of Kent as Vice-Chancellor and President in August 2018. Karen is a Board Member/Trustee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council and a Board Director for the Universities & Colleges Employers Association. She is also an Associate Non-Executive Director for the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. Other roles include Director/HE representative for the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, Board Member of the Kent Surrey Sussex Applied Research Collaborative and Member of the University of Kent Multi Academy Trust. Karen has a nursing background and her research interests have focused on cancer and palliative care. Before joining the University of Kent, Karen had served as Head of the School of Nursing, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nottingham.

She is the National Policy Lead for Women in Enterprise for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and is an Advisory Board Member of University of Kent Business School MBA Programme.

Deborah is also Co-Founder of On a Dog Walk Events, a not for profit organisation celebrating women in business and raising the visibility of women succeeding in business through events.

Speaker profiles

Councillor Roger Gough, Leader Kent County Council

Roger Gough became Leader of Kent County Council in October 2019 after more than six years as the Cabinet Member for Education and then children’s services more generally. He has been the Member for Darent Valley, Sevenoaks, since May 2013.

After gaining a first class honours degree from Oxford University, Roger worked in Japan for three years as a financial sector analyst, followed by more than 10 years in London for various investment banks.

Before his election to KCC, Roger’s political life included two years with the Conservative Party’s Democracy Task Force and a further three years as a Research Director at the Policy Exchange.

Richard Hicks, Medway Council Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive

As Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive, Richard drives the delivery of the council’s placemaking agenda, seeking to establish Medway as a great place to live, to work, to learn and to visit.

Richard has responsibility for Frontline Services, Culture and Community, Regeneration and Communications and Marketing.

Richard has held a number of roles at Medway since its inception in 1998, and before that time worked in a range of positions across Kent County Council, both at corporate and service level.

Kitty Ussher, Chief Economist, Institute of Directors

Kitty Ussher is a UK macroeconomist and public policy research professional who has worked as the Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors since September 2021.

A former MP for Burnley, Kitty served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury (‘City minister’) during the early phase of the financial crisis and subsequently as a junior minister at the Department for Work and Pensions.

In 2010 Kitty moved to the private sector and set up her own company Tooley Street Research specialising in public policy thought leadership research projects for large corporates and charities.

She has served on the FCA consumer panel and in addition to her current role at the IoD, holds two NonExecutive Director positions: for the LGPS asset manager, London CIV, and also the UK subsidiary of the fintech, Revolut.

From 2017-19 she undertook a two-year sabbatical teaching GCSE maths in inner-city schools under the Now Teach programme for senior professionals.

Adam Bryan, Chief Executive Officer, South East LEP

Since late 2015, Adam has been responsible for directing the successes of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership – the business-led body for promoting and enabling economic growth spanning East Sussex, Essex, Medway, Kent, Southend and Thurrock. The LEP orchestrates investment in schemes which support the growth of the economy in the area and Adam’s team ensures that the LEP board deploys its spending power of some £850m to best effect and according to a strong suite of local strategies which are developed in strong collaboration with a vast range of local stakeholders.

Get involved with the Lower Thames Crossing

The Lower Thames Crossing is the most ambitious road project for a generation. By almost doubling road capacity across the Thames east of London and easing congestion on the Dartford Crossing, the road will improve journeys for millions every year, connect people to jobs and businesses, and drive regional growth.

Join our supply chain

We’ll need more than 22,000 people on our team during the building phase, from engineers and designers, to caterers and IT support. We therefore want to hear from companies of all sizes – including small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) – who might be interested in working on the Lower Thames Crossing.

Register your interest today to find out more about the upcoming opportunities. Search Lower Thames Crossing Supply Chain Directory or scan the QR code to enter your business details on our website.

Speaker profiles Placemaking panel

CHAIR: Richard Hicks, Medway Council Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive

As Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive, Richard drives the delivery of the council’s placemaking agenda, seeking to establish Medway as a great place to live, to work, to learn and to visit.

Richard has responsibility for Frontline Services, Culture and Community, Regeneration and Communications and Marketing.

Richard has held a number of roles at Medway since its inception in 1998, and before that time worked in a range of positions across Kent County Council, both at corporate and service level.

HEADLINE PANELLIST: Emily Dawson, Head of Benefits –Lower Thames Crossing, National Highways

Emily has been working with National Highways for the past 6 years to ensure our nation’s most exciting and ambitious new road schemes, including the proposed new Lower Thames Crossing, maximise the wider benefits for the economy, environment, and local communities. Her role involves working with government and regional stakeholders to help shape how the benefits of the project are articulated in the business case, ensuring the opportunities are maximised across the region. She specialises in identifying shared objectives among stakeholders and developing opportunities to work in partnership, delivering long lasting benefits that complement the delivery of the crossing itself.

PANELLIST: Graham Galpin MSc FIPM, Fellow, the Institute of Place Management. High Street Expert

Graham has been leading regeneration programmes for almost 25 years. He was an economic development consultant before he spent 8 years as Cabinet Member for Town Centres for Ashford Borough Council.

He was invited to join the Expert Panel chaired by Sir John Timpson. The panel recommended the introduction of the Future High Street Fund and the High Street Task Force. Most recently Graham has been working with IPM and partners on the processes, tools and “pilot” town centre visits for the Task Force. He is an enthusiastic advocate of community engagement in town centre revitalisation and viability.

PANELLIST: Councillor Professor Samer Bagaeen, Kent School of Architecture and Planning Professor Samer Bagaeen works across the private sector, academia and local government. He is a Technical Director with the Environmental Planning team at Arcadis.

Samer is a Chartered Town Planner, a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a Design Council Expert, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He has held the role of Professor of Planning and Resilient Systems at the University of Kent since April 2018 having worked in the preceding two years with the Rockefeller Foundation’s global resilience programme as an associate director. In Kent, Samer manages Cultural Co-location, a Creative Estuary project. He served on the Policy Council at the Town and Country Planning Association from 2010-2020 where he also served as a Trustee for five years.

Training

Speaker profiles

He served on the Board of Trustees of the Royal Town Planning Institute (2016-2017) and has recently been elected by the RTPI membership to sit on the Board of Trustees as a Chartered Trustee for 2023-2025.

Samer was elected to Brighton and Hove City Council in 2019. He served on the city’s Health and Wellbeing Board throughout the pandemic and more recently served on the council’s audit committee. He is presently a member of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee and Group Spokesperson on the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee.

PANELLIST: Wells OBE, Chief Executive, Visit Kent

Deirdre Wells OBE was appointed as CEO of Visit Kent in September 2018. Deirdre is also CEO of Go to Places, an organisation created by the company, to deliver services to partners outside, and in partnership with Kent, including the Big Weekend and a number of national tourism projects.

Prior to her appointment to Visit Kent, Deirdre was Chief Executive of UKinbound, representing nearly 400 UK inbound tourism businesses. Deirdre joined UKinbound following 20 years in Government at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport working on a variety of high-profile projects including the Millennium Dome, Liverpool Capital of Culture 2008 and the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, and latterly as Head of Tourism.

Deirdre is Chair of English Tourism Week and sits on the Board of the Tourism Alliance.

Deirdre lives in Kent with her husband and two sons.

Skills panel

CHAIR: Professor Nicholas Clarke, Deputy Dean (Planning and People) Kent Business School

Nicholas Clarke is Professor of Organisational Behaviour and HRM and Deputy Dean at Kent Business School. He has previously held chairs in OB at Loughborough University, EADA Business School in Barcelona and the University of Southampton (UoS) Business School. He was head of department of HRM at UoS for 8 years managing a team of 12 academics and a member of the school’s management group. In that role he also advised the university on HR areas including managing change, organisation and leadership development as well as grievance issues.

Speaker profiles

Nicholas has sat on the editorial boards of European Journal of Training and Development, Team Performance Management, and Human Resource Development Quarterly and regularly reviews for journals including Human Resource Management, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Leadership Quarterly, and European Journal of Work and Organisational Psychology.

Previously he has held managerial and practitioner positions in healthcare and is a qualified social worker. In his early career he worked in statutory and voluntary organisations in the areas of substance misuse, AIDS/HIV and mental health as well as leading up workforce and organisation development for a large NHS community health services trust.

HEADLINE PANELLIST: Rebecca Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Social Enterprise Kent (SEK)

As Deputy CEO of Social Enterprise Kent, Rebecca Smith is an experienced senior manager leading large teams working with a wide range of voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs), local authorities and funding partners, to implement and deliver a diverse range of successful projects to support individuals and business in our communities across Kent.

With a MA in HR Business Partnership, a postgraduate diploma in management, and an adult teaching qualification, Rebecca loves upskilling social enterprises and charities to help them grow and develop. Rebecca represents Kent based VCSEs on the national Social Enterprise Places committee, and the South East LEP social enterprise, digital skills and skills advisory subgroups.

Rebecca is passionate about social enterprise, communities and empowering people and is proud of helping make a difference in people’s lives.

PANELLIST Jessica Bartindale, Employability Project Manager, Social Enterprise Kent (SEK)

Jess Bartindale is Employability Project Manager at Social Enterprise Kent. Jess currently leads on three employment projects all supporting people from marginalised or minority groups/communities, who, as a result, often have additional barriers to obtaining work. Jess promotes a person-centred, holistic approach, encouraging individuals to take charge of their lives by developing their skills and confidence so they can create long-term, sustainable change.

Jess’s work leading the Breaking Barriers project, funded by the UK Community Renewal Fund, has led to her working closely with both businesses and job seekers to promote equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace. The project brings together job seekers and businesses to build, embed and celebrate a diverse workforce. This project has been shortlisted for the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) national employability award, for the ‘Hardest Hit’ category.

PANELLIST: Sapphira Waterson Management Development Services Chief Executive Officer

Saffy joined MDS in May 2005 and holds the position of Chief Executive Officer. having previously worked in welfare and social work, in the probation service and the RAF. Her career developed from a background as a Probation Officer with the National Probation Service and Social Work Support Officer with SSAFA working for the RAF. She was attracted to MDS by its commitment to helping young people reach their potential and has been instrumental in doubling the size of the business over the last five years whilst tackling issues of diversity and inclusion. In 2022, Saffy supported the launch of two new development schemes.

Speaker profiles

PANELLIST: Michelle ClarkeCowell, Associate Director Holiday Extras

Michelle has over 25 years of leadership experience across various disciplines and would describe herself as a Generalist with a passion for people experience. She currently leads on the development and implementation of Holiday Extras’ sustainability strategy. As part of this Michelle focuses on overall employee experience and how to create the right environment where everyone can unleash their potential and thrive.

Prior to this role Michelle worked in various commercial and partnership roles working with major hotel, theme park and theatre groups within the leisure and entertainment industry.

Productivity panel

CHAIR: Professor Catherine Robinson, Deputy Dean (Medway) Kent Business School, University of Kent

Catherine is a Professor of Applied Economics and Business Statistics and is currently Deputy Dean for Kent Business School (Medway and Accreditations), University of Kent. Kate’s research is focussed on firm level performance and factors which influence it, ranging from foreign direct investment to social enterprises; technological change to skills and migrant workers. In her latest research collaborations, Kate has considered the impact of Covid-19 on UK skill mismatch levels in the graduate labour market and how Kent SMEs coped with the skills gap in relation to the introduction to new technologies such as AI, robotics and the use of big data. As well, Kate holds a visiting fellow position at the National Institute of Economics and Social Research, London.

HEADLINE PANELLIST: Richard Pilton, Managing Director, Kayo Digital Limited

Richard Pilton is Managing Director of award-winning digital agency

KAYO Digital who have worked with clients spanning the NHS, Kent County Council and Berry Gardens.

Entrepreneur, public speaker, charity advisor, CEO of award winning digital agency and supporter of Science.

PANELLIST: Dr Maria Elisavet Balta, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management

Maria was previously a TEF Coordinator (2019- 2021) and a Chief Examiner for Stage 1 (20172021). She holds a PhD in Management Studies funded by Leventis Foundation and MSc in Human Resources and Employment Relations both from Brunel Business School. She is Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy and Academic Member of CIPD. Her research has received a significant amount of funding from national and international research council organisations including British Academy of Management Transition, Medway Council Strategic Recovery Fund, UKAIS, the Qatar, KTP, European Commission for the ERASMUS, Brunel Research Initiative and Enterprise Fund. She is an editorial board member of the International Journal of Information Management and the Sustainability Journal. She co-edits special issues for journals such as International Journal of Information Management and Frontiers in Sociology. She is also Associate Editor for the special issue on “The new wave of “hybrid work”: an opportunity to revise assumptions and build theory” for the Information Systems Journal.

Speaker profiles

PANELLIST: Sally Newall, Founder and Managing Director, Simply Ice Cream

Our founder and owner, Sally Newall ran a catering business for over 25 years which was in fact the spring board for the leap into the ice cream business. Incredible feedback from happy event customers for her homemade ice cream led Sally to decide to move away from full time catering and concentrate on developing Simply Ice Cream into the successful, premium brand we are today. In keeping with our beliefs that simple, natural food tastes best, we have created a range of ice creams that are made using natural locally sourced ingredients (where possible), home-made flavours and free from additives or preservatives. Our Ice Cream is still made the old fashioned way, by hand, in small batches. We have developed over 30 delicious flavours of ice cream and sorbets, including our fantastic vegan range that’s made with a coconut milk base and a dog icecream launched in 2022. Supplying over 450 outlets across the South East across retail and hospitality next month we also launch in the Middle East.

Sustainability panel

CHAIR: Martin White, Founder and Director of Green Business www.greenbusinesshub.eco and the Biz Connect Radio Show –www.kentbizconnect.co.uk

Our Green Business Hub business purpose can be defined simply as; Helping safeguard our environment through informing businesses and consumers and encouraging them to adopt more sustainable practices and choices.

We work with organisations in the public sector like KCC, to drive business engagement and uptake for their ‘sustainable’ business programmes.

We are also helping private sector businesses understand their carbon footprint in order to develop a ‘Net Zero’ strategy, ‘green’ their supply chain and promote their accredited sustainable products and services in the marketplace.

Crucially, ‘Green Business Hub’ brings businesses and consumers who have a shared green or sustainability objective – either as buyer or supplier – together in one place to do business!

HEADLINE PANELLIST: Susan Elliott, Senior Manager, UK Network, South East at British Business Bank

Susan is an experienced commercial professional working with British Business Bank stakeholders, intermediaries and delivery partners to help smaller business plan for and access finance for growth. Her knowledge and strong connections in the funding and business support community were gained from co-founding and running her own consulting business, providing strategic advice for scale ups, delivering business accelerator programmes, managing public sector business support contracts and through partnerships with sources of finance for small and mid-sized businesses.

PANELLIST: Paul Gannaway, Director Betteridge and Milsom (B&M)

Paul Gannaway is Director of B&M, a thriving construction consultancy based in Canterbury.

With over 30 years in the industry, Paul has undertaken a wide variety of schemes in his career supporting various clients across the South East.

Paul’s career began at B&M at the age of 16. As his experience within the field broadened, he soon after qualified as a chartered quantity surveyor. Since his succession, the business continues to grow and expand.

Speaker profiles

B&M consists of a reputable team known to deliver an all-encompassing service from concept to reality providing services such as project management and quantity surveying. Their involvement has led to many notable projects such as home to the Kent and Medway Business Summit – Sibson building.

PANELLIST:Lisa Carlson, CEO, Canterbury Business Improvement District

Lisa Carlson is CEO of the Canterbury Business Improvement District, leading multiple forums and working groups representing business interests across a range of topics from retail transformation, net zero, hospitality and evening & night time to inward investment, destination management and safety & security. Lisa represents the BID as a Board Director of the Canterbury Climate Action Partnership, and she Chairs Canterbury in Bloom and Canterbury’s Purple Flag Committee.

Lisa is Chair of the Association of Town and City Management Board and appears regularly on local and regional television and radio. She is part of the High Streets Task Force Sector Leaders Group and regularly joins the All Party Parliamentary Group for Towns and City Centres.

PANELLIST:Josh Pitman – MD of Priory Direct

Josh Pitman is the Managing Director of Priory Direct – the home of planet friendly packaging in the UK. Priory Direct supply sustainable packaging to over 21,000 businesses and tackle supply chain and operational challenges to reduce the impact of ecommerce on the environment.

Priory Direct’s ultimate goal is to make ecommerce a truly sustainably industry by driving awareness and action, through authentic and passionate advocacy, and access to solutions. This means creating an industry that truly contributes to society, the environment, and our economy, one challenge and customer at a time.

Business and Partnerships

Showcase of Collaboration Success – Knowledge Transfer Partnership: Kent Business School and Port of Dover

Kathy Kotiadis, Professor in Operational Research (OR), Kent Business School, University of Kent

Kathy Kotiadis is a Professor in Operational Research (OR) at the Kent Business School, University of Kent. Her main research interests include quantitative and qualitative modelling applied to a number of contexts including health care, transport. She has collaborated with a number of organisations to help them address current or future operational/strategic issues, meet their targets and make the best use of their resources. She is the cofounder of the PartiSim framework for participative simulation modelling which enables the active involvement of a group of stakeholders through the process of developing simulation models. In 2009 she was awarded the KD Tocher Medal by the UK Operational Research society for her published work in the Journal of Simulation. She is a founding member of Women in OR and Analytics (WORAN) of the Operational Research society (UK), a member of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research (EPSRC) college and the co-Editor in Chief of Health Systems (journal).

Timothy van Vugt, Strategy Manager, Dover Harbour Board (DHB)

Timothy van Vugt works at Dover Harbour Board (DHB) as Strategy Manager and is heads up the strategy team that sits within the Strategy and Corporate planning department. Strategy and Corporate Planning works on high-level, long-term projects and is responsible, among other things, for strategies and strategic insights, business case writing, data analysis & modelling and obtaining external funding.

Port of Dover

The Port of Dover is the UK’s busiest international ferry port, handling more lorries than all other UK ports through an unrivalled and fluid operation capable of facilitating 120 ferry movements and 110 miles of freight per day. £144bn worth of UK trade and 33% of all trade with the EU is handled by the Port of Dover.

Dover is also the UK’s second busiest cruise port, has a marina and property business primed to benefit from a new waterfront and a busy cargo business handling fresh produce, containers, project cargo, general cargo and grain operating from a state-of-the-art terminal.

The Port of Dover holds ambitious net zero targets, placing it at the vanguard of decarbonisation within the UK ports industry. The Port strives to work with and to the benefit of the Dover community and has multiple programmes to deliver support. The Port Community Fund recently surpassed £1 million in donations from the Port of Dover.

The Knowledge Exchange partnership with the Kent Business School will embed advanced modelling techniques in the Port of Dover capabilities, which will help grow the business and guide new investment in border and check-in infrastructure and digitalisation. The project is anticipated to have real-world impacts such as enhanced trade, reduced traffic congestion, and local air quality improvements.

A KTP involves the formation of a partnership between your business and the University of Kent, enabling you to access skills and world leading academic research and expertise to help your company develop a strategic business opportunity, idea or innovation. Each partnership employs a recently qualified graduate or postgraduate who is based full time within your company to deliver the project.

How does it work?

With the help of dedicated KTP staff within the University of Kent we will identify an academic team with the appropriate expertise for your business. The team will then work with you to define and agree a project based on your requirements. The project could be for any length between one and three years with the overall aim of helping your business make a step change in an area that you have identified as high priority.

Before the project is launched, the company and academic team work together to recruit a suitable graduate or postgraduate, the Associate, to deliver the project. The Associate is employed by the University of Kent but works full time within your business to manage and drive the project. We understand that it is essential to recruit an individual who will be a good fit within your existing team whilst having the right expertise and skills. The Associate is jointly supervised by a senior member or your business and one of the academic specialists.

The University of Kent academics are key to the delivery of the project providing essential expertise whilst jointly supervising the Associate and working in partnership with key members of staff within your business. The academics spend the equivalent of at least half a day a week supporting the project.

Why choose a KTP?

• Over the years the KTP Programme has supported over 13 thousand partnerships that have linked forwardthinking businesses with the UK’s world-class knowledge bases to deliver innovation projects led by talented graduates. This has delivered an 800% return on investment

• An average of 328 jobs are created for Associates per annum

• Over 60% of Associates are offered permanent employment at the end of their projects

What will it cost?

Significant funding is available through Innovate UK to support the delivery of KTP projects whether your business is a large corporation or an SME. A typical KTP project is less than the average cost of recruiting a suitable graduate therefore making this a highly competitive option for delivering a strategic project. Small or medium-sized businesses can access funding of up to 67% of the project costs; larger businesses up to 50%.

Established in 1975, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) is Europe’s leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge and technology.

Refreshments and lunch

The University of Kent is increasing the sustainability of our food offering from field to fork and beyond.

The strategy supports the University’s aim to embed the Sustainable Development Goals into our operations.

You can pick up one of our Kent branded reusable cups at the 2023 Summit registration desk!

08.30 – Arrival pastries and refreshments

Sibson building has designated water station.

Multiple service points will be available for tea and coffee. A selection of English breakfast tea, herbal infusions, filter coffee and fruit juices. A selection of danish pastries.

Refreshment breaks

First break: 10.30-10.45

Second break: 11.35-11.45

Refill your water, coffee and tea, also a selection of apple juice, orange juice and assorted biscuits.

13.30 – Sustainable Kentish buffet lunch

Bespoke Kentish finger buffet including locally sourced Kent produce with savoury, sweet and fruit options.

A selection of Kentish filled huffkins with a variety of fillings. A selection of canapes. A selection of desserts, fruit, and drinks.

Chartered Directors insight

Gold Standard Presentation

Presentation and Q&A delivered by Institute of Directors professional Chartered Directors (CDir)

Are you a director or strategic business leader? being prepared for your responsibilities can affect the growth of your business. Hear more during this informative and educational talk.

Pitching session

Hear from Kent based high growth businesses pitching to showcase their business innovation! The audience can connect, learn, be inspired and give feedback to the entrepreneurs.

The following businesses are pitching as part of the Growing Kent & Medway Food Accelerator Programme:

The Food Accelerator is a 4-month programme of dedicated business and technical support, providing training, tools, mentoring and networking opportunities. It is designed for ambitious food and drink businesses who want to scale up. The Food Accelerator is part of the state-of-the-art Medway Food Innovation Centre which is located on the Medway campus at the University of Greenwich. The Food Accelerator is an initiative of Growing Kent & Medway, a project led by horticultural research organisation NIAB East Malling.

Marie Prevost

Marie is a registered dietitian and nutritionist (MSc Public Health Nutrition from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) –is the Founder of Fermenti. She is passionate about the latest microbiome science which considers the human body as an ecosystem inhabited by trillions of microorganisms helping us to stay healthy. She experienced first hand the effects of an unhealthy gut following a typhus infection while traveling in Mexico. Nutrition helped to get her energy and health back. She has developed a fruity fermented snack to bring the benefits of plant-based fermented foods to a broader audience and promote the importance of gut health.

Fermenti is leveraging the combination of traditional lacto-fermentation with freeze drying technology to make innovative fermented foods. Our mission is to promote people’s microbiome diversity, supporting their immunity and mental health. Our first product is a fermented fruit cookie which is being sold online and contains a variety of live cultures, fibres, polyphenols and SCFA. We already won 4 gold awards at the 2022 Nourish awards, and we are now looking to upscale and sell to retailers.

James Taylor-Medhurst

James is owner and director of Enduosport and Total Life Fitness, a Kent based Health & Fitness company. He believes that the best route to truly optimising health is to focus on three key elements: Movement, Nutrition and Recovery. He coaches and trains a vast array of people from OAP’s to professional athletes constantly tailoring and tweaking these elements to suit their personal requirements.

Enduosports manufactures and supplies innovative one of a kind food products to amateur and professional athletes training and competing in endurance sports. Their flagship product ENDUO is the first endurance food that is specifically designed to deliver a duo of nutritious energy on the go, uniquely benefitting from a specific combination of natural steady release sugars and slow release stable fats, among other micronutrients that are crucial to fighting fatigue.

Zakinah Noriy

Zak is Director of Zambur Ltd and manufactures raw, live, lactofermented vegetables and fermented drinks. The company produces kimchi, kraut, pickles, and kombucha. With Gut-friendly bacteria, delicious flavours, all packed into every jar and bottle to completely transform every mundane meal. For a contemporary twist on this ancient custom, try our selection of lacto-fermented vegetables, and their selection of kombuchas. Their products are made in small batches with premium ingredients, using local, seasonal produce. Environmentally friendly with products in glass jars and bottles with recycled brown card labels.

Quiz the Experts

Grab some expert one-to-one advice from the stands in the Atrium

University of Kent – Higher and Degree Level Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships, Recruitment, Placements and Internships

Apprenticeships are a win-win, helping employers bridge the skills gap, while offering employees practical experience coupled with real and achievable career progression. The University of Kent has been working with large and small employers for over five years to help them utilise apprenticeship training opportunities and create progression routes into, and through, their organisations. Our team can support with skills gap analysis, recruitment and offer advice on funding and compliance for employers looking to develop their apprenticeship programmes. As our programmes are delivered by the academic divisions across the University of Kent, employers can benefit from the expertise and research of our academics and the wider University’s networking opportunities.

As apprentice learn they bring new ideas, knowledge, and skills into your organisation and it’s not just employers who benefit from apprenticeships. Apprentices make contacts, develop skills, and earn a wage. They also gain a recognised qualification without paying tuition fees.

Currently our apprenticeships are in the following areas, but we are continually looking to expand on this and encourage employers to talk to us about the apprenticeship standards that would make a real difference to their organisation: Current apprenticeships – Apprenticeships – University of Kent

Some of Kent Business School

Higher and Degree Level

Apprenticeships include: Senior Leader MBA, Management MA and Operational Research Specialist – Apprenticeships –University of Kent.

Innovate UK EDGE – Innovation and growth specialists

Innovate UK EDGE is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment in the innovative businesses that drive economic growth. It complements Innovate UK project funding with intensive, specialist-led support for such ambitious businesses.

Each high-potential, innovative business in our portfolio benefits from the objective perspective of a dedicated innovation and growth specialist local to them. Working closely with its leadership team, we identify the most productive way to accelerate its growth and to enable scale up.

We advise on the following areas:

• managing cashflow,

• funding and finance & investment readiness,

• research and development (R&D) and innovation capacity,

• IP management and IP audits, • reviewing businesses models, • planning for growth nationally and internationally, • developing supply chains, • building a customer base, • accessing new markets, • marketing & innovation strategy, • preparing companies for their scale up & growth journey.

The Kent Growth Space Initiative

The Kent Growth Space Initiative is inviting you to join the “Big Conversation”.

Find out more within the 2022 Kent Property Market Report, and quiz KCC Economic Development Officers for more information.

Growing Kent and Medway (GK&M) – Improve your business and become a mentor

GK&M is a programme to improve the region’s horticulture, viticulture, and agri-tech sectors. The programme is led by NIAB-East Malling Research with partners including the University of Kent, University of Greenwich, Locate in Kent, and a range of regional food and drink companies. Our aim is to work with hundreds of companies and individuals to supply mentoring, entrepreneurship, and scientific advice. Activity delivered by the University of Kent will include:

• 1-1 business to business mentoring support for startup and existing businesses of all sizes

• Research facilities at the Industrial Biotechnology Hub for sustainable food and drink

• Support applying to industry-led collaborative Research & Development grants, ranging from £20k to £0.5M.

University of Kent – Future Human IndustryAcademia Sandpit: Human Augmentation in Industry

Participants from academia (from the University of Kent) and industry, Third Sector and healthcare that represent a diverse range of domains/fields are encouraged to apply. The sandpit will include inputs from a variety of sources and will seek innovative propositions for the use of Human Augmentation (HA) in different areas of life/society. The two-day multi-disciplinary sandpit event will bring together participants who represent a variety of disciplines underpinning HA.

Expressions of interest to attend should be submitted via this digital form. Deadline for EOIs to be submitted is 4pm on Monday 23rd January 2023.

Future Human Industry-Academia sandpit

Wednesday 1 – Thursday 2 March 2023

University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ

Sandpit for those who want to develop human augmentation technology/ products/research, test/implement an existing technology/approach to improve business or workplace outcomes, or a general interest/expertise in the area.

• Form a multidisciplinary network to address business/workplace challenges and research questions relating to human augmentation

• Seedcorn funding of £15,000

• University of Kent support to develop grant applications to undertake extended projects.

• Face-to-face two-day sandpit on human augmentation tools, techniques, and technologies to optimise or restore human performance in health, everyday life, work, and elite/occupational performance

• Up to 35 participants from academia, business, health/social care, and Third Sector.

Find out more: E: futurehuman@kent.ac.uk

Building brand Kent

How Kent is perceived to the outside world can have huge implications on how successful we are at attracting visitors, skilled workers, students, industries and companies to the county. The quality of life that a place offers is an increasingly important factor in choosing a location, whatever the objective may be. This is why a cohesive effort to project a positive image to all audiences is an approach that many places around the world are successfully adopting.

Visitor perceptions of Kent tend to be positive, invoking strong associations with the natural environment and heritage assets. Visit Kent’s recent perception study found that the natural beauty and the variety of places to visit are key drivers across all ages and yet Kent’s history and heritage is the highest rated attribute, particularly among the over 35’s. The county’s good transport connections, creative hubs and high-quality local produce were also highlighted as key strengths for the destination. However, a report which draws on workshops with Kent stakeholders representing a range of sectors, delivered by Visit Kent as part of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership funded Revi-VE South East Place Recovery programme, highlighted several underappreciated attributes and challenges which were negatively impacting Kent’s brand. The workshop report found that negative press coverage around congestion at the border was having a longer-term impact on the appeal of the destination and that some key sectors were struggling to attract workers to live and work in the area.

A recent survey of Kent resident’s, conducted by Visit Kent, showed that 50% of respondents now work from home to some extent, with 30% making the permanent shift to hybrid working following changes made during the pandemic. The workshops, facilitated by Place Marketing experts Toposophy, identified that this change in behaviour, along with an increased focus on quality of life, presents a timely opportunity for a collaborative approach to showcasing how Kent’s lifestyle can offer the best of both worlds, helping to inform decisions of businesses, key workers, students and visitors alike.

Specific opportunities were also highlighted around supporting employers to attract skilled staff and mapping Kent’s strengths in emerging areas such as sustainability and flexible working spaces.

Building upon the existing placemaking work that has been successfully delivered across the county and drawing on the findings from the workshops, Visit Kent launched a new place marketing campaign entitled the Rhythm of Kent, which highlights the county’s desirable lifestyle merits and positions Kent as a place not just to visit, but work, invest, study and live in. The campaign in turn uses inspirational local ambassadors to highlight the overall area’s desirable attributes, including but not limited to Kent’s outstanding coast and countryside, vibrant communities, and connectivity to London and Europe. The project also created a new Kent Place Marketing Hub where businesses and organisations around the county can find free to use assets and resources to help them promote the county more effectively.

This is the first step in a new cross-sector approach to marketing Kent as a destination, reaching outside of the visitor economy and engaging with a wider range of stakeholders to develop key messaging and audiences for brand ‘Kent’. This supports the ambition set out by Kent County Council in the Framing Kent’s Future strategy.

Article provided by Visit Kent. Visit Kent is a public/private partnership with an industry-led board. It is recognised by the two upper-tier local authorities Kent County Council and Medway Council, the 12 district councils and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as the official Destination Management Organisation for Kent and Medway.

About our sponsors

Panel session sponsors

British Business Bank

The British Business Bank is the UK government’s economic development bank. Established in November 2014, its mission is to drive sustainable growth and prosperity across the UK and to enable the transition to a net zero economy, by improving access to finance for smaller businesses. Its remit is to design, deliver and efficiently manage UK-wide smaller business access to finance programmes for the UK government.

The British Business Bank’s core programmes support over £12.2 billion of finance to more than 96,000 smaller businesses. In the South East of England almost 3,800 small and medium sized businesses are supported with over £2.9 billion of finance through the Bank’s programmes.

As well as increasing the supply and diversity of finance for UK smaller businesses through its programmes, the Bank works to raise awareness of finance options available to smaller businesses. The British Business Bank Finance Hub provides independent and impartial information to businesses about finance options, featuring short films, expert guides, checklists and articles from finance providers to help make their application a success.

Kayo Digital

KAYO digital are a Digital Partner to companies looking to grow and innovate through websites, technology and digital marketing. We’re a team of specialists that complement each other and find solutions to clients problems. Making real world change through technology.

Lower Thames Crossing

The proposed Lower Thames Crossing is a new road connecting Kent and Essex that will double road capacity across the Thames east of London through the UK’s longest road tunnel.

When it opens for traffic, it will ease congestion on the Dartford Crossing and improve journeys across the region. It will unlock economic growth locally and nationally by creating a reliable new connection between the south east, midlands and the north that brings people closer to jobs and businesses closer to their customers and suppliers.

Social Enterprise Kent

Social Enterprise Kent helps individuals, businesses, charities and communities through training and one to one support. They aim to assist the start-up and development of social enterprises, charities and private sector businesses in the county and offer a wide range of training to all sectors.

Supporting session sponsors

Betteridge & Milson

B&M consists of a reputable team known to deliver an all-encompassing service from concept to reality providing services such as project management and quantity surveying. Their involvement has led to many notable projects such as home to the Kent and Medway Business Summit – Sibson building.

Holiday Extras

At the Holiday Extras Group, we believe that time is precious and that holidays are some of the most precious times of all. As the UK market leader in travel extras, that belief drives our team of 700 experts every day. Based in Hythe, Kent, we are all about growth and innovation, working together to provide our customers the best holiday experience. Celebrating our 40th year in 2023, on a mission to remake holiday making we have ambitious plans for the future of travel and believe that pioneering technology and a thriving team are the catalysts for making them happen.

Media partners

Spark Productons

We are Spark, a full service video, animation and aerialfilming production company based in Kent. We create bold promo and striking documentary content for organisations of all sizes across the UK.

THE KM GROUP

The KM Media Group has long championed the successes and highlighted the challenges our county’s businesses have faced. Through coverage in our printed titles and KentOnline.co.uk we shine a spotlight on the key issues, deliver the latest, breaking stories and provide an authoritative voice for those wanting to get to the heart of the issues – as well as a voice to key industry figures.

Partners

Federation of Small Business

FSB Mission is to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions. FSB offer our members a wide range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice heard in government.

Institute of Directors

The IoD is a thriving member community for directors in the UK and beyond. At a time when good directors have never been more important, we offer professional development, valuable connections and meaningful influence.

Kent Business School

Triple accredited Kent Business School offers an exciting atmosphere in which to learn, develop and collaborate. We champion sustainable innovation through high-quality research and education impacting business and society. We are strengthened by our engaging teaching experience, underpinned by world-class research, our professional partnerships and our international community.

Thank you to our sponsors, without whose support the Summit is not possible

Stay in touch

Whether you are a business, a charity, or a public sector organisation, the University of Kent’s worldclass expertise can help you.

At Kent Business School we engage with businesses and other organisations in many ways:

Placements, internships, taking part in student projects or academic research are just some of the ways in which we can work with you.

Please sign up for our ebulletin which contains news of networking and events, funding opportunities, placements and more: sign up here or email KBSBusiness@kent.ac.uk

Here are just some of the upcoming events

MBA Briefing 2023

Wednesday 8 February, 13.00-14.00 GMT

Become the leader your business needs and unleash your true potential with an MBA from Kent. To learn more about our MBA programme focusing on Sustainable Innovation, Diversity in Leadership, and Entrepreneurship, join us for our next briefing session with Debbie Kemp, our MBA Director on Wednesday 8 February, 13.00-14.00 GMT.

http://bit.ly/3WszFex

Help 2 Grow Management Programme

On-boarding Monday 13 February 2023 12-week Hybrid learning with 4 face-to-face modules

University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, Medway campus, ME4 4AG

Kent Business Schools has some limited places remaining for the 90% funded Leadership and Management Course H2G:M. The cost to the business is £750, with 90% of the remaining cost being paid for by the Government.

If you are interested in this programme, please use the following link to register Kent SE Cohort 3 – Small Business Charter

Or register your interest for February 2024 via email kbsbusiness@kent.ac.uk

Future Human Industry-Academia Sandpit 2023 Wednesday 1 – Thursday 2 March, 09.00-17.00 University of Kent, Canterbury campus, CT2 7NZ

We are pleased to invite participants to apply to attend a face-to-face two-day sandpit on the use of Human Augmentation (HA) tools, techniques and technologies to optimise, enhance, or restore hum human performance in the areas of health, everyday life, work, and elite/occupational performance.

www.kent.ac.uk/events/event/58248/future-humanindustry-academia-sandpit

Help 2 Grow Management Alumni Event

Wednesday 8 March 2023, 14.00 – 16.30 GMT Kent Business School (Medway) Medway Building University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, Medway campus, ME4 4AG

As part of our Help to Grow Management scheme, the Kent Business School are hosting an alumni event, which is also available to prospective participants.

Email kbsbusiness@kent.ac.uk

Business Soundbites 2023 Wednesday 8 March 2023, 16.30-18.30 GMT Kent Business School (Medway) Medway Building University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, Medway campus, ME4 4AG

Join Kent Business School to network with like-minded businesses and hear expert insights and get essential tips on how to boost your business’s digital presence.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/482296671327

MBA Guest Lecture 2023

Friday 10 March, 12.30-14.00 GMT Zoom

Get inspired at our next MBA Guest Lecture Series taking place via Zoom on Friday 10 March, 12.3014.00 GMT. The theme will be supporting both International Women’s Day and Equity in Leadership.

Our Scholars alongside MBA Director, Debbie Kemp will welcome a global live audience, bringing together our community of MBA students, alumni, and the broader community of business leaders.

There will also be a chance to submit questions to the panel during the Q&A. Join us and see what the MBA Guest Lecture Series has to offer.

This is a free event and you can register your place here: http://bit.ly/3BzDdDY

Energy and Tech Sustainability Expo 2023

Thursday 23 March 2023, 09.00-17.00 GMT The Gateway Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich CT13 9ND

Explore how to reach your business’s energy, technology, and sustainability goals. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/energy-and-tech-sustainabilityexpo-tickets472672434977?dm_i=6E2S,OCBC,3P7QLC,30KOY,1

Kent & Medway Business Summit 2024

Friday 12 January 2024, 09.00-14.30

University of Kent, Canterbury campus, CT2 7NZ

Super early bird 50% off until Monday 22 January 2023 Sign up now for next year’s event!

https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/the-kent-andmedway-business-summit-2024

Become an inspiring mentor in 2023

Help shape the industry of tomorrow! We are inviting volunteer mentors to join us for both our Aspire, student entrepreneurial programme and our Growing Kent & Medway Mentoring Programme which supports businesses in agriculture, horticulture and food and drink.

We are looking for people with experience in a wide range of areas, from technical industry experience to market research, people management, finance or legal, business strategy or supply chain development.

To become a mentor you will:

• Want to make a difference

• Be passionate about supporting people to achieve their goals

• Be prepared to share your experiences and networks

• Act as a positive role model

• Have good listening skills and be easy to talk to

• Be committed, reliable and maintain confidentiality

If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you!

Contact: Rebecca Smith on 01227 816492 or email GKMMentoring@kent.ac.uk