Fortune Favours the Brave

A day of amazing stories in an amazing space – it’s time for Fortune Favours the Brave, our annual Global Entrepreneurship Week conference.

George Clarke – innovative designer and architect, businessman, lecturer, author, government adviser and, of course, television presenter – will be back in his home region to headline our superb programme of speakers.

Best known for hosting television shows like George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and Restoration Man, a peek at his website suggests that in reality business comes first for George, who has established a strong reputation for innovative design and clear, inventive architectural concepts. His brand new company, George Clarke + Partners, has been created to cover all aspects of the design, build and the property development business.

Inspiration is the order of the day at the conference, and few can fail to be inspired by our new venue – in the magnificent surroundings of Wynyard Hall. It’s the first time we have held a major event in Wynyard and it comes just weeks after owner Sir John Hall was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement honour at our annual awards.

Lining up alongside George are:

Floyd Woodrow – Floyd has an international reputation for designing and running leadership and elite performance training for business, government, sport and the police; and as the ex-head of the Counter Terrorist Unit and a decorated former Parachute Regiment and SAS soldier, there’s no one better qualified to talk about authentic leadership.

Pamela Petty - a Forum board member and managing director of Ebac, the Newton Aycliffe-based manufacturing company who recently increased profit and turnover after ‘taking a significant amount of waste out of the business’, Pamela is passionate about Great British Manufacturing, recently adding the UK’s only British manufactured washing machines to the company’s portfolio.

Richard Kirk, with over 10 years’ experience in the field of printed electronics, Richard is credited for many world’s first applications using EL lighting. In his previous role as managing director of Elumin8, he championed the integration of printed electronics in architectural, automotive and product design. Now he has turned his attention to (amongst other things) treating eye disease with the aim of saving the NHS £1bn a year from right here in the North East.

David Cooper, the greatly admired founder of multi-award winning Coopers Coffee, is back by popular demand to share his experience building and ultimately selling his business, with characteristic honesty, empathy, humour and a whole lot of practical advice thrown in.

Also set to enthrall our audience are three entrepreneurs behind global success stories that are based within minutes of our conference venue:
• Bryan Bunn, founder of Wynyard-based Nortech Solutions and a finalist for the Forum’s Entrepreneur of the Year;
• Alex Hayward, MD of engineering information management specialists Phusion IM, based in Billingham;
• Arnab Basu MBE, CEO of Sedgefield-based leading technology company Kromek Group.

Sponsored by Recognition Marketing & PR and hosted by former BBC Radio Cleveland favourite Alan Wright, the event is a celebration of entrepreneurship and a unique opportunity for North East business owners to come together, connect and share.

Join us for an amazing day. Together we’re stronger.