Member News
Sunderland Business Festival takes place from 14 – 18 October
Alex Partridge and Si King have been announced as headline speakers at this year’s Sunderland Business Festival.
They will be part of a day of inspirational talks discussing their lives and careers, hosted by former BBC Look North newsreader Jeff Brown, on Thursday 17 October.
Alex, one of the pioneers of social media content as we know it, founded LADBible and UNILAD aged 21, they would go on to be two of the most popular social news and entertainment internet companies in the world, with an astonishing following of 100 million people around the globe.
After being diagnosed with ADHD in later life, Alex launched the ADHD Chatter podcast, with each episode featuring diverse experiences and expert insights, aiming to combat stigma and provide support. In just a year, ADHD Chatter has grown to reach over 1 million listeners with 100,000 monthly downloads.
“It’s great to be speaking at Sunderland Business Festival. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences and talking about some of the things I’m passionate about,” said Alex.
Si is best known for fronting numerous TV shows as one half of the Hairy Bikers. As well as discussing his career in business and on-screen, he will share more about an exciting new business venture he has planned in the city.
Si said: “I’m delighted to be taking part in Sunderland Business Festival. It’s a fantastic time for the city, there’s a real buzz in Sunderland and people can see things happening and new developments coming out the ground that will make a real difference.
“I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences and stories from my career as part of what I’m sure will be a great week.”
Sunderland Business Festival, which is running for a fourth successive year, aims to inspire enterprises from across the region, with a host of engaging speeches and sessions from high-profile business leaders and personalities who have pushed boundaries in their field. This year’s event will take place from 14–18 October.
The full festival line-up – including more headline speakers - will be announced over the coming weeks – details will be available at www.sbfestival.co.uk
The festival is being organised by Creo Comms on behalf of Sunderland Business Partnership, a collective of organisations – large and small – all with an interest in the city’s development, creating opportunities for members to collaborate and grow, which in turn helps Sunderland to be a more dynamic destination for business.
Rob Lawson OBE, chair of Sunderland Business Partnership, said: “We’re delighted that Si and Alex are taking part in this year’s Sunderland Business Festival.
“They have had hugely successful careers and I’m sure there will be plenty of useful takeaways from the event, as well as some interesting stories.
“There’s much more still to be announced and I’d recommend people get tickets for events as soon as they can as I’m sure demand will be high.”
The In Conversation With … events will take place at Sheepfolds Stables on Thursday, 17 October from 9.30am.
Day tickets, which include entry to all three sessions, are priced at £25+booking fee and can be bought from www.sbfestival.co.uk
