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By Frank McKenna

The International Business Festival: Come and Join In

On the 12th June, a three-week Business jamboree will kick-off at the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool.

It is the biggest business event that will take place in the UK in 2018 – and yet, largely because it is taking place outside of the capital, awareness of the event appears to be limited, which is a shame, considering the outstanding programme the event organisers have pulled together.

Perhaps there is a perception that the Festival is exclusively focussed on exporting. Given that dozens of countries from around the globe will be represented, that is a fair assumption to make – but it would be a wrong one.

Yes, if you want to export, then you absolutely should be booking your ticket for the Festival. However, the opportunity to meet other business owners from the UK, engage with government Ministers, officials and local government leaders are also major reasons to get along to Liverpool next month.

Indeed, if you look at the calibre of the speakers who will be addressing the Festival, it is clear that the chance to pick up tips and tricks and be inspired by some of the country’s leading entrepreneurs is another incentive to spare a day to attend the Festival.

If you are time poor or you want a recommendation of what day to select for attendance, then may I suggest the ‘Cities’ day on Wednesday 13th June.

Downtown has teamed up with the IBF to host a special conference as part of the Festival on this day. For details on the conference, click here.

Not only do Downtown members get a free ticket to our conference, but you will also receive a complimentary day-pass to the Festival itself.

You will have an opportunity to hear from all the metro mayors from across England, and other speakers include Sir Howard Bernstein, Tech entrepreneur Scott Fletcher, property & regeneration expert Louise Brooke-Smith, and Tom Bloxham of Urban Splash.

We have a breakfast forum to start the day, a private dinner for those with the staying power to enjoy – and, as always, we offer an opportunity for you to connect with other businesses who you can do business with.

Hopefully, you will have read enough here to entice you to at least visit the official website (insert festival site address) – and if you are coming along, why not bring a friend too.

Hopefully, I’ll see you in Liverpool in June.

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