As a partner in the Future50 business growth programme for Norfolk and Suffolk, UEA hosted the inaugural F50 Live conference at the Enterprise Centre on 22 September.
The conference was attended by delegates from Future50 member companies, representing sectors from computing to catering and energy to education, including UEA alumni company Lambda Films, and Iceni Diagnostics, a spinout company based on the research of Professor David Russell, from the School of Chemistry.
UEA Vice-Chancellor Prof David Richardson opened the event, speaking of the part that UEA plays in helping the region’s growth and how businesses help the University to develop its entrepreneurial activities.
Keynote speaker Josephine Fairley, co-founder of Green & Black’s, spoke about her business journey, and the ethical side of entrepreneurship, explaining how “doing good is good for business”.
Robert Jones, Brand Consultant at Wolff Olins and UEA visiting professor (who established the popular Brand Leadership Masters course) gave delegates an insight into how to develop a successful brand and integrate it into all activities.
Lynn Walters, founding director of Pure Resourcing Solutions, spoke on the importance of recruiting and retaining the right people for the job and the organisation, emphasising diversity, succession planning and creating an engaged workforce as key success factors.
Martyn Jackson, Group CEO of Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation Services Group, shared his experiences of transforming a business facing collapse, into a successful and profitable one overcoming people management issues and difficult decisions.
Check out an overview of the event here.
Future50 recognises Norfolk and Suffolk’s most innovative companies, seeking out the region’s ‘ones to watch’ and driving to accelerate their growth ambitions through business advice, networking opportunities and access to grant funding. The programme is funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, and delivered by Nwes and Archant, with partners Barclays, Birketts, Lovewell Blake and UEA adding ongoing support throughout.
Future50 is one of several business initiatives in the region that UEA supports. To find out more about opportunities for collaboration, visit www.uea.ac.uk/business.