Registration for the 17th annual Heathrow Business Summit, designed to connect SMEs to growth opportunities, opens today with events taking place in October and November.
Local SMEs are being encouraged to register now for the first part of the summit - a series of free networking and advice workshops in October held in each of the five boroughs surrounding the airport. At the events SMEs will hear from the local Chambers of Commerce about how to connect with other local businesses, Heathrow’s procurement team about business opportunities at Heathrow and how to access them, and UKTI about opportunities in emerging markets across the world. Attendees will also hear tips and advice about how to put together a successful tender and how to ‘sell’ their own offering to new business prospects.
Tickets are now also available for the second part of the Heathrow Business Summit, which will take place on 13th November. This one day event will offer SMEs the chance to ‘speed date’ with up to six Heathrow-based national and international businesses that have live business opportunities, as well as networking with up to 60 more businesses that will be showcasing their opportunities on the day. SMEs are advised to book early in order to secure the limited number of fifteen minute long ‘speed meetings’.
The not-for-profit Summit was conceived 17 years ago in recognition of the central role that Heathrow plays in connecting SMEs with new business opportunities through its own supply chain, around the airport and across the world. The aim is to help SMEs better understand where these opportunities lie and how to access them. Since the Heathrow Business Summit began, an estimated £90million in new business has been won by local businesses, as a result of new partnerships forged at the Summit.
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s Development Director, says: ‘Heathrow is the UK’s gateway to the world and plays a pivotal role in connecting SMEs with local, national and international markets. Over 320 businesses operate on the airport and many more, including two thirds of the UK’s top 300 companies, have set up close by to benefit from the airport’s operations. We urge small and medium sized businesses to seize the opportunity to attend the Summit and take advantage of the connections that Heathrow can help them forge.’
Parveen Thornhill, UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) Regional Director for London, says: ‘High growth markets are changing the face of international business and the opportunities for firms to grow faster and create further jobs are immense. This event gives small and medium sized businesses the opportunity to meet buyers and win business. The advice workshops are about doing the preparation. We want companies to access the range of services and support offered by UKTI to help them win business and succeed internationally.’
Heathrow plays a critical role in linking the UK to new, emerging markets with as much as £600bn of trade taking place through Heathrow’s airline networks each year. Earlier this year Heathrow and Asia House produced a series of guides* for SMEs who want to trade with the emerging economies to the East. The guides have been written in collaboration with trade bodies, associations and British Embassies to offer expert tips on business culture, language and market opportunities in eight Asian economies: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
Registration for both events is now open and further information can be found at www.heathrowbusinesssummit.co.uk
Notes to editor:
Businesses wishing to find out more about the Summit can visit www.heathrowbusinesssummit.co.uk, email info@heathrowbusinesssummit.co.uk or call 020 7880 6200.
Media wishing to find out further information can call the Heathrow press office on 020 8745 7224 or email mediacentre@heathrow.com
Supportive quotes:
Gavin Spencer, SME Business Manager of Slough Chambers of Commerce, says: ‘For the last eight years the Slough Chamber of Commerce has been directly involved with the Heathrow Business Summit. The event continues to grow year on year and provides businesses with an excellent platform to meet and engage with a wide cross section of organisations. Most notably members of the Chamber of Commerce have found the annual event to be a valuable opportunity to book a one-to-one appointment with senior procurement officers from leading organisations giving them the opportunity to become a future supplier.’
Stephen Fry, CEO of the Hounslow Chamber of Commerce, says: ‘This is a great way for local companies, especially smaller SMEs, to connect with some of the largest, most successful businesses in the country. Heathrow has worked hard to maintain excellent links with local chambers of commerce. This initiative allows us to work collaboratively to help local SMEs understand how to benefit from having Heathrow at their doorstep. There are tens of thousands of dynamic SMEs and talented independent freelancers in Hounslow and the other boroughs surrounding Heathrow. We are also keen to encourage clustering of micro-enterprises, freelancers and SMEs where this could help secure larger contracts.’
Louise Punter, Chief Executive of Surrey Chambers of Commerce, says: ‘We are really excited at Surrey Chambers about the new format Heathrow Business Summit which gives local businesses a great opportunity to meet potential suppliers and partners as well as opening doors to exporting. Having so many contacts in one place provides a truly cost effective event and we are very happy to support it.’
Annabel Fogden, General Manager, Ealing Chamber of Commerce, says: ‘Heathrow’s Business Summit will enable companies to explore a range of business opportunities, not only in relation to the airport’s activities directly, but also help companies explore the value of looking at overseas markets which are particularly important for helping the British economy to return to growth. The event will allow businesses to network across the boroughs and the Chamber will be encouraging as many Ealing companies to attend as possible.’
Mike Langan, Chairman of Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce, says: ‘Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce is delighted to have been involved with the Heathrow Summit since it started some 17 years ago. During that time many of our members have won business from the event.’
Calendar of events:
October: Free local workshops
- Monday 7th October, 5pm – 7pm – Ealing
- Tuesday 8th October, 5pm – 7pm – Hillingdon
- Wednesday 9th October, 5pm – 7pm – Hounslow
- Thursday 10th October, 5pm – 7pm – Slough
- Monday 14th October, 5pm – 7pm - Spelthorne
November
13th November 2013: Heathrow Business Summit, Thistle London Heathrow Hotel. Tickets are priced at:
- Local borough rate (for businesses based in Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Slough & Spelthorne) - £65
- Regional rate (Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, London) - £165
- National/international- £450
*The guides are available at http://asiahouse.org/business-and-policy/navigating-asian-markets
