Business Week line-up unveiled
BIG HITTER: Björn Ulvaeus
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
Humber Business Week is back – and it’s bigger than ever.
There are over 30 events taking place across the region between Monday, June 3 and Friday, June 7– and more being added all the time.
A strong theme this year is anniversaries with Biz Week itself celebrating 20 years, Smailes Goldie Group reaching 125 years, Andrew Jackson Solicitors 150 years, and KCOM and Hull City AFC both 120 years.
In addition, Bondholders are 30-years-old this year and Hull University Business School is celebrating its 25th birthday.
We’ve picked out some highlights from the programme, and we’ve also got two tips. One – don’t worry about clashes. With so much going on, they’re inevitable. Two: Don’t forget to set your OOO – out of office!
Events are filling up fast and two already have the “house full” signs up. That’s the Biz Week dinner at the University of Hull, which is invitation only, and The Business Day at Bridlington Spa.
The last of the tickets were snapped up weeks ago to hear Björn Ulvaeus talk about the creation of ABBA Voyage, leadership, entrepreneurship, and more.
You can register for the sessions you want to attend at the official website at humberbusinessweek.co.uk/.
Biz Week programme
UNIQUE IDENTITY: The Bondholders’ Let’s Talk Place event at last year’s Biz Week
Unveiling the Humber Placebrand
Monday 8.30am-10.30am, MKM Stadium
Opening Biz Week with a bang, Future Humber reveals a key aspect of the future of the Humber – a unique identity for our place. Hundreds of individuals, businesses and other organisations have fed their ideas into the research and Wayne Hemingway MBE, of award-winning HemingwayDesign, will unveil the outcome. It’s about our region’s potential, it’s a call for collective action to shape our community, and it’s bound to be the hot topic of discussion.
Humber Business Week Lunch
Monday 12pm-3.30pm, MKM Stadium.
The Humber Business Week lunch is all about business and nothing else, making it the premier networking event of the year for business professionals in the Humber region. This year's lunch brings the launch of a new initiative from HEY Creative to better connect businesses across the region with the power of creativity. The Humber Business Week Lunch starts at 12 noon. Tickets are £50 + VAT or you can book tables of 10 at £500 + VAT.
VENUE: Bustling Paragon Arcade
Street Food Supper Club
Monday 4pm-8pm, Paragon Arcade.
It’s a first for Biz Week as the Monday Night Supper Club takes to the streets as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations. Join some of the regulars from the club and members of Hull Young Professionals in the wonderful Paragon Arcade. You’ll find the arcade full of seating, music, food, drink, entertainment and vibes! Eventbrite registration is free and the businesses will be open selling some of the city’s best food and drink.
CATCH Double-header
EDIB Conference: Let’s be Remarkable
Tuesday 10am-12.30pm
Understanding Biodiversity Net Gain in the Humber
Wednesday 9.30am-12.30pm
On Tuesday the CATCH team will draw on the work of their Equity, Diversity Inclusivity and Belonging network to share facts from topics they have covered from allyship and gender equality, to inclusive company policies to banter versus bullying.
Wednesday’s session is all about the huge period of change which the Humber region faces as we transition our critical industrial heritage and infrastructure to a lower carbon future.
Both events take place at CATCH, Redwood Park Estate, Stallingborough.
Chamber Expo
Tuesday 10am-4pm, Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, Willerby.
The Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce returns with its big event of the year. Headline attractions include the Ministry of Defence, 150 Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corp and the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Yorkshire and The Humber. Also on the agenda is the Chamber’s second International Trade Conference, plus trade stands from businesses across the region.
CAREER IN TECH: Ragini Annan
Elevenses
Tuesday 11am-12pm, Sewell Studio.
Biz Week founder Paul Sewell launched Elevenses in 2021. This year he will sit down for a natter with Ragini Annan, who was born in India and arrived in the UK via Uganda in the 1970s. Ragini will talk about her career in tech with Mitch Kapor’s Lotus start-up and with Steve Jobs on the launch of Macintosh. She’ll also talk about how the Vedic culture helped her deal with personal and professional disasters.
SPEAKER: Sarah Young
Embracing Excellence
Tuesday 2pm-4pm, MKM Stadium.
Rollits LLP presents a session aimed at exploring the importance of staff engagement in continuing professional development and lifelong learning. Organisations must recognise that by providing such opportunities, businesses foster a more skilled and adaptable workforce and cultivate a competitive edge. Led by managing partner Ralph Gilbert, head of education Caroline Hardcastle, and Sarah Young, founder of the Young + education consultancy, the event will examine the transformative gains that a culture of learning can bring for employees and the organisation as a whole.
It’s Question Time for businesses on the Humber
Wednesday 8am-10am, Andrew Jackson offices, Marina Court.
Mark Pearson-Kendall, managing partner of host Andrew Jackson Solicitors, marks the firm’s 150-year milestone by introducing a session chaired by Dave Laister, newly appointed director at Fred Marketing. Panellists include Simon Green, chief executive of Humber Freeport; Jo Barnes, managing director of Sewell Group; Diana Taylor, managing director of Future Humber and James Doyle, group managing Director of J.R Rix.
STORY: Kay Williams, left, and Helen Roberts
Talented women
Wednesday 9.30am-11am, The Edge Hub.
Since the launch of their Talented Women Programme in 2020, Helen Roberts and Kay Williams have been helping women identify and harness the power of their own stories. Here they will try and bring elements of their two-day programme to life to a wider audience. It’s not just for women – it’s for anyone who wants to take a moment off life’s rollercoaster and think about their story.
LSIP Quarterly Forum
Wednesday 1.30pm-4.30pm, Hull College.
The Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) has partnered with Hull College for an event which will focus on technical skills and educational teaching professionals. The session will bring together employers, training providers and stakeholders to update on the key activities being undertaken collaboratively across the region, gain employer views and input on key skills issues, and provide a platform for you to share your views on the skills that matter for you and your business.
Inspiring People dinner
Wednesday 6.45pm-10.30pm.
HullBID again assembles a trio of top speakers, all well known in business but each with a very different day job. Natasha Barley is the CEO of the Sailors’ Children’s Society, a Hull-based national charity supporting families of seafarers in times of crisis. Paul Anderson became Chief Constable of Humberside in 2023 and has been an officer for over 33 years. David Kilburn CBE founded MKM in 1995, alongside close friend Peter Murray, and has grown the business to more than 100 branches across the UK. Priority will be given to businesses located within the Hull BID area but tickets may be available for non-members.
Hull Business Breakfast
Thursday 8am-10.30am, Guildhall.
Hull City Council and other agencies will welcome guests to the Hull Business Breakfast as they showcase the help and support available to businesses. The event will also feature an update on devolution and the supply chain network, and local businesses will talk about their experiences accessing support. The presentations will be followed by marketplace style networking in the banqueting hall.
EVENT: Hull University Business School
HUBS Double-header
Leadership Labs
Thursday, 12pm-3pm
25th Anniversary event
Thursday, 3pm-5pm
Hull University Business School (HUBS) hosts back-to-back events on Thursday. The Leadership Labs are a set of workshops offering an experiential component on broad managerial and leadership perspectives, from early managers, middle manager and through to senior and executive management. The 25th anniversary of HUBS will be marked with an event which invites you to join partners, alumni, businesses and staff to celebrates its impact and success.