Networking Breakfast: Make new contacts before the day even starts…
Posted: 29 April 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 10 Years, 2015, 2020, awards, B2B, business, Event, excellence, Exhibition, KCC, keiba, Kent, Kent County Council, KM Group, LIVE, may, Vision Leave a commentStart your day with a delicious cooked breakfast and begin networking before Kent 2020 Vision LIVE even opens – by joining senior representatives from many of the county’s leading organisations for a special event hosted by Kent County Council.
At the Kent 2020 Networking Breakfast, visitors and exhibitors can fuel up for the busiest day of the Kent business year, whilst making new contacts and hearing first-hand about the latest initiatives for maximising the potential of young people by developing essential skills for an increasingly diverse economy.
Speakers include Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council, Paula Wilkinson from Absols Ltd, Mark Duerden from Beyond Local, KAFEC, KATO and others – plus a chance to find out how you can get involved with one of KCC’s grant-assisted Apprenticeship schemes to help build skilled resources for the whole business community.
The Networking Breakfast runs from 7.30am to 9am and places cost just £20 + VAT per person – including cooked breakfast, tea / coffee, juices and great company!
Click here for more information or download the booking form here.
KEiBA finalists to be announced at Kent’s leading B2B event
Posted: 28 April 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 10 Years, 2015, 2020, awards, B2B, business, Event, excellence, Exhibition, KCC, keiba, Kent, Kent County Council, KM Group, LIVE, may, Vision 1 CommentCome along to the lunchtime keynote at Kent 2020 Vision LIVE to hear which companies have made the final shortlist for this year’s prestigious KEiBA Awards, to be announced at 1pm on 13th May by Mark Dance, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development at Kent County Council.
KEiBA – Kent Excellence in Business Awards is an awards scheme staged and produced by Kent County Council and KM Media Group to recognise and reward excellence in Kent’s businesses.
There are four areas of business excellence recognised through the KEiBA scheme
- General Business – business recognised for success qualified by the scale of their business
- Sector Specific – business success in certain sectors that are central or of growing importance to Kent’s economy
- Business Operations – recognising success in specific areas of business management or operations
- People – recognising an individual’s contribution to success in business and acknowledging young achievers
This year, a record 319 entries were received from all over the county, which are now being subjected to a rigorous judging process before the finalists are revealed at Kent 2020 next month.
The winners will then be unveiled at a high profile Awards Ceremony Gala Evening on Thursday 25th June, showcasing local Kent businesses that are truly excellent at what they do.
> DON’T MISS OUT:
Register now for Kent 2020 Vision LIVE to hear the finalists announced live at 1pm on 13th May
For information about exhibiting at Kent 2020 Vision LIVE – call Tom Healing or Emily Taylor at Revolution Events on 01892-820930.
What has KCC ever done for business?
Posted: 4 March 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 2013, 2020, April, B2B, BSK, Centre, CiC, connected, Council, County, Event, exek, Exhibition, expansion, grow for it, growth, high growth kent, innovation, KCC, keiba, Kent, KM, LIVE, locate in kent, mark dance, markets, open for business, opportunities, opportunity, prize, produced in kent, tiger, uk, Vision, visit kent Leave a comment“So what has Kent County Council ever done for businesses in Kent?” That was the question put to me by a businessman at a recent event. I took a deep breath and let him have it with both barrels – for about twenty five minutes. After which, he responded “Oh, quite a lot then!” And with that understatement he turned and walked away with his ears still ringing from my reply….
Well, he asked.
I will not bore you with all the detail but having reviewed my answer, I too was surprised by just how much KCC has worked with and for Kent businesses over the past few years. When you are so close to it all the time, you sometimes forget just how much has been achieved.
Let me give you just a taster of the projects I mentioned, both big and small:
> £35 million gained from the Government to deliver interest free loans to businesses via the Expansion East Kent (ExEK) Project, coupled with the Grow for It Campaign to encourage businesses to move to the area and grow.
> £20 million gained from the Government to deliver interest-free loans to businesses in the Thames Gateway via the TIGER project (and we are looking to apply for a fund for a third area, this time in West Kent).
> Working with High Growth Kent and other partners to encourage the rapid growth of prestige businesses and encourage Incubator programmes and Start-Ups throughout the breadth of the County.
> Working with Visit Kent, Produced in Kent and others to grow the tourism and food production agendas for Kent and encourage visitors and opportunities for local kent businesses.
> Kent Thameside and Ebbsfleet Quarry area has long been an area requiring investment. We have worked with partners to unlock that potential, including with the developers arising out of the exciting recent announcement that Paramount Studios are looking to invest and build in that area.
> We have held “Sector Conversations” to listen to the businesses involved in industries such as Low Carbon, Construction, Food Production, Health & Social Care, Creative, Manufacturing and Digital. By so doing we have been able to identify issues and blockages and provide a lobbying route to Government for change.
> Our partners at Locate in Kent continue to attract quality businesses to Kent and thus employment opportunities for Kent residents. Nearly 6,000 jobs since 2010 and the possibility of upwards of 9,000 more with KCC investing £450,000+ over the next three years in attracting Foreign Direct Investment/International Business.
Looking ahead, I see enormous potential for Kent businesses. We will soon have that elusive international air flight connection in and out of Manston. The Government has promised a result to the consultation on the Third Thames Crossing. We are undertaking a major tourism summit/conference later this month and are looking to highlight the potential for growth and investment in the Romney Marsh area at another event in March.
There are so many other areas we involve ourselves in and we are always proud to do so. For example, two of the marvellous initiatives supported by KCC and other partners are the KEIBA Awards – to identify and celebrate excellent Kent businesses – and the annual Kent 2020 Vision LIVE event next month.
Kent 2020 Vision Live 2013 is the largest business-to-business exhibition in the South East, providing a range of free seminars on current challenges and opportunities, expert advice on how to innovate and grow, inspirational thoughts and ideas on key business issues and a unique opportunity to mix with your peers, senior executives and government advisors. There are special zones focused on specific areas such as Apprenticeships, Low Carbon, Technology and Tourism and of course the opportunity for you to promote your own business.
So who should attend this free-to-attend event? If you are a business person and reading this blog, then the answer is YOU!
It is an event relevant to every sector, from Accountancy and Legal to Travel and Tourism. It is a key place to do business and forge new relationships, pick up new leads and make valuable connections for the future, especially if you decide to take a stand to showcase what your company can offer other Kent businesses.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity as we all strive to prove that KENT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
Visitors can register online at www.kent2020.co.uk to benefit from free entry, priority parking, exclusive previews and a chance to win an iPad Mini.