Exhibition Centre Liverpool is preparing to welcome back the International Business Festival’s third edition for a three-week run.
Thousands of industry professionals from across the UK and around the world are expected to attend the event, which takes place, 12-28 June.
Exhibition Centre Liverpool will be transformed for the occasion into a lively festival arena, created by designer Wayne Hemingway. Key features include a Future Stage with insights from industry experts and influencers; an international marketplace for world-leading ideas, products and services; a knowledge hub where delegates can access practical workshops and an innovation hub where they are able to interact with the latest tech.
Patron of the event, The Duke of Cambridge will visit the venue on 19 June. He follows in the royal footsteps of The Queen, who officially opened Exhibition Centre Liverpool and the adjoining Pullman Liverpool hotel during the previous International Business Festival in June 2016.
Since launching in 2014, the International Business Festival has delivered more than £500m in new deals, £250m of sales and £87m of exports.
Key speakers this year include Cherie Blair CBE, ARM Holdings CEO Simon Segars and Alice Webb, director of BBC Children’s and BBC North. England’s metro mayors, together with mayor of London Sadiq Khan, will gather together during the exhibition.
This year’s event focuses around the key themes of Global Economics, Sustainable Energy, Future Transport, Health and Life Sciences and Creative Industries.
Bob Prattey, chief executive of The ACC Liverpool Group, home to Exhibition Centre Liverpool, Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre, said: “The International Business Festival is a vibrant conference and exhibition which provides a platform for thousands of entrepreneurs to gather together to network, take part in educational sessions, listen to inspirational industry experts and negotiate millions of pounds worth of deals.
“We are proud to once again host the festival and this year’s event promises to look as spectacular and creative as in 2016.
“In addition to the festival, we have several events taking place across the campus at the same time ranging from Uni Global Union World Congress, Airmic, the British Association of Urological Surgeons and the UK Oncology Forum. Meanwhile entertainment events include Katy Perry, The X Factor auditions, Flight of the Conchords and Paul Smith.
“It will be a very busy period for us but the flexibility of our venue means we are able to host a range of different events at the same time.”
Max Steinberg, chair of the International Business Festival, said: “We’re delighted once again to be holding what is the world’s biggest business festival at Exhibition Centre Liverpool. We’re expecting hundreds of innovators, influencers and industry leaders from across the UK and around the world at this year’s event and we couldn’t think of a more perfect venue to host them.”
The International Business Festival is co-funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as part of its remit to support inclusive economic development and investment in the Liverpool City Region.
