Future-proof your business
Thur Nov 21st, 2024
alumni National Event 2025 (Save the date)
Join us in March 2025 for the biggest Alumni Network National Event of the year. You can expect to hear from some of the most inspiring leaders in UK business and connect with alumni from across the UK.
Event and registration details will be announced in January 2025.
South-East regional event: London
This event has now ended
Highlighted speakers:
Paul Singh Policy Lead for SMEs, The City of London Corporation, Co-Founder, EEDN
Mark Huxley Founder, Huxley Advisory Limited and Master of the Company of Entrepreneurs
Richard Godfrey Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Rocketmakers
James Routley Chief Operations Officer, Rocketmakers
Ugo Agbai Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Ruka Hair
Carlo Gibbs Chief of Staff to the Small Business Commissioner
In collaboration with the City of London Corporation, join us for our Help to Grow: Management Alumni Network event in London. We’ve gathered an excellent line-up of speakers to help you future-proof your business. Find out how you can use AI to optimise your business operations, listen to techniques to attract, retain and develop employees, and find out how to identify the gaps that will help you grow your business.
What you will get:
- Lessons on strategy and growth from successful entrepreneurs
- A deep dive into AI and how businesses can use it to optimise their productivity
- Tips and tricks on how to attract talent and keep employees engaged
There will also be plenty of opportunities to network and build meaningful and professional connections with fellow Help to Grow: Management Alumni across your region.
Agenda
08:30 Breakfast and registration
09:00 Opening Remarks
Paul Singh, Policy Lead for SMEs, The City of London Corporation, Co-Founder of EEDN
09:10 Conversation café
We will be kickstarting the content with an engaging networking exercise. You’ll receive a set of innovative questions that will encourage you to get to know fellow business leaders, share your journeys and discuss the challenges you’ve faced along the way.
09:30 Keynote address: Lessons from a 40-year entrepreneurial journey
Having founded 11 companies and advised many more over the past 40 years, Entrepreneur, NED, and Non-Executive Chairman Mark Huxley has witnessed the rise and fall of businesses all over the UK. He believes that the path to success is paved with purpose, resilience, and finding your tribe.
In this keynote, Mark will share his thoughts on:
- What makes a ‘good entrepreneur’
- Establishing and communicating your core beliefs
- Invoking and maintaining client loyalty
Join us for this lesson in strategy and mindset.
Mark Huxley, Founder, Huxley Advisory Limited and Master of the Company of Entrepreneurs
10:00 Unlocking the Future: AI Business Masterclass
Join Rocketmakers for an immersive and insightful AI business workshop, where innovation meets practicality.
In the rapidly evolving tech landscape, businesses seek ways to leverage AI’s power to drive growth, efficiency, and competitive advantage. This masterclass is designed to equip participants with the knowledge, tools, and strategies necessary to harness the potential of AI within their organisations.
Whether you’re in the early stages of looking to integrate AI into your product offerings or a digitally established enterprise seeking to optimise operations through automation and predictive analytics, this masterclass offers valuable insights into leveraging AI for your business needs.
Key takeaways:
- AI fundamentals
- Implementation tools and strategies
- Examples of real-world applications
Richard Godfrey, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Rocketmakers
James Routley, Chief Operations Officer, Rocketmakers
11:30 MID-MORNING BREAK
11:50 Employee recruitment, retention, and development panel
It has become increasingly difficult to motivate and retain staff. How can you keep employees engaged without sacrificing productivity?
During this panel discussion, expert practitioners and business leaders will share proven management tools and techniques that nurture talent, improve retention, and increase development.
Key takeaways will include:
- Understanding what employees want and how to adapt
- Innovative and agile strategies to become an employer of choice
- Establishing meaning, flexibility, and trust
- The importance of well-being for productivity
- Effective conflict management
Belinda-Jane Dolan, Chief Executive Officer, The World Happiness Project
Joseph Zeratzion, Leadership and Performance Consultant, Coaching Lens
Charles Rue, Global Head of Recruitment, S&P Global
Charlie Rogers, Founders Associate at The Portfolio Collective and Founder of Undefinable Community
12:30 Keynote address: mind the gap
Ugo started her business Ruka Hair because she noticed that the key players in the market do not listen to their customers. Her vision was to create a company with an agile and responsive approach to meet the needs and wants of its clients.
So far, Ruka has raised over £5 million in venture capital funding and served over 20,000 customers globally.
Join us to hear about Ugo’s incredible growth journey and how SMEs can leverage their size and position, raise capital, and connect with customers to grow their market share.
Ugo Agbai, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Ruka Hair
13:00 KEynote Address: Get Paid on time and in good time
The Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) is an independent public body established under the Enterprise Act 2016 by the government to address late payments and unfavourable payment practices in the private sector. It supports small businesses with fewer than 50 employees struggling with the challenges created by late payments.
In this session, Carlo will share:
- What small businesses can do to ensure they get paid within the contractually agreed timeframes.
- How to have more confidence when contracting with larger businesses.
- What tools, digital programmes, and support are available for small businesses to manage payment related challenges.
Carlo Gibbs, Chief of Staff to the Small Business Commissioner
13:20 Closing remarks
Paul Singh, Policy Lead for SMEs, The City of London Corporation, Co-Founder, EEDN
13:30 Lunch & networking
About our speakers
Paul Singh Policy Lead for SMEs, The City of London Corporation, Co-Founder, EEDN
Mark Huxley Founder, Huxley Advisory Limited and Master of the Company of Entrepreneurs
Richard Godfrey Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Rocketmakers
James Routley Chief Operations Officer, Rocketmakers
Belinda-Jane Dolan Chief Executive Officer, The World Happiness Project
Joseph Zeratzion Leadership and Performance Consultant, Coaching Lens
Charles Rue Global Head of Recruitment, S&P Global
Charlie Rogers Founder, Undefinable Community, Founder's Associate, The Portfolio Collective
Ugo Agbai Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Ruka Hair
Carlo Gibbs Chief of Staff to the Small Business Commissioner
IN COLLABORATION WITH
The City of London Corporation
Resources
Please find follow up links from the speakers below:
- So, What Do You Do? (Substack)
- ‘How to Hybrid Actional Plan’
Our caterers for the day were The Clink Charity. Clink are a social enterprise who train approximately 800 people in prison each year, providing them with City & Guilds qualifications and a full Help, Guidance and Rehabilitation service post-release, for as long as our trainees require it. Find out more
Enquiries
If you have any questions, please get in touch by email at HTGM.Events@smallbusinesscharter.org or contact the Small Business Charter by phone on 020 7634 9584.
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