A host of high profile North East business leaders have joined the line up for the Sunderland Business Festival.
The business festival will take place in a series of events across the city, including talks, workshops and a jobs fair, from October 12 to 14. Washington-born entrepreneur Heather Mills has become the latest to sign up for the three-day event, where she will talk about the growth of her plant based food and cosmetics businesses.
Ms Mills became a vegan in 1993, believing it would aid her recovery following the amputation of her left leg, and she has since created her own company VBites as part of her mission to help people maintain a sustainable plant based food diet. VBites has grown to become one of the world’s largest manufacturers of meat, fish and dairy free foods, currently sold across 24 countries.
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Last year the firm committed to the creation of more than 300 North East jobs at its Peterlee site, on the back of a multimillion-pound partnership with German food giant Pfeifer & Langen Industrie und Handels KG.
Ms Mills will outline the growth of VBites, the creation of her vegan algal oil business and vegan make up range as well as her life in general at an event at 1719, Sunderland’s former Holy Trinity Church, on October 13, at 11am.
Meanwhile, Dame Irene Hays, the chair and owner of Hays Travel, which she ran with her late husband John, will be discussing her life and career as part of the festival. Hays Travel came to national prominence after acquiring Thomas Cook’s retail estate in 2019 and is now the UK’s largest independent travel agent.
Dame Irene had a long and successful career in local government, as chief executive of both Sunderland and South Tyneside local authorities, and she also worked in Westminster as a director general at the Department of Communities and Local Government and non-executive board member at the Department for Education.
She said: “It will be a real pleasure to support the Sunderland Business Festival and to welcome an audience to our head office in Keel Square.”
Dame Irene will be speaking at Hays Travel’s Sunderland Headquarters on October 12, at 3.30pm.
Fulwell73’s managing partner Leo Pearlman and UK CEO Johnny Moore will also be at the festival to discuss the company’s future plans to put Sunderland and the North East at the forefront of the UK’s film and media industry. The company, which made shows such as The Late Late Show With James Corden, Friends: The Reunion, Carpool Karaoke and Sunderland Til I Die, will be at the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s on October 12, from 1pm.
SAFC sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and chief operating officer Steve Davison will be hosting a talk-in at the Stadium of Light on October 13. The ‘Business of Football’ event will see the pair talk about what it takes to run a football club and how solid foundations are the key to success both on and off the pitch.
Mr Davison said: “Much has changed at the football club over the last year, in particular our promotion to the Championship, and we also recognise that the business of football is evolving all of the time. We will be sharing more about our current plans, but will also provide insight into longer term changes, as well as discussing how our club fits within the ambitious plans for the city. We look forward to sharing our insights and will welcome questions from attendees.”
Sunderland Business Festival ran for the first time last year, as part of moves to inspire enterprises across the North East. This year’s event will also include expert presentations, panel discussions, ‘on the sofa’ discussions with industry leaders and a meet the buyer event. The festival is being organised by Sunderland Business Partnership.
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