Highland business week plan revealed
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE first Highland Business Week will be held later this year.
Two major events in the form of an enhanced Highland spotlight exhibition and an inaugural awards lunch will be staged at the Drumossie Hotel, in Inverness, during the week, running from September 23 to 27.
Inverness Chamber of Commerce is the driving force behind the event, which will include a range of other elements.
Working in co-operation with other Chambers of Commerce across the region, each chamber will be hosting parts of the event in their own area to ensure week meets the needs of the region’s business communities.
It is expected to include networking breakfasts, training sessions and business lectures.
A full programme of fixtures is being developed with details to be announced over the summer.
Stewart Nicol, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, which will host the spotlight and awards, has been involved in developing the event for several months.
“The Highlands is an exciting place in which to do business and I am delighted to be working with fellow Chambers of Commerce to celebrate all that our member businesses have achieved,” he said.
“It is also immensely rewarding to be able to provide an exciting range of events and opportunities aimed specifically at improving the business performance of our members.”
Following on from the successful relaunch of the spotlight business-to-business exhibition last year, an enhanced version will be held on 24th September. There will also be seminars aimed at attracting visitors.
Two days later a new awards lunch will celebrate the achievements of the region’s business community, where several regional prizes are set to be up for grabs. Large and small companies will be eligible to enter with an overall business award also due to be at stake.
Business lectures at the University of Highlands and Islands might also take place as part of the week.
“Working with organisations such as UHI, we will be seeking to deliver events which strengthen partnership working between the public and private sectors across the Highlands,” Mr Nicol added.
Scottish Provincial Press (SPP), the Ross-shire Journal's parent company, is the media partner for the business week.
“It is important to support all our local businesses in as many ways as we can,” said Keith MacKay, SPP’s advertising director.
“Those that have been resilient enough to survive the troubling wider economic climate deserve the opportunity to be celebrated, especially when doom and gloom always seems to grab the headlines.
“We hope the business community across the Highlands and Moray are intrigued by what we are planning and will want to be a part of something I’m sure will be very special.
“Businesses across the area are the heart and soul of their community, much like their local newspaper, and we hope by working together on this it will strengthen all of those bonds.”
For more information contact Inverness Chamber of Commerce on: 01463 718131.
