FOOTBALL boss and TV personality Baroness Karren Brady will be headlining this year’s Hampshire Business Show as it makes a grand return after the pandemic.

The show will return on Thursday, October 14, after the 2020 event had to be postponed because of the Covid crisis.

The event, launched in 2019, has attracted thousands of people to collaborate, network and win new contracts.

Founders Josh Mitchell and Chris Stones said they were determined to bring the show back with impact, with the government’s roadmap out of lockdown expected to see large events go ahead from this summer.

Event director Mr Mitchell said: “The last 12 months have been devastating for the event sector, but we are looking forward to the opportunity to reconnect business leaders from around the region. The show is free to attend and I am looking forward to hearing of new client/supplier relationships as well as the new skills that our delegates acquire from our incredible line up of speakers. It feels good to be back.”

The event at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl is being backed by main event sponsor Paris Smith LLP, a Hampshire-based law firm which also supported the launch of the show in 2019 as the keynote stage sponsor.

Paris Smith’s managing partner Peter Taylor said: “Hampshire is a great place to live and work. It is a county full of opportunities to fulfil its strategic importance to the region and the UK. The successful Solent Freeport Bid, the regional benefits of Southampton’s bid for UK City of Culture 2025, hosting the International Conference for Evolving Cities are just some of the reasons to be optimistic for the future.

“The county has a wonderful mix of business sectors, is rich is creativity, research and development, experience in tech start-ups and innovation. The county is attractive as a place to invest.

“Exciting times are ahead for our region. Paris Smith is delighted to be able to support the Hampshire Business Show. The show provides a platform for business leaders to come together, discuss and debate the key issues, collaborate, and plan a future both for the short term, and for generations to come.”

The show expects more than 1,000 people attend from across the region, the rest of UK and mainland Europe, with more than 100 exhibitors, 17 speakers across three stages and four workshops.

Baroness Brady is current vice-chairman of West Ham United and a former managing director of Birmingham City. She has featured on The Apprentice as an aide to Lord Sugar and was small business ambassador to David Cameron’s government.

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