The festival is the biggest showcase of British industry since 1951, and was launched at UKTI's British Business Embassy event. On the opening day, delegates heard from high-profile speakers including Lord Livingston, minister of state for trade and investment, Jim O’Neill, former chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management and chair of the City Growth Commission, Ana Botín, chief executive of Santander UK, Lord Heseltine and Sir Terry Leahy.
Speaking in her role as IFB smbassador, Botín said banks, professional services, government and universities have a "shared responsibility" to help UK exports and overcome the challenge of entering new markets. Comprising 300 events and taking place across the north-west of England over 50 days in June and July, IFB is expected to attract more than 250,000 people from 80 countries.
Lord Livingston of Parkhead, minister of state for trade and investment, added: "The UK has a fabulous tradition of innovation. The International Festival for Business sends out a really key message. It reinforces the idea that the UK is a great place to do business, start a business and grow a business.
"Over the next six weeks IFB will highlight the opportunities that exist in the UK, as well as providing concrete exporting opportunities for British companies. If you want to develop your business then you’ve come to the right place."
The British Business Embassy also included a showcase of innovative and iconic inventions, which was on display at St George’s Hall, Liverpool. These included the Triumph Bonneville: the 21st century version of the most iconic Triumph motorbike of all time; the SOKOL space suit worn by Sandra Bullock in Oscar-winning film Gravity, on loan from the Warner Bros Corporate Archive; and Pavegen, an innovative flooring tile that converts kinetic energy from footsteps into renewable electricity, to power applications such as street lighting, advertising displays and communications technology.
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