Green future to be key focus for Kent and Medway Business Summit 2022

The region’s green future will be a key focus of the fifth annual Kent and Medway Business Summit on Friday 14 January 2022.

Hosted by Kent Business School at the University of Kent, the Summit will bring together 400 businesses, key policymakers and leading academics to emphasise regional business opportunity and sustainability, share the latest news from key projects and developments, and hear from speakers such as Councillor Roger Gough (Leader of Kent County Council), Richard Hicks (Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive of Medway Council) and Phil Eckersley (Bank of England).

The 2022 Summit, which takes place at the University’s Canterbury campus, will focus on sustainable innovation and opportunities for Kent and Medway businesses to move towards net zero in line with the nation’s net zero targets by 2050.

Interactive collaborative workshops will facilitate debate on vital business topics including productivity, place-making and skills, all contributing to a route map for the region’s future. Focus on regional potential will be informed by London Resort, Visit Kent and Creative Estuary.

Dr Catherine Robinson, Deputy Dean of Kent Business School, will speak on building resilience and increasing productivity in the SME supply chain. Additionally, Simon Barnes, Funding & Partnership Development Manager in the University’s Research and Innovation Services will discuss hydrogen’s future role in Kent and if it can supply 20% of energy needs by 2050.

The Summit offers the chance for business large and small across multiple sectors to contribute to the debate shaping the future of the county, talking directly to key stakeholders and decision makers.

Professor Marian Garcia, Dean of Kent Business School, said: ‘As we start to emerge from the effects of the global pandemic, we have an extraordinary opportunity to create an exciting and sustainable future for our region.

‘The Kent and Medway Business Summit is an opportunity to come together, virtually or face-to-face, to debate and plan for our future and move towards net zero carbon emissions.

‘We look forward to providing this platform for collaboration between business of all size and in all sectors with leading academics and local authority leaders.’

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, the format of next year’s January event is still under review by the School and its partners. These include the Federation of Small Business, Institute of Directors and Locate in Kent and the Kent Messenger group.

To book your place at the Summit, click here: https://kenthospitality.kent.ac.uk/Register/registerforKBS2022 or go to www.kent.ac.uk/KBS and click on events.