Start Up Bromley hosts a business panel to discuss the local and national experience of entrepreneurs in the U.K

About this event

The Start Up Bromley Business Week will run Monday 14 March – Saturday 19 March and will include: workshops, a business panel and the Business Pitch Competition Final. Ending the week will be the Spring Marketplace at Contingent Works on Saturday 19 March (11:00 – 16:00).

Taking place on the fourth floor of Bromley Central Library.

About the Business Panel.

The event will begin with the premiere of the Start Up Bromley Film (filmed and edited by Patrick Bowyer) which highlights the activities of Start Up Bromley since its launch in early 2021.

We are excited to announce Emily Maitlis, Award Winning Journalist and Broadcaster who will moderate a panel of diverse business owners from the London Borough of Bromley, who will talk about their business experiences and journeys, alongside a David Smith, The Economics Editor for the Sunday Times.

Emily Maitlis is one of the top 50 most influential people in Britain (GQ Magazine) and the lead presenter on primetime TV. She co-hosts the hugely presented podcast Americast, and was named the Network Presenter of the Year at the RTS Television Journalist Awards in 2019 and 2020.

Panel includes:

David Smith – Economics Editor of The Sunday Times

David Smith is Economics Editor of The Sunday Times, as well as the paper’s Assistant Editor and Policy Advisor, and a regular contributor to CBI’s Business Voice and a speaker at conferences and business events on the UK economy and Brexit.

David has worked for the Sunday Times since 1989 having started his career as an Economic Report Writer for Lloyds Bank, before moving to the Henley Centre in a forecasting role.

He moved into journalism, writing on Business and Economics for Now! Magazine and Financial Weekly before becoming Economics Correspondent of The Times in 1984.

He went across to The Sunday Times in 1989 as Economics Editor and is now also their Policy Advisor and Assistant Editor. He writes a weekly column and is chief leader-writer. He also writes columns for the CBI’s Business Voice, Tax Journal, Professional Investor, British Industry and The Manufacturer.

A successful author, his book Free Lunch is described as a smart and witty introduction to economics, while The Age of Instability sets the near collapse of the international financial markets and the banking system in a global and historical context.

His last book “Something Will Turn Up: Britain’s economy, past, present, and future” was published in July 2015.

He is a Visiting Professor at the University of Wales and was a Winner of the Harold Wincott, Senior Financial Journalist of the year award

Panel includes Start Up Bromley Members;

Rene Perkins – Co-Founder of CityMaaS

Rene Perkins, CA MSc BA(hon), top 50 BAME founder under 50, has been invited to speak in companies including Amazon, Institute of Directors, Wavemaker Global and Red Bull. She is a serial entrepreneur dedicated to using technology for solving the most pressing problems of society and the environment and has been invited to No.10 Downing Street in recognition for her contribution to tech for good.

CityMaaS is an award-winning inclusive technology company based in London, established to address the needs of disabled people, their friends, and families globally, whilst assisting the public and private sector, especially local businesses to be inclusive and to tap into the £274bn spending power and growth opportunity. We use machine learning and data on Mobility Map Platform, Assist Me plugin, and AWARE to enable independent living offline and online. CityMaaS is funded and supported by the public and private sectors. We have helped many past and existing clients such as Oxford County Council, Valpi bus in Portugal, and PWC India.

Lauretta Wright – Publisher of Life in.. Magazines

Lauretta is publisher at Life In…Magazines and editor of Life In Orpington and Life In Bromley, which are published monthly. The community magazines carry the tag line ‘Inspiring The Community One Page At A Time’ and aim to celebrate local people, encourage residents to shop local and focus on positive news throughout the Bromley borough.

Neil Mitchell – Co-founder of Ollie Polly Play Cafe

Ollie Polly Play Cafe is where families can relax and enjoy some wholesome food while their children play, laugh and learn together. We started with two successful pop-up café in local spaces in Beckenham before finding our first high street location in West Wickham.

Start Up Bromley is operated by GLL on behalf of Bromley Council and provides support to aspiring entrepreneurs and new businesses in the borough of Bromley.