Insider Digitial Economy Breakfast

Victoria Tomlinson a BBC expert woman on social media, business and education, Victoria is also a speaker and trainer in strategic B2B social media and has written a number of ebooks on how to apply social media – for businesses, will be speaking at this event and is also sitting on the expert panel.

With a renewed focus on growing the creative and digital industries in the region, Insider is supporting the launch of CDi PrintYorkshire by staging a special breakfast debate.

CDi PrintYorkshire – the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) initiative for developing an integrated Creative and Digital Industries (CDI) sector – is working with the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership to promote the Business Growth Programme.

The organisation has been tasked with identifying and encouraging businesses across the sector to apply for funds and seek support. Businesses will be able to apply for grants ranging from £10,000 to £1m, up to 20 per cent of a project’s value.

This debate will bring together top digital and technology businesses, investors, advisors and public sector experts and will open with a panel discussion with leaders from across the industry tackling the big issues facing Yorkshire.

The discussion will be followed by a question and answer session with the head of the newly-created CDI Print Yorkshire, Robert McClements, giving those in the audience an insight into how he will grow and develop the sector while also helping to influence his plans for the future.

Developing unique online marketing strategies, promoting digital brands, finding new ways to interact with customers and helping traditional businesses to add value at every level, the creative and digital industry has the potential to help grow every key sector across Yorkshire.

However, the development of the sector is not without its challenges. Access to finance and skills remain tricky, while the infrastructure needed for growth needs urgent attention.

This debate will tackle the challenges we face in positioning ourselves at the forefront of the digital revolution. We will look at investor appetite, international trade and investment options, funding sources and, crucially, aim to establish how we can ensure the creative and digital sector will be at the heart of the regional economy for years to come.