Today marks a historic occasion as the Midlands King’s Awards Network (MKAN) convenes for the first time at the University of Birmingham. This event brings together leading businesses from across the region representing over £7bn in turnover and £294m of investment.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise is recognised as the highest honour for a UK business. The Midlands is home to more King’s Awards recipients over the past five years than any other region outside London and the South East, highlighting how the region stands at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurial excellence. The Assembly symbolises a powerful coming together of many of these pioneering businesses, setting a new standard for collaboration in pursuit of economic growth across the region.
The Midlands King’s Awards Network, convened by the Midlands Engine Partnership in collaboration with regional Lord-Lieutenants and government partners, represents a groundbreaking initiative. It aims to harness the collective power of the region’s most successful enterprises, driving investment, economic growth and social mobility – a testament to the thriving ecosystem of innovation and enterprise that defines the Midlands. Today at the event, the region underlines its position as a beacon of excellence, showcasing the transformative impact of its businesses on the local and global stage.
Sir John Peace, Chairman of the Midlands Engine Partnership, commented on the significance of the event:
“The Midlands King’s Awards Network Assembly is a landmark event that brings together some of the region’s most innovative minds. With over 180 King’s Awards for Enterprise received by Midlands businesses in the past five years—the highest number outside London and the South East—this Assembly and the Network it results in will serve as a powerful platform to build on the region’s successes. The collaboration fostered here today has the potential to unlock significant opportunities for growth and prosperity across the Midlands.”
The Assembly’s programme includes a series of dynamic panel discussions and interviews, each aligned with the Midlands Engine Partnership’s drivers for inclusive economic growth – Investment, Business, Innovation, International Trade, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity.
These discussions, featuring numerous award-winning businesses from across the Midlands, are designed to inspire and enable new collaborations that will drive investment and growth and unlock greater opportunities for the region.
Keynote speakers, such as Edwina Dunn OBE, Jenny Tooth OBE and the CEO of the British Business Bank Louis Taylor will share their insights, contributing to an event that is connecting our region’s brightest businesses with regional business investors, and is a catalyst for future growth.