The former chief financial officer of clothes retailer SuperDry will be the opening big-name speaker at the largest regional business event in the UK.

Chas Howes will tell how he increased the company’s turnover from £41 million to £314 million when he takes to the stage at Kent Vision Live.

The finance and strategy expert – who also worked at Fosters Group, Allied Domecq and Diageo – will talk about growing the fashion retailer from a handful of stores to some 200 outlets in more than 40 countries.

The session is the first announced for Kent Vision Live, formerly Kent 2020.

The event attracts more than 300 exhibitors and 3,000 attendees each year to the Kent Event Centre in Detling.

Later in the day, marketing pioneer Louise Fowler will give tips on customer experience learned from her time with British Airways, Barclays and First Direct.

The show will also feature free seminars for entrepreneurs, managers, business strategists and start-ups.

This is the first Kent Vision Live since the rights to host it were taken over by Pembury-based events company Revolution Events last year.

Joint managing director Rich Tribe said: “Following our acquisition of the Kent 2020 brand last year, we are aiming to add as much value as possible to the overall visitor proposition, to consolidate the event’s position as clear market leaders.

“Hence our programme for May will now include sessions that will appeal to all levels of decision-maker in businesses of all shapes and sizes: from entrepreneurial founders, CEOs and managing directors to the divisional managers, department heads and functional specialists that often control significant budgets within the company.”

Kent Vision Live takes place on Wednesday, May 11.