Anticipation is building ahead of the Kent & Medway Business Summit taking place next month.

The annual event hosted by the University of Kent - which in 2021 is being held virtually due to the pandemic - will allow delegates to attend a collaborative workshop in addition to the main presentations from a host of keynote speakers across the day.

Utilising the Remo virtual platform, workshops on four priority areas will take place from 11am-noon and 12.40-1.40pm on Friday, January 15.

The workshops will be led by experts in their field and allow the sharing of good practice and promote successful cross-sector projects.

The four workshop are:

1. Necessity is the mother of invention: Innovation and productivity in Kent’s local independent food and drink sector – lessons learnt and next steps

This will be chaired by Floortje Hoette, chief executive of Produced in Kent.

Key areas will including funding opportunities for food and drink producers and how they can pivot during the Covid-19 crisis.

Speakers will include Jonathan Parker, CEO of Foodari and Dr Alessia Buscaino of the School of Biosciences at the university.

2. New-collar jobs: Skilling Kent and Medway for our cultural/creative/digital future

Chaired by James Wilkinson, digital skills partnership co-ordinator of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, it will include speakers Lizzie Hodgson of the Re:Gen 2031 advisory board and Creative Estuary project and George Windsor of Tech Nation.

3. Placemaking for Kent and Medway: Shaping our future high streets

Graham Galpin, fellow of the Institute of Place Management will chair what is expected to be a key debate. He will be joined by Mark Robinson, CEO of Ellandi and chairman of the High Street Task Force and Peter Nutting, leader of Shropshire County Council and a partner in the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan.

4. People, Planet, Profit: Our opportunity to create a green economy by building a sustainable infrastructure for Kent and Medway

Chaired by Dr Rufus Howard, chief advisor of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment, other speakers will include David Statham, MD of train firm Southeastern and Emma Toulson from enery company Orsted.

Places at this year's virtual-only event are strictly limited to 400 and cost £10.

Other key speakers at the main presentations will include Roger Gough, leader of Kent County Council; Richard Hicks, deputy chief executive of Medway Council; Dr Roger Barker, head of policy at the IoD; and Gavin Cleary, CEO of Locate in Kent.

To register for you place and full programme details click here.