As part of its ongoing 10th Anniversary celebrations in each of the four nations of the UK, the Small Business Charter hosted an event at the Cardiff School of Management to celebrate the role of SBC business schools in driving economic growth and supporting small business success in Wales.
The event brought together key figures in government, academia, entrepreneurship, and business groups to address the unique challenges faced by the Welsh economy and explore how support for SMEs can help drive productivity and growth.
The event featured keynote speeches from Welsh Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells and Ben Cottam, Head of Wales, Federation of Small Businesses.
In his opening remarks, Professor David Brooksbank, Senior Dean of Cardiff School of Management welcomed the guests and highlighted the importance of collaboration between business schools and small businesses:
“This evening is about the power of the collective of business school education and this event is a result of three SBC Welsh business schools working together. Small businesses are the engine of growth in our economy, making a difference to our communities and our high streets. Business schools can empower small businesses by listening and offering support. Our SBC business schools also help wider national growth strategies through programmes like Help to Grow: Management.”
In her speech, the Minister for Further and Higher Education praised the role of business schools in supporting small businesses and emphasised their contribution to the Welsh economy:
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to be a part of this celebration. The Small Business Charter demonstrates the role and impact universities can have in working with the business community to share expertise and best practice, unlock leadership potential, and drive productivity and economic growth.
“The Welsh Government are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for small businesses to prosper, and I am so pleased that we have three business schools based in Wales accredited with Small Business Charter status.”
The speech was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Melanie Jones, Professor of Economics at Cardiff Business School, featuring leaders working with SBC-accredited members in Wales, including Ellie Fowler, Director of The Travel Business, Chelsea Davies, COO of CPR Global Tech Ltd, Nirushan Sudarsan, Director of Ffair Jobs, and Katy Thomas, CEO of Mothers Matter.
Panellist Chelsea Davies, COO of CPR Global Tech Ltd, talked about the ongoing relationship with Swansea School of Management and how she and others at the healthcare business are planning to study on Cardiff School of Management’s 20twenty Level 7 leadership course:
"If you're running a business in Wales, talking to a business school should be one of your top priorities. Our relationship with the business schools here in South Wales has been instrumental to the development and growth of CPR Global Tech over several years now. From market access to staff management education, SBC business schools have been on the journey with us every step of the way."
Concluding the event, newly appointed SBC Chair and CEO of Micro-Fresh, Byron Dixon OBE said:
“A special thanks to the team at Cardiff School of Management for hosting this event. A big theme for tonight was persistence and resilience, which is important if you’re running a small business and there’s clearly a lot of it in the room tonight.”
The SBC's tenth anniversary tour will continue to highlight the positive impact that university business schools are having on small businesses and local economies across the UK.
The next event in the tour will be held in Glasgow on Wednesday 2nd April at Barclays Eagle Labs.
