The South West Region of the IoD is one of the most active in the UK, with some 3000 members spread across 6 Branches covering Bath & Wiltshire, Bristol, Devon & Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Somerset.
IoD South West is renowned for its programme of inspirational and valuable business events including company visits, business breakfasts and lunches, entrepreneurs dinners and local business networking.
We are extremely grateful to our Committee Members who make IoD South West events possible and undertake Branch activities.
The 2012 Entrepreneurs Dinner and Director of the Year Awards will take place on Wednesday 30 May at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel. Our guest speaker will be an inspirational entrepreneur from a successful South West family business - Guy Tullberg of the Tracklement Company.
This regional dinner event will also showcase the finalists in the IoD South West Director of the Year Awards who will represent the South West in the IoD National Director of the Year Awards in the autumn.
We are extremely grateful to our Event Sponsor and Award Sponsors as below and look forward to a great evening. We hope you can join us. Further information.
The IoD, China-Britain Business Council and UK Trade & Investment are inviting businesses from the South West of England to attend a comprehensive programme in some of China's most exciting cities. The programme will help you better understand the business environment in these cities as well as establish and expand your business networks. It will include meetings with business leaders and govenment officials, site visits, events, seminars and networking receptions. The visit will be beneficial to companies from all sectors interested in exploring trade and investment opportunities. Further information.
The IoD Board has recently met in Bristol on its annual Away Day. The IoD South West organised a Reception for the Board, attended by some 50 South West members and business leaders, who were keen to talk to the Board about the many challenges and positive opportunities within the South West economy.
This was also the first visit to the area for Simon Walker, the IoD's new Director General who took up his role last week. He outlined the key points from the IoD's Plan for Growth and both he and the Board were hugely impressed by the entrepreneurial and innovative stories from IoD members and businesses in the region.
We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2011 IoD South West Director of the Year Awards. The Winners were announced by IoD Director General Miles Templeman at the South West Evening with Entrepreneurs Dinner on 9 June.
Many Congratulations to them.
Public Sector AwardSandie Foxall-Smith - St Peter's Hospice, Bristol
Young Director AwardMatthew Conridge - Mamka, Exeter
Director of the Year AwardNeil Douglas - Viper Subsea, Bristol
IoD South West saw more then £1800 raised for the NSPCC through a draw at the Evening with Entrepreneurs Dinner in June. IoD South West Director Simon Face said "The NSPCC provide the invaluable ChildLine service and invites businesses to raise the £1600 it costs to fully train a ChildLine Volunteer. We chose NSPCC as our IoD 2011 Charity of the Year and at our Evening with Entrepreneurs Dinner in June we held a draw with that figure as a target. We were delighted to beat the target on the night and thrilled that some of our member companies went on to make their own similar pledge to the NSPCC".
The IoD South West Regional Office and Members' Room are based at The Orchard Street Business Centre, a stunning converted 17th Century merchant's house in Bristol City Centre, very close to the Trenchard Street Car Park.
These fantastic facilities offer a choice of free meeting and work spaces for members and up to 3 guests with WiFi for formal working and the Atrium for more relaxed meetings, with free tea and coffee included.
In addition Orchard Street Business Centre will offer a 15% discount to IoD members on meeting and conference room hire. For more information please click on the Member Facilities tab above.
As a member you are automatically assigned a branch and encouraged to give your views on local issues and take advantage of networking opportunities in your area. All members are welcome to attend events at any branch.
Sarah Roberts Regional Administrator Debra Baker Events Administrator