CEO speaks at Biz Week dinner

Picture shows Julie Bowler of HSBC (left) and her colleague Sarah Heavey (right) with HullBID executive director Kathryn Shillito.

Business, politics and community support will come together when HullBID revives its Inspiring Women dinner as one of the highlights of Humber Business Week.

Language is Everything is a sponsor of the event at The Deep on Thursday June 8 along with HSBC, which also stepped in as the main backer of the 2022 HullBID Awards.

The dinner has been a sell-out every year and demand is again high for a speaker line-up of Language is Everything CEO Carolyn Johnson MBE, Sam Barlow BEM, the founder and Chief Officer of Fitmums and Friends and Janthi Mills-Ward, CEO of Hull Truck Theatre.

Carolyn said she wanted to mark the company’s 30^th anniversary by celebrating the place that inspired her and the people who have made it possible.

Carolyn said: “Sponsoring a business week event seemed fitting, and the Inspiring Women dinner especially so, as Language is Everything has recently been named one of the top three workplaces for women in the UK by Great Place to Work.”

Carolyn added that she wants to share her story in the context of the revival of the Humber region which she believes has been important to the company’s success.

She said: “A thriving regional economy and cultural sector leads to enhanced opportunities, increased business confidence and employees with a positive mindset.”

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID Executive Director, said: “We are thrilled to be able to bring back the HullBID Inspiring Women dinner and to offer such high calibre speakers who have really made an impact in business, politics and the community locally and much further afield.

“We know from the experience of our previous dinners that this is one of the most popular events in the Biz Week programme. It provides a rare opportunity for fun networking and it is certainly inspirational. We’re extremely grateful to HSBC, our event sponsor, and to reception drinks sponsor Language is Everything for their support.”

Julie Bowler, Deputy Head of Corporate Banking South Yorkshire & Humber for HSBC, said: “HSBC are delighted to support Inspiring Women as part of Biz Week 2022, showing our ongoing commitment and support to the city centre community after the HullBID Awards 2022.

“That was a great evening and we now look forward to celebrating and supporting our local female business owners, directors and managers and meeting them in person at Inspiring Women.”

Kath Lavery, Chair of Humber Business Week, said: “We are thrilled that Biz Week is back in person, face-to-face, alive and glittering and that HullBID is again supporting it with the Inspiring Women dinner.

“It is a great line-up of serious achievers – women who are doing some amazing things in our community and who all have fascinating stories to share.”