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Mortimer Spinks at the 2009 CBI Conference

On Monday 23rd November 2009 Harvey Nash PLC, Mortimer Spinks' parent company, was again proud to headline sponsor the CBI Annual Conference. Once a year the CBI and Harvey Nash bring together the UK's top political and business leaders to debate the most important issues facing the business community.

2009 has been a year of great change, of drastic headline and unprecedented Government intervention in the private sector. In the economic storm that we have witnessed this year the banks have been propped up as many other businesses failed.

Business leaders have been at the eye of this storm, working to secure the future of their organisations as the markets were battered by worse and worse economic news. It is these business leaders that have gathered at the CBI Conference to question the Prime Minister, the opposition leader and the CEOs of some of the world's biggest businesses and to ask - "what next?"

The theme of the conference was 'routes to recovery' and Harvey Nash was well positioned to take the lead in this discussion after the release of our Employment Trends Survey that was produced with the CBI the week before the conference.

In the survey it was outlined that never before had employers and employees worked so closely together to survive an economic downturn. Pay cuts, the absence of bonuses as well as the introduction of more flexible and part time working were introduced for executives and workers alike.

While the recession has been incredibly painful for many, the scale of the pain could have been far worse if this cooperation hadn't existed. Harvey Nash went into the conference predicting a continued thaw in the recruitment freeze that had hit UK companies but warning that senior executives needed to maintain their restraint on executive pay to support the stability of a very fragile economic recovery.

The first keynote speaker at the CBI Conference was a world leader in global financial markets. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund outlined the complexities faced in a global financial system where weakness in one area can have wide ranging consequences.

After a dose of international financial realism it was the turn of the three political leaders from the UK to convince the audience that the worst was over. Harvey Nash CEO Albert Ellis was fortunate enough to meet privately with both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative Leader David Cameron before they addressed the audience. It was clear that both politicians were here to set out their business agenda ahead of a General Election next year.

Gordon Brown and David Cameron clashed on the issue of public debt, where borrowing has reached record highs as business investment has plummeted. After the speeches it was the chance of the audience to ask tough questions of both leaders as well as leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg.

The mood of the businessmen and women who grilled the politicians was sombre rather than angry. Skills of a post recession workforce and the availability of jobs were two topics that received a significant amount of attention. Many business leaders wanted to know how the policies of the main parties were designed to reduce unemployment.

Albert Ellis asked David Cameron how his party, if they won the general election, would breathe confidence back into the business community and make the UK more attractive to investors both domestically and internationally.

The answer was comprehensive; things need to change, power needs to be devolved from Central Government and regulation needs to be eased to enable entrepreneurs to do what the do best, create opportunity, wealth and jobs.

The political leaders were followed by lunch where Harvey Nash hosted a VIP session for senior clients and audience members. The lunch was addressed by CBI President Helen Alexander who gave participants the opportunity to ask her directly on some of the CBI priorities in representing the UK business community as the recession evolves into a recovery.

The afternoon session and panel debate was led by senior executives from some of the world's most recognisable companies. Jeffrey Kindler, Chief Executive of Pfizer Inc who was joined by Chris Hyman, Chief Executive of Serco Group plc, Sir Stuart Rose, CEO of Marks & Spencer and Stephen Hester, Chief Executive of Royal Bank of Scotland.

Their discussion focused on how they had led large businesses through the recession and they were asked a number of questions by the audience about the tactics they had adopted in the last 12 months.

The conference was closed by Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General and Lord Turner, Chairman of the Financial Services Authority who undertook a forensic examination of the UK financial regulatory environment and what the business community could expect to see in a post recession world.

At the end of a very busy day Harvey Nash had commented a number of times in the media about the impact of the recession on employment, skills and the recruitment industry. We had witnessed a strong debate from the country's leaders on its future direction and we had questioned them directly on the role of British business in the world where "a new normal" means lower growth, restrained pay and a more cautious approach.

2010 will be a very different year (we hope!) and the 2010 CBI Conference will require a new approach as we face post recession opportunities and challenges.


 Mortimer Spinks
 

 

 

 

Mortimer Spinks at the 2009 CBI Conference

On Monday 23rd November 2009 Harvey Nash PLC, Mortimer Spinks' parent company, was again proud to headline sponsor the CBI Annual Conference. Once a year the CBI and Harvey Nash bring together the UK's top political and business leaders to debate the most important issues facing the business community.

2009 has been a year of great change, of drastic headline and unprecedented Government intervention in the private sector. In the economic storm that we have witnessed this year the banks have been propped up as many other businesses failed.

Business leaders have been at the eye of this storm, working to secure the future of their organisations as the markets were battered by worse and worse economic news. It is these business leaders that have gathered at the CBI Conference to question the Prime Minister, the opposition leader and the CEOs of some of the world's biggest businesses and to ask - "what next?"

The theme of the conference was 'routes to recovery' and Harvey Nash was well positioned to take the lead in this discussion after the release of our Employment Trends Survey that was produced with the CBI the week before the conference.

In the survey it was outlined that never before had employers and employees worked so closely together to survive an economic downturn. Pay cuts, the absence of bonuses as well as the introduction of more flexible and part time working were introduced for executives and workers alike.

While the recession has been incredibly painful for many, the scale of the pain could have been far worse if this cooperation hadn't existed. Harvey Nash went into the conference predicting a continued thaw in the recruitment freeze that had hit UK companies but warning that senior executives needed to maintain their restraint on executive pay to support the stability of a very fragile economic recovery.

The first keynote speaker at the CBI Conference was a world leader in global financial markets. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund outlined the complexities faced in a global financial system where weakness in one area can have wide ranging consequences.

After a dose of international financial realism it was the turn of the three political leaders from the UK to convince the audience that the worst was over. Harvey Nash CEO Albert Ellis was fortunate enough to meet privately with both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative Leader David Cameron before they addressed the audience. It was clear that both politicians were here to set out their business agenda ahead of a General Election next year.

Gordon Brown and David Cameron clashed on the issue of public debt, where borrowing has reached record highs as business investment has plummeted. After the speeches it was the chance of the audience to ask tough questions of both leaders as well as leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg.

The mood of the businessmen and women who grilled the politicians was sombre rather than angry. Skills of a post recession workforce and the availability of jobs were two topics that received a significant amount of attention. Many business leaders wanted to know how the policies of the main parties were designed to reduce unemployment.

Albert Ellis asked David Cameron how his party, if they won the general election, would breathe confidence back into the business community and make the UK more attractive to investors both domestically and internationally.

The answer was comprehensive; things need to change, power needs to be devolved from Central Government and regulation needs to be eased to enable entrepreneurs to do what the do best, create opportunity, wealth and jobs.

The political leaders were followed by lunch where Harvey Nash hosted a VIP session for senior clients and audience members. The lunch was addressed by CBI President Helen Alexander who gave participants the opportunity to ask her directly on some of the CBI priorities in representing the UK business community as the recession evolves into a recovery.

The afternoon session and panel debate was led by senior executives from some of the world's most recognisable companies. Jeffrey Kindler, Chief Executive of Pfizer Inc who was joined by Chris Hyman, Chief Executive of Serco Group plc, Sir Stuart Rose, CEO of Marks & Spencer and Stephen Hester, Chief Executive of Royal Bank of Scotland.

Their discussion focused on how they had led large businesses through the recession and they were asked a number of questions by the audience about the tactics they had adopted in the last 12 months.

The conference was closed by Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General and Lord Turner, Chairman of the Financial Services Authority who undertook a forensic examination of the UK financial regulatory environment and what the business community could expect to see in a post recession world.

At the end of a very busy day Harvey Nash had commented a number of times in the media about the impact of the recession on employment, skills and the recruitment industry. We had witnessed a strong debate from the country's leaders on its future direction and we had questioned them directly on the role of British business in the world where "a new normal" means lower growth, restrained pay and a more cautious approach.

2010 will be a very different year (we hope!) and the 2010 CBI Conference will require a new approach as we face post recession opportunities and challenges.