ACES ActivityACES events include business networking, sharing best practice, export advice, going for growth, innovation and working with local authorities and central government to remove barriers to business across East Sussex.
If you are a member of an ACES Chamber, the FSB or the IoD you are automatically a Member of ACES and can attend our networking and business events free of charge. Details of our events are given below. |
|
Coming Events
The Department for International Trade (DIT) would like to invite all ACES members to a very special event to grow your business into new markets internationally. This is not a normal networking event but you are welcome to come if you have any interest in working with international clients or suppliers.
Remember! You don't have to make widgets to be a successful exporter!
The following business types can export their services and products to foreign companies wanting to work with British business people, often without leaving your workplace:
Remember! You don't have to make widgets to be a successful exporter!
The following business types can export their services and products to foreign companies wanting to work with British business people, often without leaving your workplace:
|
|
Don’t forget, countries across the globe trust British business people more highly than most others! So please, if YOU want to attract foreign business, call us, put this date in your diaries and we’ll see you on the 28th June for breakfast at 8am.
To book your place call us on 01323 641144. Places are limited so please call now!
Previous Events
|
The 2016 Best4Biz Conference - Business in the Future
|
This year's successful conference at the iconic De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill started with a glittering awards night to celebrate the very best businesses in East Sussex and was followed the next day by the conference with a fantastic array of keynote speakers and seminars to get the audience thinking about new ways of running their business in 2016.
Contributors from Radio 4 and the Edinburgh Fringe, Google, Microsoft, East Sussex County Council, T R Fastenings, Local Business Leaders and the Houses of Parliament were well received and very thought provoking.
Contributors from Radio 4 and the Edinburgh Fringe, Google, Microsoft, East Sussex County Council, T R Fastenings, Local Business Leaders and the Houses of Parliament were well received and very thought provoking.
From left to right: Timandra Harkness, Alistair Frost, Alex Storey, Malcolm Diamond, Caroline Ansell MP, Huw Merriman MP.,
BEST4BIZ Conference 2015 sponsored by
Westways Vending A capacity crowd of 250 business leaders and decision makers attended the conference this year and enjoyed excellent keynote speakers, an interesting "question time" style panel, a B2B exhibition and valuable breakout seminars. The theme for this year was innovation and new business methods and speakers included Josh Valman, a 21 year old entrepreneur who has created a global supply chain network in 40 countries which has already been valued at over £1 million.
|
|
April 2015 - Going for Growth Workshop
A very interesting and useful networking event at County Hall in Lewes hosted by Lewes Chamber of Commerce. Businesses from East and West Sussex explored the best ways to grow their business via new markets and learnt what government help is available to find new customers, agents, funding and how to avoid the pitfalls of trading in foreign markets. Speakers included Growth Accelerator, Sussex International Trade Forum, UK Export Finance, Sussex Chamber of Commerce, UKTI and Greg Potter the Ops Director of local firm Survival Aids:
"SurvivalAids don't manufacture anything but by being an essential part of our customer purchasing jigsaw we have generated over £500K through export sales in 2015."
Greg covered SurvivalAids retail origins, their growth into commercial sales and then into export sales via UKTI and showed how this is possible even if you are not a manufacturer by focusing on a few key advantages that market knowledge can give any business.
A very interesting and useful networking event at County Hall in Lewes hosted by Lewes Chamber of Commerce. Businesses from East and West Sussex explored the best ways to grow their business via new markets and learnt what government help is available to find new customers, agents, funding and how to avoid the pitfalls of trading in foreign markets. Speakers included Growth Accelerator, Sussex International Trade Forum, UK Export Finance, Sussex Chamber of Commerce, UKTI and Greg Potter the Ops Director of local firm Survival Aids:
"SurvivalAids don't manufacture anything but by being an essential part of our customer purchasing jigsaw we have generated over £500K through export sales in 2015."
Greg covered SurvivalAids retail origins, their growth into commercial sales and then into export sales via UKTI and showed how this is possible even if you are not a manufacturer by focusing on a few key advantages that market knowledge can give any business.
November 2014 - ACES Steering Group Meeting with Gatwick Airport
The ACES Steering Group met the Gatwick Airport team to discuss the proposal for a 2nd runway and the local infrastructure to support the increased traffic. As a result of this the ACES Chambers and the FSB agreed to support the Gatwick Obviously campaign and recommended that East Sussex County Council also vote in favour of the Gatwick 2nd runway.
October 2014 - BEST4Biz Conference
|
The Business East Sussex Takeaway, or BEST4Biz is an annual conference and exhibition for local business people to take away everything they need to run a growing business in East Sussex. The 2014 conference covered preparing your digital strategy; public sector procurement; finding new customers and new markets; risk management; new media; finding and keeping new talent; and getting your hands on the cheapest funding for growth.
Along with a great opportunity to meet and network with influential local authority staff and councillors and like minded business people from across East Sussex. Keynote speakers included Linda Davidson, Technology and New Media Specialist and Kevin Green, CEO Recruitment and Employment Confederation Linda developed the first BBC websites, launched E4 and became European IT Director for Discovery Networks. Linda showed what digital technology can do for your organisation and how to distinguish yourself from your competitors. Kevin Green is the Chief Executive of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation and previously worked as HR Director at the Royal Mail, where he was responsible for all people-related issues for a business of 165,000 employees. He was part of the leadership team which transformed the business from losing £1 million a day in 2003 to making over £600 million profit in 2007 and is frequently consulted on employment issues by television and radio. |
Linda Davidson Keynote Speaker
Kevin Green Keynote Speaker
|
March 2014 - ACES Members Networking Evening - held at the Cooden Beach Hotel where over 165 ACES members attended to network and listen to business speakers from Northern France and East Sussex.
March 2014 - ACES Steering Group Meeting to track the Broadband rollout, mobile not spots and talk to Locate East Sussex about promoting the County
February 2014 - ACES, UKTI and Sussex International Trade Forum networking evening at the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne. Over 80 local business people learned how valued Brand British is worldwide.
November 2013 - ACES Steering Group Meeting - Skills and Workforce Development with Colleges, MPs and Matthew Hancock, Minister for Business Innovation and Skills. The Institute of Directors join forces with ACES.
November 2013 - Meeting on behalf of ACES with Robert Goodwill the Under Parliamentary Secretary of State for Transport to discuss the A27 and Gatwick second runway. And to push for the A27 to be included on the 2014 Strategic Roads Review.
November 2013 - The First ACES Members Networking Evening at Chandlers BMW in Hailsham. 185 business people attended the event sponsored by BMW and Ross & Co Surveyors.
September 2013 - ACES Networking Dinner with Spencer Dale the Chief Economist of the Bank of England to discuss interest rates and the economy in East Sussex and the UK.
May 2013 - ACES Steering Group Meeting - To discuss the transport infrastructure with the then Transport Minister, Norman Baker, with East Sussex County Council Director Rupert Clubb and Wealden District Council plans for East Sussex.
January 2013 - ACES Steering Meeting at Uckfield Civic Centre. Although the meeting was cut short by heavy snow, the meeting agreed the name and 5 Strategic Goals.
November 2012 - At the instigation of Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce, all the Chambers in East Sussex and the FSB were invited to meet with Becky Shaw, CEO of East Sussex County Council and John Spence the Chairman of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership to decide whether they all wanted to work together to present East Sussex as the successful business destination it is and to work with policy makers to get the best for businesses in our County.