The first day of the 2017 Annual Summit will be anchored by the “GBA Policy Forum on Key Enablers of Women-Led SMEs in the UK.” Hosted by NatWest, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland, the event will be held on the afternoon of November 14 at the Houses of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster.
Finance is the lifeblood of any business, and women-owned and -led SMEs find it challenging to access it for a variety of reasons. Women SME owners also need a supportive enabling environment that includes access to non-financial services such as financial and business education, mentors, networks and incubators. This session will map out key policy interventions that can unlock access to finance and non-financial services for women-owned or -led SMEs in the UK, followed by a working session of the All-Party Parliamentary Committee on Women and Enterprise, of which NatWest is a member — demonstrating advocacy in action.
Following the Policy Forum, GBA Summit attendees will be invited to attend the welcome cocktail reception at the Palace of Westminster and take a private guided tour of the Houses of Parliament.
The GBA’s flagship event, the Annual Summit is the only conference in the world that focuses exclusively on how financial services providers can capture the world’s fastest-growing market: the female economy. This year’s Summit, “Catalysing Growth in the Female Economy: Leveraging the Power of Connection,” will take place November 14-16 in London.
Admission to all Summit events is available by invitation only. Members have received their invitations and instructions on how to register in their inboxes. We urge GBA members to register as soon as possible to reserve your spots and make travel arrangements before area hotels are booked up. Early registration is particularly important if you will need a visa to enter the United Kingdom.
If you are not a GBA member but are interested in attending a Summit event, please write to summit@gbaforwomen.org stating your name, title, organizational affiliation and a brief description of your interest in the event. You can find more information on the 2017 Summit, including the latest agenda, by visiting the GBA Summit hub.
