Plenary Session I

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2005, highlights “the importance of free markets to the livelihood of an entrepreneurial society. In all countries, regardless of living standards, governments need to remove barriers to competition, promote fiscal responsibility, and ensure transparency of the law and a clear legal framework for property rights and regulatory oversights.”

Aim: To review trends in global entrepreneurship and draw comparisons between different economies, market conditions and government policies and examine how these factors influence economic development.

Objectives: This Plenary Session is designed to review entrepreneurship from a global to a local perspective

• Global - Summary of the GEM project on entrepreneurial activity in 35 nations,

• OECD – As exploration of the role of entrepreneurship in national economic growth

• National - New initiatives for successfully growing entrepreneurial activity.

• Local - Government SME policies and practices and how these compare internationally

Rob is the director of the Brussels' office of EIM Business & Policy Research. He has been responsible for a variety of applied economic research and consultancy projects on entrepreneurship and SMEs in almost all EU countries, the Russian Federation, Dubai, South Africa and Jamaica. He is a member of the Executive Committee of European Network for Social and Economic Research ENSR. From 1992 to 2004 he was the project director of 'The Observatory of European SMEs', a research project for the European Commission. He is the President-Elect of the International Council for Small Business ICSB.

 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor – latest inter-country comparisons

The GEM Research programme is the largest annual study of entrepreneurial activity in 35 countries. The GEM measures have rapidly become the most widely used benchmarks of entrepreneurship across the globe.

Rebecca is Executive Director of GEM worldwide and Director of GEM UK. She has formerly been an associate Director of Research at Deloitte, Chief Economist at The Work Foundation and Senior Lecturer at SPRU, University of Sussex. During her career she has held various government advisory positions including specialist adviser on entrepreneurship and regional policy to the Treasury Select Committee and academic adviser to the All Party Group on entrepreneurship.

 OECD SME Working Party perspective on support policy and practice

A review of OECD policies and programmes on the promotion of small business and entrepreneurship in both developed and developing countries.

Roger is Director of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development. He has worked in the government and private sectors in both public policy and human resources roles. Roger is currently Chair of the OECD Working Party on SMEs and Entrepreneurship.

 Entrepreneurship & Small Business Policy & Practice in the UK

A review of UK policies and programmes of support for the creation and development of small business and entrepreneurship, particularly in depressed areas and in minority groups.

Martin has been Chief Executive of the Small Business Service since April 2002. He began an international marketing career at EMI Music culminating in appointment as Marketing Director of their video division. In 1984, he started his own film and video production company in London and Los Angeles, producing pop videos for top international artists with annual sales of $4m. After eight successful years, he sold the business and went to Henley Management College to study for his MBA, specialising in strategic management and publishing articles about supergrowth companies and entrepreneurship. Martin is passionate about helping entrepreneurs to succeed.

 Entrepreneurship Initiatives in Wales

A review of Welsh Assembly Government policies and programmes for the creation and development of small business and entrepreneurship, particularly in depressed and isolated areas.

Vanessa is responsible for overseeing the Department for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks’ operations throughout North Wales and has a pan-Wales responsibility for Enterprise. She began her career as a Brand Manager with Mars Confectionery, quickly rising through the ranks to Head of Customer Service and Head of Ice Cream Marketing. She joined the BBC as Head of Strategic Marketing, BBC Radio 4, rising to Head of Strategic Marketing across BBC Radio. In 2002 she was appointed as a Director of Business in the Community, responsible for the London Cares campaign, rising to Director of Cause Related Business, working with a wide range of businesses, from SMEs to global corporations.

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