The forthcoming Chamber Expo at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham city centre will have ‘Connect, Support, Grow’ as its theme. The event, which takes place on 14 October, will include a major programme, of speakers, who will address each element of the main theme. Qasim Majid, founder and CEO of Jewellery Quarter web firm WowZone, will speak about ‘connect’, HS2 supply chain manager Robert Slater will cover ‘grow’, and author, speaker and strategist Moe Nawaz will discuss ‘support’.

Mr Majid’s address is titled ‘Connect your business to new opportunities through social media’. WowZone is a specialist digital agency that helps businesses leverage and maximise their online presence, using a variety of communication strategies. Following from a successful appearance on Channel 4’s ‘The Job Interview’ (see last month’s ‘Chamberlink’), Mr Majid will speak on the theme of using the media to raise an individual’s personal profile and also the profile of their business, through traditional methods and social media.

The sessions will offer tangible tips and advice on how businesses small and large should plan and implement their social media activity as part of an overall marketing/business plan.  Robert Slater will address the audience on ‘Growing your business through HS2’. HS2 Ltd have hosted various roadshow events across the UK, meeting companies interested in exploring the thousands of supply chain opportunities created by HS2, the planned high-speed railway which will connect Birmingham to London in 49 minutes.

Mr Slater who will be talking about all the opportunities available through the project, and will also address the scale and timing of contracts and what a business needs to do to bid for anything that it is interested in.

Opportunities will be created across many business sectors, as the project will require a wide range of capabilities and suppliers of all sizes.

These will include a full range of works, goods and services to deliver major packages and support, including design services, professional services, enabling works contracts, main works, civil engineering contracts (tunnels, portals, shafts, surface route), stations, railway systems, rolling stock.

Those who should attend this seminar should include suppliers from a range of industries that can be part of Europe's biggest mega project, infrastructure sub-contractors, and engineering and manufacturing companies, who are keen to join the HS2 supply chain.

Finally, Moe Nawaz, will speak on the theme of ‘Why some leaders are more successful than others?’

Mr Nawaz is a mentor and strategic advisor to FTSE 100 companies and is the founder of various non-profit trusts, ‘Feeding Millions’ and ‘The Penny Meal’.

The speaker provides support and encouragement to businesses in the hope of accelerating progress and sustainability, and in addition he delivers real value that always gives back to the community.

Mr Nawaz works with entrepreneurs, CEOs and others to develop their strengths and to help them thrive and dominate their markets.

Using rigorous competitive analytics, tactical advice and intelligent financial strategies, he instigates transformational change and delivers tangible results. Having already increased revenues in excess of £760m for existing clients, Mr Nawaz ensures that as these individuals grow, in turn they endorse the progress of others.

The Autumn Expo, sponsored by Qatar Airways, follows on from previous successful events. This event is being held at Amplify at the Barclaycard Arena, beginning at 10am on 14 October. It is free to all businesses.

Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “We are thrilled to be taking our popular Expo event to Amplify, at the Barclaycard Arena. The event follows on from the last Expo, at Vox at the National Exhibition Centre, which was an amazing success.

“We have another fantastic event planned this time, giving delegates an opportunity to network and also take advantage of a seminar programme focused around business growth."