Express & Star

Secrets to success event

West Midlands entrepreneur Alan Cook will be sharing the secrets of success in business at an interactive event in Birmingham hosted by financial and professional services firm Smith & Williamson.

Published

Mr Cook, who is Midlands chairman of executive coaching and business mentoring organisation Vistage Group, chairman of two start-up businesses and a former director of global engineering business, Ricardo, will be guiding those attending through the fundamental skills that business leaders require to be successful.

The event – 7 Key Skills of a Successful Business Leader – is aimed at chief executives, finance directors and other senior directors, and takes place on Thursday, July 18 at the Jaguar Land Rover Experience Centre in Castle Vale.

Using practical examples and drawing on his experience of working with and coaching more than 100 business leaders, Mr Cook will outline the seven key skills required to manage and grow a business.

“The people from whom I have gained the most insight over the years, and who have helped me to become a better business leader, are those from different backgrounds who may look at things through a different lens, but who face the same stresses and strains and are willing to share their experiences.

“After years spent starting, running, buying and selling businesses, I now get the biggest buzz from helping other people in businesses of all sizes and in all sorts of sectors, to fulfil their potential.

“This is what I will be doing at the Smith & Williamson event – sharing good practice which will help other business leaders to achieve results," he said.

Ray Abercromby, partner in business tax at Smith & Williamson in Birmingham, is hosting the event.

He said: “Birmingham and the wider West Midlands are consistently acknowledged as being a great place to start a business, and Alan Cook is a great example of a locally-born entrepreneur who has done just that several times over - creating jobs, growth and opportunity along the way.

“His experience sits perfectly with Smith & Williamson’s commitment to supporting scale-up businesses at every stage of their journey.”

Registration for the event starts at 8.30am with the discussion starting at 9am. Networking and brunch is from 10.15am to11am.

For further information contact Jas Dhillon at Smith & Williamson on 0121 710 5226 or e-mail birminghamevents@smithandwilliamson.com