To be chaired by Stephanie Flanders, the BBC’s economics editor, the conference will hear from senior Government and industry figures who will contribute on the role of business in the coalition Government’s vision for foreign policy, exports and growth.
The conference will focus on commercial diplomacy, UK business strategies in a changing world and the search for major international industrial partnerships. It will also examine how UK industry needs to raise its game to ensure long-term growth and success.
Mark Prisk MP (the minister of state for business and enterprise) and Domingo Urena-Raso (Airbus military managing director and president of the European umbrella Trade Association ASD, of which A|D|S is a member) are both lined up to address conference delegates.
Prisk was appointed to his present role in May, and operates within the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford in 2001.
His main interests include small business and enterprise, urban planning and regeneration as well as defence and foreign affairs.
Prisk served on the Conservative front benches from 2002, covering the Treasury and business portfolios.
First privatised defence company in Poland
Domingo Urena-Raso started as an engineer in CASA, Spain in 1982 at the Cadiz plant (now EADS CASA) undertaking various assignments.
In 1989, he moved to Toulouse where he took on different positions, mainly in procurement, and was responsible for nacelles and propulsion systems.
Come 1998, he was appointed CEO of Aircelle’s joint venture between Airbus and SNECMA to develop and manufacture nacelle systems in co-operation with EADS-CASA, which allowed for the entry of the Spanish aeronautical industry in the nacelle technology.
In 2002, Urena-Raso was nominated president and CEO of the first privatised defence company in Poland, EADS PZL, with the mission to develop a sustainable strategy based on core business to increase its competitiveness. In this position he reported directly to the CEO of EADS-CASA.
From 2003 to 2005, still on secondment from EADS-CASA, he moved to Munich and held different posts (including head of procurement and Member of the Board for the Eurofighter programme, then in the EADS Defence division).
In 2006, he rejoined Airbus in Toulouse as head of the new Airbus industrial strategy team, defining the Airbus’ future core/non-core definition at aircraft level, the supply chain consolidation strategy and the Make-or-Buy policy for future programs (such as the A350 XWB) and work-share definitions.
Since January 2007 he has been in charge of the vital Airbus turnaround programme (Power 8) reporting to Fabrice Bregier, COO of Airbus, and the ‘Future EADS’ programme (where he reports to Louis Gallois, president and CEO of EADS).
When and where?
The conference take places at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane on 20 January, and will be followed by the A|D|S Annual Dinner at which A|D|S president Peter Rogers will address the guests. Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame is the after-dinner speaker.
Further announcements on other conference speakers will follow in due course.
“The four sectors that A|D|S represents – aerospace, defence, security and space – employ over half a million people across the whole country and generate over GB pound 60 billion per year for the UK economy,” explained Rees Ward, chief executive of A|D|S.
“Our members are a crucial contributor to the Government’s ambitious plans for the UK to earn its way in the world through strong exports. This conference will examine issues that are vital to our nation’s future as we seek to fulfil the national growth goal and expand our members’ interests in UK target markets such as Brazil, China, India and Russia. This will complement our successes in North America, Europe and Japan.”
In conclusion, Ward said: “Our entire membership, regardless of company size, will play an important role in Britain’s economic recovery and future growth. A|D|S intends to take the issues raised at the conference forward to inform our policy priorities for 2011 as we work on behalf of all our members to improve the business services we provide for them.”
More information about the conference and the dinner (and how to book places at both events) can be found online (access the dedicated link provided on the right hand panel of this page)
