Suffolk welcomes new investment opportunities

An exciting new venture set to profit Suffolk companies received an overwhelming reception from the county’s business community at a special launch event.

More than 150 people gathered at the Galleria, Ipswich Town Football Club to hear how Suffolk Investors Forum will encourage investment in the region’s enterprises.

The Forum draws together the resources of the Suffolk Development Agency (SDA), East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Institute of Directors (IoD), Business Link for Suffolk, Suffolk’s Chamber of Commerce and more than 20 accountants, solicitors, banks and financial advisors.

Working in Partnership with Beer & Partners Ltd, the UK’s largest private equity group, SIF aims to promote investment opportunities within Suffolk companies. This will be achieved by developing a business network which enables local companies to meet with Business Angels and attend events and educational sessions.

Keith Ferguson, member of the SIF launch group and partner at accountants and business advisors, PKF East Anglia said: “Suffolk Investors Forum represents a great opportunity to really get investment working in the county. The launch event proved there is a huge amount of interest in SIF throughout the local business community. With the wealth of professional advice available in the region we can make Suffolk an excellent place to do business.”

At the event delegates heard from a number of companies hoping to benefit from the investment process and a private investor who spoke of his own experiences, offering advice on what makes a good investment.

John Williams, Chief Executive of the Suffolk Development Agency, the organisation which sponsored the event, said: “SIF has been set up to create a culture of investment and to make the most of the business potential we have in the county. This is an exciting time for Suffolk and the response from the launch event has been extremely encouraging.”

SIF has been launched with the support of a number of local companies including PKF, Ashton Graham, Baker Tilly, Bank of Scotland, Barclays Bank, Beer & Partners, Birketts, Business Link for Suffolk, East of England Development Agency, Ensors, Gotelee & Goldsmith, Grant Thornton, HSBC, Institute of Directors, KPMG, Lloyds TSB Corporate, NatWest, Prettys, Scrutton Bland, Suffolk Development Agency, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.

For further information please contact Peter Martin of Suffolk Investors Forum on 01473 213747.

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For further information:

Please contact Rachel Smith, Mosaic Publicity on 01206 548100.

Photo caption: Back, left to right: David Beer, Beer & Partners Ltd, Peter Martin, Beer & Partners Ltd, Keith Ferguson, Geoff Turner, private investor, Boyd Mulvey, Create Partners Ltd. Front, left to right: Charles Dalton, Henley Offices Ltd, Will Handley, Ultracork Ltd and Simon Grice, Midentity.