Celebrities and captains of industry will take to the stage this month for this year's Yorkshire International Business Convention.

The impressive line-up, including top names from business, television and sport, will be addressing a 2,000-strong audience of businessmen and women.

These characters have, within their own particular fields, inspired a nation and their very presence at the event, being held on Friday, June 11 at Harewood House, near Leeds, will make it a sure-fire success.

As the only business forum of its kind in Europe, the convention has forged an enviable reputation for star quality names and this year looks to be no exception.

Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, has agreed to be the main speaker and will follow in the footsteps of FW de Klerk, Henry Kissinger, Robert Kennedy Jr and Lech Walesa.

The former astronaut's appearance will be almost 30 years since he commanded the first manned mission to the moon and delegates will be looking for his views on motivation and leadership.

He will be joined by another high-achiever in Richard Noble, the former world land speed record holder. Mr Noble, who conceived the idea of challenging for the record in 1974 when chairman and managing director of Thrust Cars, finally achieved his dream by hitting 633.468 miles per hour ten years later.

And in October 1997 he was part of the British Thrust SCC team, whose car broke the sound barrier in the Black Rock Desert with Andy Green at the wheel.

This year's audience will not fail to be moved by the inspirational story of model Heather Mills who skis, rollerblades and climbs mountains - in spite of losing part of her leg in a road accident. She has even returned to enjoy a successful modelling career and has initiated an amputee programme in Croatia.

Among the list of top names representing the business community are multi-millionaire entrepreneur Paul Sykes, who has launched a high-profile drive against the adoption of the euro and pro-Europe campaigner Lord Haskins, chairman of Northern Foods.

Also set to appear are Asda chief executive Allan Leighton, Regional Development Agency chairman Graham Hall, futurist Watts Wacker, sports marketing guru Mark McCormack, Microsoft UK's marketing director Shaun Orpen and Mike Firth from Yorkshire Partners, who was behind the very first event in 1995.

Stars of the smaller screen are set to include Carol Vorderman, who initially shot to fame for her mathematical genius in hit quiz show Countdown and funnyman Rory Bremner whose impressions are legendary.

This year's convention has secured the support and backing of some of the region's leading companies, including the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Cable, Yorkshire Enterprise, Yorkshire Electricity, Yorkshire Partners, Yorkshire Television and Yorkshire Water.

They have combined to form a limited company, jointly with public relations firm Sinclair Mason, to run the Yorkshire International Business Convention.

The organisers have signed up national gas transportation company Transco as major sponsors of the event.

For more details call 0113 237 0999 or

email: yibc@sinclairmason.co.uk

or view the website at www.yibc.co.uk

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