One of our flagship events, Business Opportunity Day was held at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London on the 6th of June 2023. This event provided an exclusive space for the MSDUK membership – buyers and certified ethnic minority businesses (EMBs) to establish connections, foster relationships, and identify potential business opportunities.
The core purpose of Business Opportunity Day was to facilitate genuine connections with suppliers and other EMBs within the network, engage in honest and purposeful interactions, expand professional networks by acquainting oneself with a diverse pool of businesses and their offerings, and cultivate relationships with the MSDUK team to maximise the benefits of membership. The event brought together multinational corporations to exchange information, insights, opportunities, and the latest trends in the UK market. The discussions and roundtable sessions proved valuable not only to MSDUK-certified businesses but also to other small enterprises.
This is the second largest in-person MDSUK event hosted this year, if you missed out on this, you can now register for our MSDUK conference – Business & Innovation Show, on the 14th -15th of September 2023 in London. Get a chance to connect, network, and engage with hundreds of EMBs and corporate decision-makers.
Panel Discussion hosted by Justin Lambert
With more than 200 registered EMBs and corporate members in attendance, the event had an impressive start. Following the welcome and introduction session led by Mayank Shah, Founder and CEO of MSDUK, an enlightening corporate panel discussion took place.
The panel comprised Anant Patel (Strategic Buyer from Nestle), Lisa Moore (Responsible Procurement Manager from City of London), Gemma Lindley (Supply Engagement Director from CBREB), Jay Rohman (Head of IT Sourcing from Lloyds), and Richard Sibbiek (Senior Regional Sourcing Leader from DOW) and was gracefully hosted by Justin Lambert (Center of Excellence, MSDUK). They explored the topic of “How EMBs Can Leverage ESG to Enhance Business Success,” delving into areas such as committing to and implementing net-zero policies, and reporting results to regulators, shareholders, and customers. The panel discussion featured insightful conversations among corporate leaders and entrepreneurs within the MSDUK network.
1-2-1 networking sessions
Throughout the day, a dedicated networking room facilitated activities and icebreaker events, ensuring that each participant had the opportunity to connect with as many individuals as possible. Pre-arranged 1-2-1 meetings between buyers and suppliers were held throughout the day with the help of over 17 corporate buyers including Nestle, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros discovery, and corporates from a wide range of industries, enabling EMBs to network with buyers in person, present their businesses, showcase their offerings, and receive feedback and suggestions on scaling their operations.
Additionally, corporate roundtable discussions took place parallel to the 1-2-1 sessions. They were hosted by corporates from nine different companies, inclusive of Accenture, City of London, Mitie, Met Police and others. The Corporates ranging from banking and IT sectors to energy services, shared their supplier diversity journey and procurement processes for EMBs to have a better understanding of their procurement needs.
Corporate Roundtables
The event witnessed a remarkable convergence of ethnic minority businesses, procurement professionals, and supplier diversity professionals who engaged in networking and relationship-building activities.
Accelerator Pitches
Following the successful completion of the Accelerator Programme, ten business founders from Cohort 3 were selected to present their pitch decks to all event attendees. After completing Module 4, which focused on effectively selling and marketing their businesses by articulating their offerings and targeting the right audience, the founders progressed to Module 5 where they learned how to prepare clear, confident, and authentic B2B sales pitches for high-stakes environments.
Entrepreneurs who pitched in the BOD events were:
The programme culminated in the “Race to a Billion” session, where attendees brainstormed strategies to achieve £1 billion in spending with EMBs by the end of 2023. The discussion revolved around increasing spending with existing and new EMBs, creating opportunities, being proactive, enhancing supply chain intelligence, and leveraging the MSDUK network. As well as barriers they currently face entering a supply chain and possible solutions to overcome these challenges.
The eagerly awaited MSDUK Conference – Business and Innovations Show is back, bringing together ethnic minority businesses, sourcing buyers, and supplier diversity professionals. An opportunity to connect, learn and cultivate prosperous partnerships. Come and join us on the 14th – 15th of September 2023 in London.
Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to connect and network with over 300 high-growth and innovative EMBs along with global corporate executives, sourcing buyers and supplier diversity leaders through our platform. Get your tickets NOW!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who attended Business Opportunity Day 2023. We were delighted to witness the participation of numerous corporate members, procurement professionals, supplier diversity professionals, and innovative ethnic minority entrepreneurs who came together to network and establish relationships. We would also like to express our gratitude to all the speakers and panelists for their valuable contributions.
Our sincere thanks go to our Accelerator Cohort 3 sponsors, including Unilever, WPP, DOW, and Google, for their invaluable support in making the Accelerator Programme a resounding success.
Julie Chen
FOUNDER & CEO
THE CHEEKY PANDA
David Chen
Co-CEO
KAPSULE
Since 2006, we have been at the forefront of driving the supplier diversity movement in the UK. Align with organisations dedicated to supplier diversity and become a part of the MSDUK community. As a member, you will connect with a network of corporate leaders who, are committed to empowering ethnic minority businesses. The companies below represent just a glimpse of our extensive corporate network.
T. +44 (0) 116 2532520
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3 Burton Street, Leicester LE1 1TB UK
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