Conference inspires future innovators
Prominent business trailblazers, including the founder of Trunki and the CEO of Charlotte Tilbury, spoke at Benenden School’s recent Enterprise and Innovation Conference aimed at inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs
On Thursday March 6 Benenden School welcomed 120 guests from nine other schools from across the South East to join Benenden’s Sixth Form students for the Conference which was held in partnership with Burfields House Wealth Management.
Benenden School, based just outside Cranbrook, is regarded as one of the leading boarding schools in the world. It educates 550 girls aged 11-18, although the conference was open to male and female visiting students.
Featuring keynote speeches from Rob Law MBE, who founded the ride-on suitcase brand Trunki, and Demetra Pinsent, CEO of beauty company Charlotte Tilbury, the conference brought insights from industry pioneers, entrepreneurs and experts, as well as networking opportunities for students and guests seeking insight into the world of business and entrepreneurship.
The closing keynote speech came from CEO of Charlotte Tilbury, Demetra Pinsent, who discussed establishing the brand with Charlotte and having led the pioneering beauty brand from start-up to unicorn to acquisition to IPO as part of the Puig Group. Entitled From Aspiring Medic to Business Leader – Navigating Career Changes with Confidence, her talk drew on her experience to tackle career transitioning in a changing business landscape, and a changing world.
In her welcome address, Headmistress Rachel Bailey told delegates, who were aged 16 to 18, that to thrive in the business landscape of the future, the key will be their ability to adapt.
Ms Bailey said: “We are seeing how creativity and innovation are vital skills in the workplace. The very definition of being innovative is being original and creative in thinking.
“In short, you need to be creative problem solvers. This means continually adapting as society changes – driven by a rapidly-changing technological landscape.”
Delegates at the conference joined from state and independent schools from as far afield as Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Hampshire and London.
Mr Law gave the opening keynote speech, entitled Overcoming Rejection, in which he traced his trajectory from having been rejected with his iconic ride-on suitcase from Dragons’ Den in 2006, to building his idea into a revolutionary children’s travel product empire.
Urging young people to show resilience and determination, he said:
“Learning very early on that life’s short and being on the back foot has been the driving force for me. If you face challenges throughout your life, that’s real character building, that’s going to give you a superpower your peers don’t have. People who are challenged can become more resilient, and think about how you’ll succeed earlier.”
A panel discussion on Practical Tips for Setting Up Your Own Business then followed, featuring recruitment expert and founder of F1 Recruitment Amanda Fone, hospitality specialist and founder of Coffee Buzz James Rushton, and Lucy Davis, co-founder of digital agency Factory. The panel spoke candidly on their own experiences as business founders and leaders, and of the qualities that will serve young innovators.
Next, a Q&A session, entitled Entrepreneur vs Professional – Innovator or Expert: What Are You and What Does it Take to be Successful?, invited attendees to draw on the wealth of knowledge and experience of Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, founder of Asia’s leading fitness and wellness brand: ABSOLUTE. Guests relished the chance to quiz Benjaporn on the impact of her business on the wider wellness industry.
A second Q&A session gave Tooba Ahmed, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai and London-based information technology company Aulysius, the chance to share wisdom from her years as a capital marketing professional, in a pertinent session entitled Next Generation AI: It’s Coming Whether You Like it Or Not.
Helen Beedham – organisational expert, speaker, author and host of The Business of Being Brilliant podcast – followed with a talk entitled The Future of Time: Maximising Time in a Frenetic Age, providing welcome lessons for the young audience.
A second panel discussion on Sustainability in Business brought together Peter Behrens – former solicitor and real estate banker, co-founder of fintech business RateSetter and, more recently, founder of Hexla, helping early stage climate technologies – with Robin Quirt, accredited Later Life Adviser, Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, Chartered Wealth Manager and Director at Burfields House Wealth Management.
On the success of the day, Ms Bailey added: “This was an inspiring day and we were delighted to welcome so many students from our partner schools.
“At Benenden we are committed to ensuring our students are fully prepared for the workplace and hearing from experts in their field is a key part of the Complete Education we offer.”
