Date: Wed 3rd December, 2008
Venue: Hill Dickinson, No.1 St. Paul's Square, Liverpool, L3 9SJ
Number of Guests Attended: 40
There were festive messages of hope for the business community in December at Insider’s final event of 2008 for the 42 under 42 fellowship. Around 40 people – past and present 42s and sponsors - turned up at the St Paul’s Square offices of law firm Hill Dickinson in Liverpool to talk about their Christmas wishes.
Martyn Best, director of Liverpool PR firm Paver Smith and a former member of the 42 under 42, said that his wish for Christmas was for hope and prosperity for business, professionals and the region, and the ability to overcome negative perceptions.
In a speech that called on John Lennon and Stevie Wonder via Barack Obama, Best said: “We’ve all had a tough year. Next year is going to be equally tough and challenging. It vital that we get communication right – perception is reality. If you act like you’re doomed, you are doomed. Let’s face the challenges with hope. Give hope a chance.”
He was joined by Abi Humayun of Manchester-based Rapport Events, one of this year’s class of 42, who also wished for better communication between businesses and their staff and customers.
“My Christmas wish is to help more companies communicate better with their staff and customers,” she said. “Event budgets are being slashed, but not all events should be tarnished with the same brush. Events can be the most successful of all marketing tools. But don’t, for example, make assumptions about what delegates want to see, do and hear.”
The 42 under 42 were sponsored by Grant Thornton, Hill Dickinson and UBS. For coverage of this year’s 42 under 42 dinner click here and for full profiles on the class of 2008 please purchase the October 2008 issue of Insider in our online Shop.
