Insider Media Limited

Marketing Derby will appoint Bob Betts as its new chairman at the organisation’s annual public meeting on Friday, Insider can reveal. Betts, managing director of clockmaker Smith of Derby, will take the reins from Michael Copestake, who will remain a board director. The organisation is also set to announce that it is currently working on investment enquiries which, if successful, will bring an estimated 800 jobs into the city over the next two years.

The announcements are due to take place at Marketing Derby’s meeting at Westfield.

Michael Copestake, who works at Derby law firm Freeth Cartwright, held the post of chairman at marketing Derby for five years. More than 250 businesses are expected to attend Friday’s event, which will include presentations from the city leader Harvey Jennings and chief executive officer Adam Wilkinson, as well as Derby County president Tom Glick.

In addition, the city’s envoy to twin town Osnabruck, Katherina Thieken, will launch a new German visitor guide to Derby.

Bob Betts, who has been a board director at marketing Derby for more than two years, said: “I’m really looking forward to taking on this exciting challenge.

“Mike has done all the hard work in establishing such a strong professional team with a fantastic reputation for being effectively business focused.

“My day job takes me all over the world, in particular the middle-east and China, and I really believe the city is ready and able to take the next step in the development of its profile.

“We are home to some of the best businesses in the world and investors are now waking up to opportunities here.”

Michael Copestake said: "Bob represents exactly the type of wealth-creating, productive company that we are so proud of in Derby.

“I’m especially proud of the fact that Marketing Derby has built such a strong partnership with Derby City Council and a reputation second to none with businesses. The city is a better place to live, work and visit and I’d like to think Marketing Derby has played a role in helping make this happen.”

In addition to city promotion, Marketing Derby is now taking responsibility for handling inward investment enquiries. Harvey Jennings, the city’s leader and non-executive director of Marketing Derby, will announce on Friday that they are currently working on such enquiries. Jennings said that, should they be successful, the investment will create more than 800 jobs into the city over the next two years.