Fusion Conference Programme

Thursday 17^th November 2011
11.00-11.30 Registration

11.30-12.15 1st Plenary Session (Mike Neilson: Director General in the Scottish Government Civil Service)

Fusion Chairman David Fraser opens conference welcoming everyone and then introduces our first guest speaker Mike Neilson. Mike's responsibilities include Business, Innovation and the Rural Economy and he will share some of the Scottish Government's ideas aimed at seeing the Scottish economy continue to recover from the recession. Mike's session concludes with him fielding questions from the floor for a few minutes.

For 5 minutes before lunch we will give the floor to the proposer of the first of our Fusion Award nominees.

12.15-13.45 Buffet Lunch
 

13.45-14.30 2nd Plenary Session (Peter Crome: Chairman and MD The Carnegie Club at Skibo)
Immediately after lunch, Peter will address us, sharing some of his considerable experience and give us his thoughts from a private sector perspective on how we continue to move away from recession, drawing on his experience of running luxury destination facilities while coming out of previous recessions. Peter's session concludes with him fielding questions from the floor for a few minutes.

On the conclusion of Peter’s session we will give the floor to the proposer of the second of our Fusion Award nominees.

14.30-15.30 1st Break-out Session
Thursday 1st Session:

Could I Export (promoted by Enterprise Europe Scotland (Inverness Office)
Michelle Hardie has organised this session. The mentor will be one of the EES Inverness team.

How to Tender for Public Contracts (sponsored by Business Gateway)
Maria Peter (Business Gateway) has organised this session. The mentors are Linda Davidson (Procurement Scotland) and Diane Law (Moray Council).

What I Wish I Had Known When Starting in Business (promoted by CREATE/UHI)
Carol Langston (CREATE) has organised this session. The mentor is Geoff Bush, a well-known entrepreneur who has been involved in many start-ups during his career and is an active Business Angel. 

15.30-16.00 Coffee/Comfort break
At this point we will give the proposers of additional nominees for the Fusion Innovation Award 5 minutes each to give a short presentation on their respective nominees.

16.00-17.00 2nd Break-out Session
Thursday 2nd Session:

Where Do I Start Marketing
Allan Simpson (The Results Academy) is mentoring this session.

The Dos' and Don'ts of Collaboration
Angus MacLeod (Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie) is mentoring this session.

How Do I Exploit My Business Intangible Assets (promoted by the Intellectual Assets Centre)
Ewen Macaulay (IAC) has organised this session. Campbell Grant (Sitekit Health) is mentoring this session.

17.00-17.30 Fusion AGM
Votes for the Fusion Innovation Award will be collated at this point and the winner identified in order to be announced after dinner. All Fusion members are eligible to attend and vote, whether attending conference or not.

17.30-18.30 Downtime i.e. late check-ins, use of leisure suite, email catch-up etc

18.30-19.30 Pre-Dinner Drinks and Networking Reception

19.30-21.30 Dinner and Fusion Award Presentation
Craig Anderson, well known BBC Scotland journalist who reports on affairs in the Highlands and Islands for Reporting Scotland among other things has agreed to be our after-dinner speaker.  Craig will share some anecdotes and stories from his many years of journalism with us.

Craig will be invited to announce the winner of the Fusion Innovation Award, to be presented by Cllr Ian Ross, Chairman of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee, Highland Council, on behalf of Business Gateway Highland and Moray, sponsors of this year's award.
 

21.30-late Networking at bar

 

Friday 18^th November 2011
08.30-10.30 Brunch and Opening Session (Gary Williamson: Williamson Foodservice)

Breakfast will be available for all those attending the second day of conference and not simply those staying in the hotel. It will be served in the Conservatory allowing networking and catching-up from Thursday before moving at 09.30 to the Burns Room for Gary's session.

Gary has agreed to share his experiences during his journey into business via the RAF and how he and his family have grown their businesses through collaboration, diversification and a strong adherence to delivering a quality service selling premium brand products.

10.30-11.10 3rd Break-out Session
Friday 1st Session:
 

Stuck or Frustrated in Developing Your Business
Janet MacDonald (Janet the Coach) is mentoring this session.

Got A Business Challenge which could be answered by Academia - a focus on the Low Carbon agenda (promoted by Interface)
David Chapman (Interface) has organised this session. John Currie (Director of the Scottish Energy Centre at Edinburgh Napier University) is mentoring this session.

Breaking into the Supply Chain of Big Organisations
Alastair Kennedy (Global Energy Group) is mentoring this session.

11.10-11.40 Coffee/Comfort break

11.40-12.20 4th Break-out Session
Friday 2nd Session:

Raising Business Capital
Iain Scott (Highland Venture Capital) is mentoring this session.

Do I Need Social Media (sponsored by Business Gateway)
Maria Peter (Business Gateway) has organised this session. Rene Looper (Tuminds) is mentoring this session.

Why should Intellectual Property Matter to My Business
Kate Macdonald (Capella IP) is mentoring this session.

Some break-out sessions will take the form of a dialogue between the mentor and a mentee assisted by a facilitator who will encourage participation from those attending the session. In those sessions where there is no specific mentee, the facilitator will promote a dialogue between the mentor and the entire group. 

12.20-12.30 Closing remarks

12.30-14.00 Buffet Lunch and then depart

During Friday morning, Young Enterprise Scotland (Highland and Moray) will be running a "Dragons' Den" for the 2011-12 competitors. They will join us for the buffet lunch and then in the afternoon after conference concludes, Fusion Conference delegates will be welcome to stay on and support the afternoon YES session.