New drive to unleash women’s business talent

Mar 24 2008 by Bill Gleeson, Liverpool Daily Post

ONE of the UK’s leading experts on women’s enterprise will present a lecture in the city next week.

Professor Susan Marlow, a women’s enterprise expert from De Montfort University, Leicester, will speak about how Liverpool’s planned International Centre for Women’s Enterprise could benefit local women.

Prof Marlow will deliver the annual Train 2008 Lecture, Accelerating Enterprise in Diverse Communities.

The centre which will open in 2010 and be run by the city’s women’s enterprise agency, Train 2000, is expected to set up 3,000 women-owned businesses over the next 10 years, creating 4,500 jobs.

The project has been championed by Flo Clucas, city council executive member for economic development and Europe, who said getting more women into business is vital to the long-term economic success of Liverpool.

The centre follows similar successful models operating across the USA where rates of female entrepreneurship are double that of the UK.

Prof Marlow said: “Contemporary entrepreneurial opportunities within the Merseyside economy are varied and growing but to ensure that enterprising women can take advantage of these opportunities then an appropriate and accessible framework for enterprise is essential.

“This centre will be an important step in the construction of an appropriate and accessible framework for enterprise women and my lecture will explore such issues and in particular, consider how the social and business environment can encourage and support enterprising behaviour.”

Cllr Clucas said: “There is an enormous gap between women and men in economic development, and we think this centre will help redress that balance.

“It has long been recognised by Train 2000, an organisation which is a

leader in its field that women’s enterprise can only flourish if the

proper support and infrastructure is put in place.

billgleeson