THE chairman of shoe repair and key-cutting chain Timpson will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Liverpool Daily Post Regional Business Awards.

The awards ceremony, the most prestigious event in Merseyside’s business year, will be held at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral on Thursday, June 23.

John Timpson will be the event’s keynote speaker while the night will be compered by journalist-turned- celebrity dancer John Sergeant.

Mr Sergeant has previously worked as a politics reporter for the BBC and ITN, and famously withdrew from the 2008 Strictly Come Dancing after a storm of protests about his success in the competition.

Categories include the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce Exporter of the Year Award and the DLA Piper Business Person of the Year title.

This year, the KPMG Business of the Year award – which has previously been won by outstanding firms Cammell Laird and Princes Foods – will be fought out between logistics group Stobart, vouchers and gift card firm Park Group, and Skelmersdale-based Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes.

The full shortlist can be read online at www.regionalbusinessawards.co.uk.

John Timpson has led Timpson since 1983, and has seen it grow into a £125m-turnover business.