Lda 9.2.05

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 3

You are here: Home > News & Events > News & Press Archive

Home
About Us Work of the LDA Working with the LDA News & Events News & Press Archive Olympic Press Releases Events Partner Guidelines Publications Links Site Map Contact Us

New focus on the needs of Londons ethnic minority business women


9 Feb 2005 Mayor Ken Livingstones London Development Agency today announced two unique projects to help the female innovators and inventors turn their ideas into successful products and support the female-dominated ethnic beauty sector in London. Their launch follows research in the LDAs Economic Development Strategy, published last month, showed that only 20% of London businesses were owned by women whereas 72% of them were owned by men. However the research also showed the strength of black female entrepreneurs, reporting that 29% of black business owners in London were women. This compares 21% of white businesses being owned by women and 15% of Asian businesses having women owners One new project, which is thought to be the first of its kind in the country, will help women inventors and innovators develop their business ideas and skills through workshops on subjects such as successful exporting and protecting intellectual property. It is also organizing networking events and providing better business information and details on new commercial opportunities to women on the project. A second scheme aims to develop the ethnic minority hair and beauty sector in London, which is dominated by female entrepreneurs. The project aims to encourage ethnic salon owners and other beauty firms to collaborate collaborate more to get better bulk deals from suppliers, use technology to market their business better and improve customer service. It will also provide firms with free advice on sources of finance, retaining staff and maximizing profits. The new projects will each receive 100,000 over two years. Manny Lewis, Chief Executive of the LDA, said: "While some ethnic minority businesses have been amongst the most enterprising and innovative in the capital, some have been more successful than others at exploiting their skills and products in the marketplace. This is great news for Londons ethnic minority business women which will help unlock their untapped talent. In doing so, the schemes will benefit both the individual women on the schemes and Londons economy as a whole. Leading businesswoman, Simi Belo, will also be speaking at the launch event. Her company, Immiis, has designed 'NewHair', an award-winning hair product which is used by many professional women in the UK and abroad. It has been on sale in Selfridges since February 2004. Speaking ahead of the launch, Ms Belo said: There are more professional women from ethnic backgrounds than ever before in Britain and across the world. Their extra spending power means there are lucrative business opportunities that women innovators and inventors are well-placed to exploit. However they need a range of support and advice to help develop these ideas and bring them to market. The new projects being launched today are a major step forward in helping the ethnic minority business community to fulfill its potential. To attend the event or for general media enquiries, contact the LDA Press Office: Vincent Burke on 020 7954 4682/07976 081 041

Greg Rosen on 020 7954 4550/07881 552874 Notes to Editors The event, called Inspiring Innovation Through Diversity will be held at the Commonwealth Club, Northumberland Avenue, central London starting at 6.30pm. The media is welcome to attend. The London Development Agency is the Mayor's agency for business and jobs. The LDA prepares the Mayor's business plan for London and mobilises the support and resources of hundreds of partner organisations to help build a thriving economy for London's people, businesses and communities. The LDA is dedicated to improving sustainability, health and equality of opportunity for Londoners.

Contact Us

Freedom of Information

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Statement

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy