The conference aims to bring together leading entrepreneurs, investors, academics and business school students to share ideas, initiatives and contacts and to provide a platform for UK-based entrepreneurs, primarily, to present their business plans as part of the London Business School Business Plan Competition.

The Summit is a day of inspiration and premium-quality networking. It’s full of insight about new business models and the big business trends. It’s about entrepreneurs being different – and how they are making a difference.

During the day the summit will cover topics such as:
• Difference through innovation
• Building businesses with a conscience
• A lifetime of making a difference
• Making a difference: My story
• The risks entrepreneurs have taken to achieve success

Contributors already confirmed for this event include: Rod Aldridge, The Aldridge Foundation; Camila Batmangelidjh, Kids Company; Seb Bishop, MIVA; Grant Bovey, Imagine Homes; James Caan, Dragons’s Den; Sir Ronald Cohen, Bridges Community Ventures; John Elkington, SustainAbility; Jamie Mitchell, Innocent Drinks; Kevin Matthews, Oxonica and Doug Richard, The Library House.

The Walker Review Guidelines provide a basis for improved transparency, which may ultimately lead to greater understanding of the private-equity industry. However, will this temper the general public’s belief that private-equity firms are acting without regard for corporate social responsibility?

Cass Business School aims to take this discussion to the next level as it hosts a panel discussion led by Sir Ronald Cohen, founder of Europe’s private-equity industry and one of the world’s leading private-equity investors. In his recent book “The Second Bounce of the Ball: Turning Risk into Opportunity”, Sir Ronald takes the ambitious entrepreneur on a tour of entrepreneurship, the venture-capital and private-equity industry and social investment. “Social investment is going to be a new asset class. I am sure of it,” he writes. Providing guidance about how to take advantage of business opportunity, the book also highlights the importance of ethics. As Sir Ronald notes:
“The ethical approach has a great track record.”

Sir Ronald will be joined by Mallen Baker, Development Director, Business in the Community, and Professor Paul Palmer, Professor of Voluntary Sector Management at Cass Business School.

6.00pm Registration and refreshments
6.30pm Presentation and panel discussion
7.45pm Networking and refreshments

Date: Thursday 29 November 2007
Time: 6.30-8pm
Venue: Old Theatre, Old Building
Speaker: Sir Ronald Cohen
Chair: Professor Saul Estrin

Sir Ronald Cohen is a founder of the private-equity industry in Europe and one of the world's leading private equity investors. At the age of 26, he co-founded the firm that became Apax Partners. When he stepped down from the chairmanship thirty-three years later, Apax was the largest global private-equity firm founded in Europe. He is currently chairman of Bridges Ventures and The Portland Trust. He was knighted in 2001 for his services to venture capital.

This event marks the launch of the Sir Ronald Cohen's new book The Second Bounce of the Ball published in November 2007 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

This event is supported by LSE Alumni Relations as part of the City Alumni Event series.

This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. For more information, email events@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7955 6043.

You are invited to an evening with

Ronald Cohen

who will be discussing his new book on entrepreneurship and private equity

THE SECOND BOUNCE OF THE BALL


On Tuesday 27th November
at Bloomberg
6.30pm Reception
7.15pm Lecture
8 – 9pm Book signing and drinks


RSVP only
f.drake@hbcomms.com

39-45 Finsbury Square
London EC2A 1PQ

If you would like to attend please apply to Florence Drake on the email above by 22nd November. No tickets are guaranteed until confirmed via email.