Invest South Tyneside serves up automotive dinner sponsorship

South Tyneside Council is once again backing an evening that will see the cream of the North East automotive industry gather together.
North East Automotive Alliance CEO Paul Butler at last year's  Auto Expo at the Stadium of Light.North East Automotive Alliance CEO Paul Butler at last year's  Auto Expo at the Stadium of Light.
North East Automotive Alliance CEO Paul Butler at last year's Auto Expo at the Stadium of Light.

The annual North East Automotive Expo Pre-Event Dinner will return on September 26, before this year’s Expo at the new Beacon of Light.

Sponsored by Invest South Tyneside, the dinner will offer an ideal platform to network with some of the UK’s most influential automotive professionals, gain thought-provoking insights into the sector and entertain clients and VIPs.

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Lawrence Davies MBE, CEO of the Automotive Investment Organisation at the Department for International Trade, will be this year’s guest speaker.

His 35-year career in the automotive industry, started at General Motors (GM) in the UK within purchasing and supply chain, after which he spent four years at Opel in Germany, with spells in France and the US.

He became Director of GM UK Purchasing and Supply Chain in 2006.

In 2013, he joined UK Trade & Investment’s Automotive Investment Organisation (AIO) as Deputy CEO, where he played a lead role in the AIO’s programme of engagement with automotive companies to promote the UK worldwide.  

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He was made a fellow of the Institute of Purchasing in 2015, appointed CEO of the AIO the following year and awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s honours list.

North East Automotive Alliance CEO Paul Butler said: “The success of this event over the past three years is a clear demonstration of the importance of the region’s automotive sector.

“The opportunities within the automotive sector are huge.

“The accelerated introduction of new technologies such as electrified propulsion, connected and autonomous vehicles will have significant impact on our supply chain; whilst an increased focus on localisation and the digitalisation of our manufacturing processes will open up the automotive sector to new companies.”

Tables and individual tickets can be booked via the NEAA website here.

Individual seats at the dinner are priced at £75 +VAT for NEAA members, !50 for non-members. Tables of 10 are £750 +VAT for members, £15,900 + VAT for non-members. Tables of 12 are available.