Energy and enterprise are emerging as the key ingredients in shaping a packed schedule of events as preparations gather pace for Humber Business Week 2026.
Pat Coyle, Chair of Biz Week, told delegates at the “Get Ready” event that regular hosts have already booked their slots for the annual, pan-Humber festival of business in the first week of June.
She said: “We are shaping our future the Humber way! We have seen increased collaboration across the region where colleagues from the south bank are bringing fresh energy and support, helping to make Biz Week more connected and more ambitious.”
Members of the steering group were joined in the presentations at the MKM Stadium in Hull by Business Week ambassadors who highlighted the importance of bringing energy to their events and activities.
Tessa Wray, who led the preparations for the Get Ready event, set out the timetables of key dates on both sides of the Humber and steered delegates towards the official Humber Business Week website, which has been further developed to offer guidance on how to organise events as well as the simple registration process.
Paige McGowan, Vice Chair of the steering group, shared tips on how to deliver a standout event and urged participants to make their events real, remarkable, resourceful and revolutionary – drawing on the values of Future Humber, who will host the annual Bondholder breakfast as the traditional Biz Week curtain raiser on Monday 1 June.
Paige said: “Is the event credible and is it worth people’s time? What will make the event feel different from any other breakfast panel or workshop? People don’t remember your slides. They remember how they felt.
“Revolutionary means confident enough to move the conversation on. Resourcefulness – think about how you can collaborate with other people and businesses.”
Helen Roberts and Kay Williams, who run sessions on leadership, change and other issues as well as their Talented Women development programme, became Humber Business Week ambassadors after a chat in a pub three years ago and spoke about the power of connections.
Kay said: “Business Week continues to bring people together to create its human connections. Sometimes one conversation is all it takes.”
Helen advised event organisers to avoid the curses of pursuing perfection and comparing themselves with others: “It will simply drain your energy and you will put your focus in the wrong place – make sure you feel the energy of your event.”
The Humber Business Week south bank task force will present its “Get Ready” event at the Holiday Inn Express, Grimsby, from 10am until 1pm on Thursday 5 February.
The next big event in Hull will be the programme launch, which will take place at the University of Hull on Thursday 22 April. Full details will be announced on the Biz Week website along with a date for the launch of the south bank programme.
Humber Business Week will open with a full day of activities at the MKM Stadium, with the Bondholder breakfast followed by a joint event bringing together Reality Solutions and Hull and East Yorkshire Mind. Andrew Jackson Solicitors are expecting a full house for their morning with James Sweeting, who will talk about the origin and growth of his multi-million-pound businesses Pipers Crisps, Lincoln & York and Sumo UK as well as the key opportunities and challenges in the current environment. Proceedings at the stadium will conclude with the ever-popular Humber Business Week lunch.
On the Tuesday the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Expo at the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel. On Wednesday Hull Truck Theatre will take centre stage, starting with a breakfast event by For Entrepreneurs Only (FEO) featuring Jonathan Elvidge, best known as the Founder of The Gadget Shop before becoming a YouTuber at the age of 60.
Curiosity Hull will then deliver an event based around their video interviews conducted with a variety of major regional businesses to promote skills and careers. Leading law firm Wilkin Chapman Rollits will present its Biz Week event in the afternoon around the hot topic of microaggressions in the workplace.
Hull City Council will host a business breakfast in the Guildhall on the Thursday. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who is one of Britain’s greatest Paralympic athletes, will be the keynote speaker at The Business Day at Bridlington Spa on Friday 5 June 2026.
Jan Brumby, CEO at For Entrepreneurs Only, said: “We have so many different inspirational stories within FEO and we have a very special one this year which we want to share more widely.
“The Get Ready event was a really positive way to start Business Week. It’s lovely to see some new faces and to keep biz week fresh and interesting. We always need new ideas and subject matters. I’m interested in seeing what comes out of it.”
Jan Antons, Knowledge Transfer Adviser for, Hull, Humberside, Northern Lincolnshire, said: “Innovate UK are considering an event with local advisers to help local businesses identify what funding and support is available to help them innovate, and to growth their businesses. After this event we are excited to progress the idea, and to make it happen.”
Emma Waudby, Commercial Director of Cobus Communications, said: “Humber Business Week is a brilliant opportunity to connect with the people and organisations shaping our region. It brings businesses together to share ideas, build relationships, and celebrate what the Humber does best. I’ve attended Humber Business Week for many years and always come away motivated and inspired.”
Pat Coyle added: “That’s the first event of Humber Business Week 2026 ticked off! Please get involved and register your events as soon as possible so we can champion them and help you reach the right audience. We need to keep the momentum going, continue the conversations and identify those golden threads.”
For further information about The Business Day and to apply for tickets, visit
www.TheBusinessDay.co.uk.
To keep track of the latest additions to the Humber Business Week programme and find out more about the “Get Ready” events visit https://humberbusinessweek.co.uk/
Picture details
Biz week 1
Speakers at the Humber Business Week “Get Ready” event. From left: Tessa Wray, Paige McGowan, Pat Coyle, Kay Williams and Helen Roberts. Picture by Jodie Hunter.
Biz week 2
The audience at the Humber Business Week “Get Ready” event. Picture by Robert Borcea.
Biz week 3
The audience at the Humber Business Week “Get Ready” event. Picture by Samanta Anpilogova.
