OWNERS and directors of Worcestershire businesses are invited to a top-level conference aimed at boosting creative and professional service businesses across the Midlands.

Two of the Midlands' highest-profile corporate heavyweights will debate the way forward for this key sector of business in the event at law firm Eversheds in Birmingham on Wednesday, February 27.

The event is being staged jointly by the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Corporate Finance Faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Clive Bawden, incoming chairman of the IoD young directors' forum, who helped to devise the conference, said: "We will be focusing on how best to develop, grow and fund creative, consulting and professional service businesses within the Midlands, which is key to the region's future, with creative businesses alone accounting for more than 15 per cent of the region's businesses.

"The scene will be set by one of the region's leading marketing professionals, followed by a presentation from the chairman of one of the Midlands' leading marketing agency on the practical issues under consideration."

The event is being chaired by IoD chairman Richard Boot, himself a former corporate finance partner of audit firm KPMG and a veteran of many deals over the past 30 years.

Speakers will include Ian Taylor, commercial director of Marketing Birmingham, and Jon Derry, chairman of Midlands marketing communications agency KLM, who led a management buyout of the multi-million pound turnover business in 1999.

Stephen Kitts, head of corporate law at Eversheds will then speak, followed by Andy Currie, managing partner of Catalyst Corporate Finance, the award-winning dealmaker who has led recent high-profile deals in this area including architectural firm Foster and Partners and operational consultancy business Celerant Consulting.

IoD chairman Richard Boot will then chair a question and answer session.

Mr Boot said: "We expect this conference to attract owners and directors of some of the brightest businesses in this highly important sector and we are delighted that the Institute of Chartered Accountants has teamed up with us to stage this event jointly to members and non-members."

For more details call 0121 632 2300 or e-mail sharon.woollaston@iod.com