THE North East Entrepreneurs' Forum has revealed the speakers at its annual Fortune Favours the Brave autumn business conference in November.

It includes George Clarke, North East-born innovative designer and architect, entrepreneur and government adviser, perhaps best known for his Restoration Man and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces television programmes.

Lining up alongside him are David Cooper, founder of the multi-award winning Coopers Coffee; Richard Kirk, chief executive of Polyphotonix and a pioneer in “organic light”; Floyd Woodrow, a decorated former Parachute Regiment and SAS soldier, and ex-head of the Counter Terrorist Unit, who now runs security organisation Britam Defence Ltd and Chrysalis Worldwide; and Pamela Petty, a Forum board member and managing director of Ebac, the Newton Aycliffe manufacturer of water coolers and other appliances that is also returning washing machine production to the UK.

Other local entrepreneurs speaking will include Bryan Bunn, founder of Wynyard-based Nortech Solutions; Alex Hayward, managing director of engineering information management specialists Phusion IM, based in Billingham; and Arnab Basu, chief executive of the Sedgefield-based Kromek Group, which designs, develops and produces x-ray imaging and radiation detection products for the medical, security screening and nuclear markets.

The conference is at Wynyard Hall on Thursday, November 20, from 8am-5.30pm. Places cost £99+VAT for Forum members and their guests. See entrepreneursforum.net or contact 0191 500 7780.