Humber Business Week organisers learning from the past and building for the future as planning starts for 2026
Justin Urquhart Stewart (left) with some of the organisers of the economic business breakfast in Grimsby.
HUMBER Business Week has hit the ground running with its preparations for 2026 with several flagship events already booked and organisers hard at work on curating an engaging schedule aimed at attracting strong local and regional interest.
Humber Business Week 2026 will begin on Monday June 1st 2026. Events already confirmed for 2026 include the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Expo, which will be held on Tuesday, June 2nd at the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, which will build on this year’s successful event which drew glowing praise from visitors and exhibitors alike for its diverse selections of stands and workshops.
The Business Day at Bridlington Spa, which always sells out well in advance, and an economic business breakfast in Grimsby hosted by Forrester Boyd, Bridge McFarland, Systematic and the Grimsby Institute are also planned.
Mark Lonsdale, General Manager at Bridlington Spa and Producer of The Business Day, said he expects to be able to make an announcement in October or November about the main speaker, who will be follow in the footsteps of Piers Morgan from 2025 and Björn Ulvaeus in 2024.
Mark added: “We were back in touch with our agency contacts as soon as Biz Week finished this year to talk about ideas for speakers for 2026 and we’re making good progress with that.
“We are also in discussion with our colleagues on the Humber Business Week steering group about how we promote what we are all doing. Although The Business Day is a stand-alone event it is the crescendo to Humber Business Week and we will be working more closely together to support each other.”
Alison Mitchell, a steering group member from Forrester Boyd in Grimsby, confirmed that Justin Urquhart Stewart, recognised as one of the UK’s leading economic voices, will return to address business leaders from both sides of the Humber over breakfast.
Alison, who has led the drive to increase involvement on the south bank, added: “Humber Business Week has been a successful celebration of business success across the Humber for many years and raising the profile of the event and getting more businesses on the south bank of the Humber involved is a key driver for me.
“We now have a south bank sub group to channel ideas for getting more businesses involved. This year has seen the start of that and I hope to see more businesses hosting and attending events next year as we aim to support, educate, upskill and inform.”
Pat Coyle, Chair of Humber Business Week, said the steering group will stick to the key themes which made this year’s event such a success and incorporate new elements to build engagement and audiences across the week.
Pat said: “Humber Business Week continues to go from strength to strength and we are working hard to continue that by making it easy for people to connect and communicate with us.
“It is fantastic that we already have some of our major events confirmed with The Business Day and the economic business breakfast. We are also in discussions with Future Humber about their plans for the annual curtain-raiser event and we’re exploring ideas for the Humber Business Week lunch, which was at capacity this year for the return to the region of Phil Batty, CEO of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and the former Director of Public Engagement for Hull’s UK City of Culture programme.
“Overall we delivered more than 50 events and we expect to increase that number, not least with more activities on the south bank. We are well placed to add to our continued support for event holders with our steering group meetings booked all the way through to Biz Week itself and our ‘get ready’ advice sessions on the north bank and the south bank, which will also have their own programme launches.
“We are also exploring the opportunities for other events throughout the year which can add value for businesses, help to build networks and create sustainability and awareness throughout the year.”
Measurements of the growth and success of Humber Business Week include figures which show an increase of more than 36 per cent in Linked In followers, nearly 12 per cent in reactions to posts by Humber Business Week and nearly nine per cent in impressions.
Pat said the steering group remains focused on ensuring the programme remains relevant and forward-looking - a priority shaped by the event’s 22-year history.
She added: “There are businesses and jobs which exist now that weren’t around when Biz Week started. Today’s workplace presents challenges and opportunities that didn’t exist 22 years ago — making relevance more important than ever for both employers and employees.
“They include the psychological side of employee wellbeing and diversity, internal marketing and the employer brand proposition. The business landscape is much more challenging now, particularly with recruitment and retention of staff.
“There’s also social mobility and value, plus ESG to consider. There are so many innovations and trends which have become relevant so it’s important to cover a wide range of topics throughout the week.
“We are constantly asking for feedback and looking to engage with stakeholders because Humber Business Week is a week for all businesses and organisations in the Humber. It’s inclusive and for everybody.”
