Terry Waite was captured in Beirut in January 1987 whilst attempting to secure the release of hostages and held hostage himself for almost five years. Terry maintains an ongoing interest in humanitarian and political affairs and can also relate his personal experiences to the pressures faced by executives and managers: stress, loneliness and negotiating under acute pressure.

Other speakers include Dr Edward Hope, the newly appointed group chief executive of Brooks Service Group who will share his first impressions of the industry and the challenges it faces; Simon Fry, of Fenland Laundries, who will launch the new TSA tool to help calculate workwear process costs; David Kinson, of Johnson’s Apparelmaster, who will explore the business truth that “Nothing happens until someone sells something”; and Jamie Petrie, of Skillfast-UK, who will launch the new industry NVQs and outline ways all employers can access Government funding for training and education