AS many as 3000 business leaders from around the globe will converge on Britain this summer as the UK Government seeks to use the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics to drum up more than £1 billion in trade and investment.
Under the collective title of the "British Business Embassy", the gathering will include such figures as Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, Daniel Ek, who founded the online music service Spotify; Sir Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony; Sir Martin Sorrell, head of WPP the world's largest advertising company; and Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
The business embassy will aim to showcase global business partnerships along with the best of what the UK has to offer in some of its most successful industries such as fashion, architecture, technology, life sciences, automotive, aerospace and advanced engineering.
David Cameron last night said: "The Olympics will not only bring the world's best athletes and thousands of sports fans to our country but the major business players are coming, too.
"This once-in-a-lifetime occasion will provide UK companies with more than a billion pounds' business opportunity. The conference and these events will place the UK at the forefront in addressing the challenges facing the global economy and a chance to showcase UK business, secure new trade and inward investment and give our economy a major boost."
Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, insisted the 2012 games through the business embassy provided an "unmissable opportunity to show why Britain is the ideal place to invest and do business".
Meanwhile, Scotland Office Minister David Mundell linked the events to the independence debate, saying: "Being part of Britain opens doors for Scotland and provides us with opportunities to do business and influence important decisions. This summer, the world will be coming to Britain and we are determined to make the most of it."
The Herald was told discussions were going on between the governments at Westminster and Holyrood to involve Scotland as much as possible in the business embassy activities.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are working closely with UK Trade and Investment to ensure Scottish ministers and businesses are fully involved and that Scotland derives long-term economic benefits from this opportunity."
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