2 May 2000

LORD PUTTNAM TO HELP NORTHERN IRELAND COMPANIES FOCUS ON NEXT BUSINESS REVOLUTION

Celebrated international film producer Lord Puttnam will help the Industrial Research and Technology Unit (IRTU) to focus Northern Ireland companies on future success by positioning themselves to compete successfully in the next global revolution in business.

He will 'star' in one of the events during the week-long 'Celebration of Innovation', which runs from 8-12 May 2000, that is being organised by IRTU in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry. The celebration will showcase all forms of innovation - particularly Northern Ireland's now market leading millennium products - and demonstrate the integral importance of design and marketing to competitive success.

Working together, IRTU and the Northern Ireland Film Commission will be screening an interactive national debate on Tuesday 9 May from the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford to one of Belfast's newest restaurants, The Edge.

Lord Puttnam, Chairman of Enigma Productions and Honorary President of the Northern Ireland film Commission and Oscar-winning film producer, whose credits include Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields, will chair the focus on predictions for the next revolution in business.

"I believe the next revolution will be led by truly 'unlimited companies' - organisations capable of harvesting the potential of their people, their ideas and their processes," Lord Puttnam said.

Jim Wolstencroft, IRTU's Chief Executive, said: "The intense competitive pressures on the film industry to continually innovate to achieve commercial success in the global market presents similar challenges to those faced by industry generally throughout Northern Ireland. Consequently, there is much to be learnt by studying the response of the film industry to the challenges of the global market.

"IRTU is delighted to be collaborating with the Northern Ireland Film Commission in providing local industry with this opportunity to participate in this important national debate on the business revolution."

Richard Taylor, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Film Commission, said: "The Northern Ireland Film Commission is very pleased to be presenting this debate, by David Puttnam, in association with IRTU. The Northern Ireland Film Commission welcomes this opportunity to make connections between the rapidly expanding media and multimedia sectors in Northern Ireland and other leading businesses.

"This is an excellent opportunity for some of the most creative and dynamic businesses to network with each other and to interact with one of the UK's leading creative entrepreneurs," he said.

Other local events being held to mark the Celebration of Innovation include hallmark recognition of Northern Ireland's Millennium Products Winners at a ceremony in the Hilton Hotel on 11 May and a complementary public display of Millennium Products in the Castlecourt Centre in Belfast from 8-12 May.