The UK's most important international conference for ethnic minority businesses, organised by De Montfort University (DMU), is to be held in Leicester.

Hosted by DMU's Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) in association with East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the 13th Annual Ethnic Minority Business (EMB) Conference will take place at the Leicester Tigers rugby stadium on Welford Road in Leicester on Wednesday 14 October.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic businesses contribute in the region of £30-40bn to the UK economy1.

The EMB Conference is designed to present cutting-edge research and policy initiatives, and will address key themes such as national developments in ethnic minority entrepreneurship, advancing ethnic minority entrepreneurship, regional business support and supply chain opportunities.

Delegates are expected to attend from ethnic minority businesses, business agencies and intermediaries, employer groups, the corporate sector and local authorities to hear influencers from the corporate, educational and business support sectors set out how they engage with ethnic minority entrepreneurs in the UK.

Key speakers at the conference this year include, Mike Carr, emda, Gerard Chick, Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply, Rosana Mirkovic, Association of Chartered & Certified Accountants, David Darlaston, Business in the Community, Stephen Smith, East Midlands Business Ltd, Mick Wain, Staples Advantage, Alan Christie, Equality & Human Rights Commission and Professor Monder Ram of DMU.

Professor Monder Ram OBE initiated the annual event in 1998. He is Professor of Small Business and Director of CREME at DMU's Leicester Business School and an internationally acclaimed researcher on small and ethnic minority businesses and entrepreneurship.

Professor Ram said: "This benchmark conference truly demonstrates that ethnic minority enterprise is 'everyone's business'. We are delighted to have secured the participation of major institutions, companies and policy-makers who are shaping the landscape of entrepreneurship in the UK. The conference promises to advance the agenda for ethnic minority businesses in highly innovative ways."

Mike Carr, Executive Director of Business Services at emda, said: "Ethnic minority businesses make an important contribution to the region's economy. We have been working closely with CRÈME and Minority Supplier Development UK to ensure that entrepreneurs in the ethnic minority community receive the support they require to develop their businesses. This conference is key in terms of both highlighting best practice and identifying issues faced by ethnic minority businesses."

Stephen Smith, Chief Executive of EMB Ltd, the organisation that delivers the regional Business Link service on behalf of emda, added: "I am delighted to participate in this conference and to acknowledge the contribution that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic businesses make to the local economy.  Business Link's aim is to ensure that business support services are accessed by the whole of the business community - ensuring information and advice are made accessible to anyone who is thinking about starting a business or who is already up and running."

A gala dinner sponsored by Barclays will take place in the evening with a keynote address by Sir Gulam Noon MBE, Chairman of Noon Products Ltd.

To book a place or for more information contact Liv Van den Eynde, Conference Co-ordinator at DMU on 0116 250 6428, email: creme@dmu.ac.uk or visit www.creme-dmu.org.uk