Sebastian Cox, Dr Vincent Walsh and Alister Scott have joined our line-up of expert speakers as part of the inspiring and thought-provoking programme planned for micebook Ventures Chapter II, which kicks off at the newly opened Birch (Selsdon) next month (5-7 June).

Award-winning furniture designer, maker and environmentalist Sebastian Cox has masterminded the rewilding of the Birch (Selsdon) estate and designed bespoke furniture for the bedrooms, suites and communal spaces; Alister Scott is director of communications, Global ReWilding Alliance; and Dr Vincent Walsh is one of the UK’s leading sustainable food and regenerative agriculture experts, regarded as a pioneer and thought leader within the food and farming sector.

They join consultant, author and TEDx speaker Jon Barnes who was recently announced as one of our expert panellists for Ventures, which is themed around ‘Re-Wilding Your Business, Restoring Our World’.

Following on from where we left off at our inaugural Ventures in 2022, we’re evolving the ideas, education and solutions available to the particular needs of the meetings and events sector by exploring why we must avoid the Sixth Extinction of our rich and varied biosphere and what can we learn from Mother Nature about how we organise, measure and value the part of our lives that still occupies most of our waking time.

Like last year, the event will feature a BBC Question Time-style debate, which will see our expert panellists explore the statement that “Unless we give Mother Nature a seat at the business events table, carbon measurement and reduction are pointless.”

This year’s programme will feature a separate track for agency leaders and MDs, campfire sessions, collaborative workshops and activities, as well as morning wellness sessions including a rewilding walk, sunrise yoga and more.

micebook Ventures is a sustainable summit for purpose-driven event industry leaders, which is founded on the 1:1 buyer-supplier meetings model but with the addition of inspirational content sessions and debate, and practical, shared experiences, which address global issues through a dynamic, experiential programme.

The deadline to sign up for this year’s event is now just a week away – don’t miss out on your chance to be part of this important conversation and help us in our mission to build a more sustainable future for our industry. Find out more and sign up.

Buyers from emc3, TTA, Hyphen, Shore Events, Sledge, Goho and more are already confirmed, while supplier partners include Singapore Tourism Board, Failte Ireland, ACC Liverpool, Silverstone, The London Edition, Destination Vancouver, Level Up, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, JW Marriott Hotel Berlin, ASM Global and many more.

Newly opened in South Croydon, Birch (Selsdon) – sister property to Birch (Cheshunt) – is the perfect partner venue. Taking over what was formerly the Selsdon Park Hotel and a golf course, the 200-acre sister site has undergone a rewilding project headed by Cox, with free-roaming long-horned cattle and Exmoor ponies being introduced as part of the initiative. As well as taking part in the Big Debate, Cox will share insights into the Birch project.