I would like to offer a warm welcome to you all on the occasion of the 29th Oxfordshire Business Awards. Oxford Brookes University is delighted to once again be hosting this prestigious event in the Oxfordshire calendar, celebrating business excellence across the county.

Many here this evening are friends of the University, so I extend a special greeting to our alumni and partner organisations. We also look forward to establishing new connections with those we are meeting for the first time.

Through our management development programmes, Oxford Brookes Business School has recently worked with more than 350 local businesses to strengthen leadership, enhance productivity and support growth. We are proud to play a part in the continued success of the region’s business community.

This evening’s celebrations are taking place in the Forum, at the heart of our award-winning John Henry Brookes Building. At the University, we continue to invest in cutting-edge facilities. Two new sustainable buildings on our Headington Hill site were recently completed. The new Teaching building opened in January, and the pioneering workshop building will open fully in the next academic year.

Together, these spaces will bring together engineering and motorsport with creative design, artificial intelligence, robotics and digital innovation. They are already helping our students, staff and researchers to flourish—boosting collaboration and supporting the needs of business and industry.

My congratulations to all finalists, and I wish everyone a successful and memorable evening.

Professor Alistair Fitt
Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University
venues@brookes.ac.uk
www.brookesvenues.co.uk