The former head of Pizza Express Luke Johnson, who also founded the Centre for Entrepreneurs, has today stated that foreign entrepreneurs contribute to the British economy and create jobs in the UK. Luke Johnson’s comments come after the launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week which runs from today and lasts until 24 November 2013. The launch event has featured Luke Johnson, an entrepreneur himself and Vince Cable the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and intends to attract global talent to encourage them to invest in businesses in the UK.
Luke Johnson: Entrepreneur Immigrants “Punch above their Weight”
In 1993, Luke Johnson took control of Pizza Express and expanded the brand’s chain of restaurants from just 25 to more than 250. Johnson is the founder of the Centre for Entrepreneurs and believes that entrepreneurs are essential for renewed economic growth in the UK.
Speaking to the Huffington Post, he warned that the government’s tough immigration controls risked deterring foreign talent from coming to the Britain. Johnson stated:
“Although [these] entrepreneur immigrants are relatively small who come here and settle, they actually punch above their weight in terms of economic importance.”
In September this year, we reported that research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that migrant workers are more likely to be in work (63.3%) than UK-born citizens (56.2%) as well as more economically active (at 69.8%) than UK-born citizens (63%).
Global Entrepreneurship Week: Event for Global Entrepreneurs
GEW event has been described as the largest celebration of the innovators and job creators, who launch start-ups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare. The event launched today at Westminster Kingsway College, London and hopes to attract both UK and global talent.
Speaking about the event, Andrew Devenport, the Chief Executive of Youth Business International, stated:
“It’s encouraging to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel for UK entrepreneurship, with one in two business owners expecting their revenue to rocket in the next few years, higher than the overall global average. And this trend extends to the experiences we have seen across our global network too, with Australia, Barbados and Canada all predicting success and growth to a similar degree. Global Entrepreneurship Week is the perfect time to make the most of this renewed enthusiasm. It engages entrepreneurs from all walks of life to swap experiences build their networks and replicate successful business models”.
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