HE was billed as one of the star guests at Yorkshire’s Bollywood business bonanza.
But steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal was a no-show at yesterday’s event.Organisers said that despite pre-publicity surrounding Mr Mittal’s participation, his attendance had only ever been “90 per cent certain”.
The IIFA Global Business Forum, at the Royal Armouries, marked the launch of Yorkshire’s Indian weekend. Senior Indian delegates and politicans were joined by a cross-section of Yorkshire business people to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Leeds-based regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, and FICCI, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce.
The Memorandum commits both FICCI and Yorkshire Forward to offering mutual assistance and information on opportunities for investment in both Yorkshire and India.
It also states that the two organisations will arrange a programme of activity – including trade missions – that will help businesses further develop international partnerships.
Mr Riordan described the event as a start point for future business deals.
He said: “When we bid to bring the IIFA weekend to the region we wanted to start a chain reaction in Yorkshire that would last long after the red carpet was rolled up.”
The organisation says it has already seen a multi-million pound return on its £2.5m investment in the awards in terms of the global publicity it has attracted for the region.
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