Meet In Wales shares its Life Sciences sector specialism in Barcelona
22 November 2023
Meet In Wales will be delving into the world of Life Sciences at IBTM this month, when the team introduces its sector specialist and ambassador, Dr Lee Parry. Dr Parry, who is on the faculty of Cardiff University, will be introduced to stage by Meet In Wales’ Head of Business Events, Heledd Williams, before presenting a session entitled Life Lessons from a Life Scientist and getting to grips with how the event industry can support such work.
The team’s attendance at the show forms part of Meet In Wales’ highly successful campaign to align its meetings and events strategy with the expertise within the destination and has already seen it highlight the region’s advances in the worlds of semi-conductors and renewables. In fact, at IBTM 2022 the team hosted an entire session dedicated to semi-conductors and their potential impact.
For 2023, Meet In Wales will be joining forces with numerous partners at IBTM to showcase what Wales has to offer and highlight the people and the places that make it such a formidable business destination. These include:
- ICCWales
- Celtic Collection
- Meet Cardiff
- Venue Cymru
- The Vale Resort & Hensol Castle
- Orchard Media & Events
- Voco St David's Hotel
- Cambria DMC @ASA
“Our sector-focused campaign has opened people’s eyes to the rich mix of businesses and sectors that call Wales their home,” commented Heledd Williams, Head of Business Events at Meet In Wales. “We’re pleased to be able to bring Dr Parry to IBTM and introduce the world of Life Sciences to a new audience and work with our partners to truly showcase Wales as a meetings destination.”
Life Sciences is undoubtedly one of the growing sectors in Wales, with the region hosting academic and corporate communities and research centres that influence scientific knowledge and behaviour around the world. The Welsh Life Sciences industry currently employs more than 12,000 people, in over 260 companies (ranging from SME's and start-ups to large blue chip companies) with an approximate turnover of £2.6bn. With world-leading academic expertise and a central Life Sciences Hub, Wales demonstrates a strong competitive advantage in Medtech, Diagnostics, Wound Healing, Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy and is already creating a world-leading Regenerative Medicine ecosystem, which includes academics, the NHS, Government and centres of excellence. 75% of the life sciences market is export focussed. Welsh companies are supplying their products and services to markets all around the World from Spain and Ireland, to Canada, Brazil, Qatar and Singapore.
“I’m delighted to be able to share not just the importance of the Life Sciences sector, but also its place in Wales,” commented Dr Lee Parry. “As a nation, we’re extremely proud of the advances we continue to make in the scientific world and it’s a privilege to be able share that story and encourage event organisers to explore the long-established industry links that exist in the region.”
In recent years Wales has transformed its business landscape, having evolved to concentrate on industrial and service-based activities, from technology to Fin Tech, renewables to creativity.
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