Richard Robinson, best-selling author of 20 books on popular science and the founder of Brighton Science Festival, talks about the brilliance of science, applying it to the workplace and his latest project: My Manager and Other Animals.

Our September speaker, Andy Winter, the Chief Executive of Brighton Housing Trust reveals insights into his background, from his childhood in apartheid South Africa to his early days working for BHT. Andy also discusses his motivations for working in social care and homelessness, as well as the challenges he faces as a Charity Chief Executive.

Penny Thompson, Chief Executive of Brighton and Hove Council talks to the Chamber about her life and how she got to where she is now

Brighton Summit 2014; interview with keynote Rob Forkan from Gandys flipflops by Miranda Birch at the Brighton Chamber 'Come On An Adventure Business Summit'

As MD of Propellernet, Nikki Gatenby spent 20 years working in advertising agencies in London and Paris before returning to her roots in Sussex in recent times. Based in the heart of the Lanes in Brighton, Propellernet is a digital marketing agency, providing high quality services to the travel, fashion, retail and financial sectors. Nikki has always loved learning new skills and currently holds qualifications from Kingston University, London Business School and Cranfield University.

In addition to running a commercially successful business, Nikki also focuses on ensuring that her workplace is a calm and happy place for her staff. This concern and her investment in staff welfare has resulted in Propellernet winning numerous awards: under Nikki's watch, Propellernet was voted Best Place to Work in the UK, 2013 by the Great Places to Work Institute and The Guardian. Nikki herself was awarded Managing Director of the Year by the Brighton and Hove Business Awards in June this year.

Bu

Martyn Evans is the Creative Director at Cathedral Group, a specialist mixed-use property development company based in an 18th Century listed church in SE1. Martyn is leading the creative process of developing a new and exciting part of the city, intended to contribute significantly to the economic growth of Brighton and Hove, where the old municipal market building is in Circus Street, Brighton.

Martyn is primarily responsible for Cathedral Group's creative direction and marketing across our portfolio of development projects and is heavily involved in the Circus Street project. He is often called upon to judge industry awards such as Architect of the Year Awards, sponsored by BD Magazine, and The AJ Small Projects Awards. Before joining the Cathedral board in 2011, Martyn ran a successful branding and communications consultancy working in the property, regeneration and urban design sectors with a particular focus on regeneration through creative industry and cultural engagement.

Like Lord Sugar many local business owners are discovering the benefits of hiring an apprentice. At this breakfast we hear from three member businesses who have taken on apprentices about how it has affected their business.

Pete Jenkins is Director of e-Advantage Solutions Ltd and Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Brighton. Pete took on his first Apprentice two years ago and says "I was too busy to take on new business and knew I needed staff. Taking on my Apprentice enabled me to increase sales in that first year by 72%. I have since taken on 2 interns from the University too."

Al Tredinnick is CEO and Sales Director for Digicave a high tech digital agency in Brighton. "Because our work is so complicated and our clients so demanding we didn't think hiring a PA through the apprenticeship scheme would work. As soon as we saw the calibre of the candidates we realised that it would be fine. We hired our apprentice for a full time position and can't imagine the company withou

What advice would you give new Manchester United Manager David Moyes? There's one man in this city very well placed to answer that question: Martin Harris. He's just taken on the post of MD at Brighton and Hove Buses; 'the bus industry equivalent of following Sir Alex at Old Trafford'.

Roger French made Brighton and Hove Buses the most successful 'club' in the 'premier league' of British bus companies so, like Moyes, Martin says he expects the two most common phrases he'll hear for many months will be "big shoes to fill" and "tough act to follow".

He shares the same values as both French and Ferguson: loyalty, taking the long view and working strategically but he already has exciting plans to build the company further, improve customer service and to introduce new innovations. At this breakfast we hear how Martin plans to balance keeping the faith of the existing faithful whilst bringing his own stamp and style increasingly into play.

Martin already has fourteen years experience of

Chamber breakfast with guest speaker Jonathan Markwell in conversation with Steve Bustin.

Any businessperson knows that belonging to a community can be vital to business success. Software developer Jonathan Markwell has focused on building these communities both online with sites such as How Sociable, and is well known in Brighton for building the offline workspace community at The Skiff.

Jonathan talks about the entrepreneurial spirit needed to found and grow several businesses of his own and how he's used his knowledge to work with start-up businesses in Chile. He also tells us about how his ability to spot a new online trend meant he was the very first British user of Twitter and why he's leaving the world of entrepreneurialism behind to return to employment for the first time in seven years!

Business Breakfasts are held monthly at Carluccio's and draw in a wide range of businesses from Brighton and beyond. With lots of opportunities for networking and a thought-provoking busines

Joel Virgo was born and raised in Brighton and Hove and has been living back in the city since 2006, following moving away for study at Newcastle University and subsequently a number of years working as a history teacher in the North East and East Anglia.

Since 2001 Joel has been working in church leadership and now leads CCK, one of the largest and most diverse community organisations in the City of Brighton and Hove, with people from all parts of society and many different ethnic backgrounds represented.

Joel has taken time to transition and remodel the organisation, seeking to help it communicate with relevance to new groups of people that traditionally faith groups wouldn't engage with. In recent years they've seen many students and young people get involved and have also opened new venues in two, soon to be three, locations across the city.

Also CCK is increasingly exploring and developing ways to serve and contribute, in partnership with other key groups and individuals, to the