SIR JACKIE DARES MANUFACTURERS TO BE DIFFERENT

THREE times Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Jackie Stewart, was in Belfast on Tuesday were he addressed the national Celebration of Innovation 2001.

Speaking at the launch of the conference at the Odyssey Arena, Sir Jackie challenged manufacturers to “break the rules” in their strategic thinking.

He said his aim was to inspire the use of fresh thinking to stimulate innovation in manufacturing - a philosophy that had earned him, and the British motorsports industry, worldwide recognition.

Sir Jackie said: "Constant innovation is the only survival strategy, you have to find new ways of doing business.

“One barrier to real innovation in many companies is the belief that the power to innovate is held only by the senior management and that only they can come up with the best ideas.

"Working with universities, suppliers, customers or government departments are feasible ways to gain some quality innovative thinking time."

Sir Jackie drew on his own experience of building the highly successful Stewart Grand Prix Formula 1 team, which after three years was purchased by the Ford Motor Company, to demonstrate how to lead change.

In addition to the lecture at W5 in Belfast, there were around 100 other ‘Celebration of Innovation’ events across the United Kingdom, including the Belfast broadcast of Richard Noble’s ‘Waking Up To The Future’ breakfast briefing which will be beamed to audiences in every region of the UK.

The broadcast is sponsored by the Foresight programme and will take place in W5. (MB)