LAUNCHPAD – WORLD: TURNING LOCAL IDEAS INTO GLOBAL BRANDS
The Secondary Schools Symposium is a signature event of Global Business Week, designed to inspire and guide the next generation of leaders in the global business sector.
The Symposium brings together business students and other interested fourth, fifth and sixth form students from public and private secondary schools across Barbados. It equips young people with the knowledge and insight they need as they prepare for university studies or professional courses.
This year’s programme focuses on taking local ideas to a global market, from financing a start-up and protecting intellectual property to meeting international standards. Students will also hear directly from Barbadian creatives who have built businesses with global reach.
In recent years, the Symposium has welcomed more than 120 students and teachers, reflecting the strong interest among Barbados’ future business leaders.
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 8:15 AM to 12:30 PM (registration from 8:15 AM; programme begins at 9:00 AM)
Location: Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Frangipani Room, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael
Programme Highlights
- Money Without Borders: Financing Your Global Start-up: Ms. Marcia Armstrong, National Financial Literacy Programme
- Who Owns the IP? Navigating Business on the Global Stage: Dr. Erica Smith, Business Barbados Intellectual Property Office
- From iPad to Global Launch: Standards, Standards, Standards: Mr. Haydn Rhynd, Barbados National Standards Institution
- The Launchpad Effect: Navigating the Highs, Lows and Horizons of Global Business: Kerri Birch (Film and Television Producer), Lisa Rudder (Fashion Designer) and Sophie Marshall (Artisanal Furniture Designer)
With presentations from Future Barbados, the Student Revolving Loan Fund and the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme.
Contributing Sponsors
