Unlike last year’s event, this year’s Surrey Economic Summit likely won’t draw protesters for its keynote speaker.
Protesters faced off with RCMP outside the event last October, where former US presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were speaking.
But this year, the keynote will be given by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson — who Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts calls one of the world’s best known entrepreneurs.
“He’s the only person to ever create eight separate billion dollar companies and each in a different sector,” says Watts, “so he really has a lot to offer the business community.”
Other past speakers include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
This year’s event will be held October 4th.