Liverpool Waterfront Business Partnership (LWBP) is haling the success of it’s inaugural International Waterfront Forum at Tate Liverpool by confirming speakers are already lined up to represent Sydney and Toronto for 2015.

Other internationally renowned waterfront cities are vying to be part of Liverpool International Waterfront Forum 2015 and further announcements will be made on the chosen cities after this year’s Waterfront event.

The 2015 event will be a direct legacy of the International Festival for Business 2014, and confirms that Liverpool is now internationally recognised as a leading advocate of waterfront regeneration.

The International Festival for Business, which is expected to bring over 250,000 business leaders to Liverpool this Summer, has provided the perfect platform to launch the inaugural Waterfront event, where the city has been able to host internationally renowned waterfront speakers from Copenhagen, New York and Shanghai.

Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, said:

“Liverpool International Waterfront Forum 2014 has cemented Liverpool’s reputation as a leading voice in waterfront regeneration. I am proud that Liverpool will now host the 2015 legacy event.

“For a long time Liverpool has looked out to other international cities for inspiration, now we stand alongside our international partner cities of New York, Shanghai and Copenhagen as a model of best practice.

“ We are excited to have secured Sydney and Toronto as our first two cities for the 2015 forum, and we plan to announce other cities closer to the event. This would not have been possible had it not been for International Festival for Business.”

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Liverpool International Waterfront Forum was hosted by Liverpool Waterfront Business Partners, supported by Arrowcroft, Arup, Liverpool Vision, Peel and Planit IE, who all contributed to the two day programme which saw world leading experts in waterfront regeneration such as Michael Marrella Director of Waterfront and Open Space Planning for the New York City Department of City Planning, alongside Dr Stanley Yip is currently the Director of Planning and Development with Arup Shanghai and Rita Justesen is Director of Planning and Architecture at Copenhagen City and Port Development.

Liverpool was represented by Lindsey Ashworth Development Director Peel Group, Pete Swift Joint Managing Partner Planit-Intelligent Environments, and Chris Brown, Director of Marketing Liverpool with other speakers including Michael Crosser Partner and Martin Watson Partner of Brock Carmichael Architects, Colette McCormack Planning and Environmental Partner Winckworth Sherwood, Sarah-Jane Farr SJ-Farr Archaeology and Kim Herforth Nielsen Principal and Founder of 3XN Architects.

Sue Grindrod Chair of Liverpool Waterfront Business Partnership, said:

“The Partnership’s role is to maintain the economic viability of the Waterfront, promoting it as a vibrant place to live, work and invest. Creating this event in support of IFB has given LWBP a vehicle, which creates an ongoing legacy to promote Liverpool waterfront to the world premier league of destination waterfronts. We are incredibly excited and looking forward to working with more international cities with iconic waterfronts in 2015 and beyond.”

For further information on the International Waterfront Forum, visit www.liverpoolwaterfront.org