Seed Forum Global Achievement Award presented to Southwell’s Geoffrey Bond
A Southwell man has been presented with a prestigious award for his work supporting international start-ups in the UK.
Lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist, and Byron author, Geoffrey Bond has also been patron and representative of Seed Forum Global to the UK since 2003.
Seed Forum Global supports access to private equity funding for young businesses across 50 countries.
Recognising his commitment to matching businesses with City of London investors, Mr Bond was presented with the Seed Forum Global Achievement Award at a special awards ceremony at the Norwegian Ambassador’s Residence in London.
Mr Bond said: “I am honoured to receive this award and it has been a privilege to work with Seed Forum Global and to help it expand internationally.”
The awards ceremony was hosted by the Norwegian Ambassador to the UK, Tore Hattrem.
A speech was given by Steinar Hoel Korsmo, president and chief executive of Seed Forum Global, in which he thanked Bond for his dedication to developing international business-investor links with the UK.
He said: “This award recognizes Geoffrey Bond’s dedication to help founders of young businesses from overseas find investors and market opportunities in the UK. Under Geoffrey’s patronage, Seed Forum Global has conducted forums in several Livery Halls, the London Stock Exchange, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and we are very grateful to him for his service.”
Initially most start-ups came from Norway and Scandinavia but, during Bond’s time as Patron, Seed Forum Global has grown to include start-ups from more than 50 countries worldwide and has established London as its global headquarters.
Over the last 20 years, more than 5,000 investor-ready start-ups have been presented to over 20,000 unique investors.
Mr Bond was a former Honorary Consul for Norway for the whole of the Midlands for more than 30 years and received the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit from King Olav V in 1989.
As a result of his long-standing links with Norway, in 2002 he created an international scholarship between BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo, and the Bayes City of London Business School.
