Sporting legend Steve Cram inspires Oxford students at Clydesdale Bank Business Week event

21st May 2014

Oxford’s future sporting stars were put through their paces by athletics legend Steve Cram as part of Clydesdale Bank’s Business Week.

Pupils from The Oxford Academy enjoyed a training session with the former world champion and Clydesdale Bank Ambassador on Tuesday 13th May.

Steve, who won gold in the 800m and 1500m at the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games recounted experiences from his long career as an athlete, and passed on tips on how to be successful in reaching your goals.

After the school session, Steve addressed an audience of local business figures at Oxford Town Hall. During the event, held by Clydesdale Bank in association with the Institute of Directors, Steve drew on his experiences to deliver a presentation on the theme of inspiring before participating in a Q&A.

The events were staged as part of Clydesdale Bank’s Business Week, which is being held from May 12-16.

Mark Laughlan, Head of Clydesdale Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centres in Oxford and Reading, said:

“Welcoming a sporting legend like Steve Cram here has been a pleasure and a memorable occasion.

“Steve has gained a wealth of experience during his career, first as a top athlete then commentator and businessman, and he has passed some of that on to the students and local business figures who met with him during Business Week.”

Business Week will see more than 250 customer-focused events staged at the Bank’s UK-wide network of Business and Private Banking Centres, including a number of high profile events in London, Reading, Oxford, Gatwick and Bury St Edmunds.

Businesses from across the UK are being invited to meet with some of the UK’s leading financial experts to discuss their most pressing commercial issues such as; planning and securing finance for growth, improving profitability and succession planning.

Research commissioned by Clydesdale Bank as part of Business Week suggested that South East small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are ready to invest nearly £16bn of their own turnover* into the local economy over the next 12 months.

*Source: Dept BIS.  Annual SME total turnover £227bn