Diversity strategy a winner so far for Vitesse Media

Digital media and events business Vitesse Media announced the launch of its ‘DiversityQ’ brand on Friday, and updated the market on its live events business.

The AIM-traded firm recently implemented a new strategy to focus its core business propositions of ‘Business Information’, ‘Live Events’ and ‘Data & Insight’ around three communities - ‘Technology’, ‘Financial Services’ and ‘Diversity’.

It said the Live Events sector had already contributed “significant” value in the last financial year, being a major contributor of revenue and attracting more than 2,000 attendees, reaching 10.6 million people on social media.

The company said its move into the Diversity community had been particularly successful, with the Women in Finance Awards held on 27 June, attracting more than 800 guests, making it one of the group's most successful events ever.

The flagship Women in IT event had 1,100 attendees in January, and now the Women in Finance event was in its second year and “growing faster” than the Women in IT event.

Expanding its geographical footprint, in March the company launched its Women in IT event in the US at New York's Gotham Hall, with the 550-plus guests “significantly exceeding” management expectations for an inaugural event.

The Diversity movement had gathered resounding support from trade associations, politicians and companies, the firm added, with sponsors such as Google Cloud, Deloitte and Rolls Royce joining London Stock Exchange, EY, Virgin Money, AXA, Prudential and “many more”.

In recognition of that, Vitesse launched its DiversityQ brand on Friday to “enhance”, develop and promote workforce diversity and inclusion.

“Our Live Events business is a great example of our new strategy in action and the success of the recent Women in Finance Awards gives me great confidence that our strategy is working,” said Vitesse chief executive officer Simon Stilwell, the co-founder and former Liberum CEO who was appointed last August.

“The event was well attended, very well supported by major international companies who recognise that the conversation and the debate it creates is meaningful and impactful.”

Stilwell said there had been “much debate” in the media and elsewhere on gender diversity, in particular in the financial services sector, with diversity in the workplace a “key boardroom issue” across industry.

“We will seek to develop activities to help companies address these critical issue.

“This is why we have just launched our DiversityQ brand and we are confident that diversityq.com will become a forum for professionals and business leaders to access content and analysis to enhance, develop and promote workforce diversity and inclusion.”

Stilwell added that the successful recent launch in the US of the Women in IT awards showed that there was a need for audiences to be connected internationally.

“In the future, we hope to expand other events around the world and harness the power of Vitesse Media's communities to create value for our shareholders.”