• May 2010

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson was at London's newly opened ICC (International Convention Centre) at ExCeL this week to deliver the keynote speech at the highly successful BASE London conference. The conference centered around matters relating to sustainability in London and how this affects its competitive position as an attractor to business. It was also a showcase for what London has achieved and what it aims to achieve in the future.

Boris Johnson was at the conference to officially launch the new Green Enterprise District for London, including the Siemens Pavilion which will open in 2012 and will be built overlooking the Royal Victoria Dock, next to the ExCeL London campus.

The green enterprise district aims to create up to 6,000 jobs and deliver £140bn worth of investment to London, across 6 east London boroughs.

The Base London Conference had an extremely high calibre line up of speakers. Alongside the Mayor, were Television Personality Rory Bremmer; David Kennedy, the chief Executive for the Committee on Climate Change; Andrew Altman, Chief Executive, Olympic Park Legacy Company; Shaun McCarthy the Chair, Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 and a video address from Mayor Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York. The conference attracted over 300 delegates.

Boris Johnson will return to ExCeL in a few weeks to officially launch the International Convention Centre at the invite only event on 24th June.

Commenting on the conference, David Pegler, Managing Director, ExCeL London: "This is an extremely exciting time for ExCeL and London. Our new ICC facility is already securing major international events and initiatives by the Mayor's Office for this side of London, combined with the 2012 Olympics infrastructures, will only serve to further enhance business growth for the Capital. As a key member of the Mayors Green 500, one of the Sunday Times Top 60 Green Companies and an Olympics venue, ExCeL was the perfect venue for the Base conference."