Spectator Business Diary

Key events, meetings and announcements

2nd April
G20 Meeting
The London Summit of international leaders and representatives of world financial institutions convenes in the capital. The meeting aims to build a strategy to restore stability to the global economy and stimulate growth.

9th April
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee will announce its latest decision on UK interest rates. In early March the rate was cut to a record low of 0.5 per cent.

18th - 20th April
G8 Agriculture Summit takes place in the Italian province of Treviso. Italy’s Farm, Food and Forestry Policies Minister Luca Zaia will chair the event, which will be attended by representatives of organisations including the World Food Programme and the UN's High Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis. Commenting on the summit’s aims, Zaia said: ‘We will be redesigning the future of farming.’

28th April
The Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2009 is announced at a champagne reception at the new Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. The prize honours Nicole Ponsardin, who inherited the Veuve Clicquot company after the death of her husband François. The 2008 winner was Carolyn McCall, chief executive, Guardian Media Group.

28th April
FOMC meeting
The US Federal Open Market Committee announces its latest target range for the federal funds rate. In January, it was 0 to 0.25 per cent.

1st May
The Prince’s May Day Summit
This year’s event, which takes place across the UK, calls for businesses and organisations to take action on climate change and reduce the size of their carbon footprints. The ‘hub’ event will take place in London.

11th - 12th May
The Responsible Business Summit takes place at London’s Business Design Centre. The meeting will focus on issues of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Speakers include Anders Dahlvig, president and chief executive of IKEA, and Richard Brown, chief executive of Eurostar.

13th May
J Sainsbury announces its preliminary results for 2008/09. Last month, the retailer posted a 6.2 per cent jump in like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, for the 11 weeks to 21 March – its best underlying sales growth in five years.

11th June
The BRC’s annual retail conference brings together key decision-makers from across the industry. Speakers include Tesco’s Sir Terry Leahy and Arcadia’s Sir Philip Green. A gala dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel will bring the conference to a close.