Jatin Das selected Creativity & Business International Network ambassador

Internationally renowned creative business leaders met in London, UK last night to drive forward an ambitious new programme to support and develop the global creative economy.

Creative business leaders from countries around the world, including the United Arab Emirates, India, the US and China, also signed up as ambassadors for  Creativity and Business International Network (c&binet) and will help shape and drive the development of this international creative business conference. The event helped maximise the contribution of the creative industries to the wider world economy and was one of the flagship initiatives announced in the government's creative economy strategy, 'Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy'.

The 23 c&binet ambassadors are international leaders in their respective sectors, and convened last night for the first time. The ambassadors' experience and expertise helped inform c&binet's focus and provide invaluable insight to the design of the inaugural event which will take place at The Grove in Hertfordshire from 26 – 28 October 2009.

They have been drawn from a wide range of sectors including advertising, architecture, art and antiques, crafts, design, fashion, film and video, games, music, performing arts, publishing, software and television and radio.

In the UK, the creative industries make a major contribution to the economy, employing over two million people and contributing £60 billion a year.  The last decade has seen the UK's creative industries grow at twice the rate of the wider economy.

"Britain's creative industries are an incredible success story but current global economic challenges mean we can't take future growth for granted. In the face of growing international competition, government support for key sectors becomes increasingly important,'' said culture secretary Andy Burnham.