Focus Dinner with Freddy Shepherd, Shepherd Offshore

Please note this dinner is now sold out – if you’d like to be added to the reserve list please contact the Forum team on 0191 500 7780.

As the Shepherd Offshore ethos says, some people want it to happen; some people wish it would happen, others make it happen.

Freddy founded the company with his brother Bruce more than 30 years ago, providing logistics support for mobilisations and demobilisations for the offshore industries.

It has grown into something much bigger, not just in the expansion of its services and expertise, but critically as a leading light in a revolution to restore the North East as a world leader in engineering and manufacturing.

Its redevelopment of over 100 acres of redundant, contaminated former shipyards on the north bank of the Tyne include the Offshore Technology Park on a site they have been managing an developing since 1986 that now provides work for 2,000 people, and Neptune Energy Park, in which £60m has been invested since 2008.

Work has recently begun on the Neptune National Centre for Subsea and Offshore Engineering, the first of its kind in the UK bringing together industry and academia to create a world-class engineering research facility.

Outside business Freddy, a former chairman of Newcastle United, has numerous other interests, not least a plan to bring brewing back to Newcastle as part of his £500,000 restoration of the city's Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park.

The plan is to turn into an arts venue with film showings and exhibitions including Freddy's own collection of historic horse-drawn carriages and vintage cars.

He retains an interest in football with the Triple S Sports & Entertainment Group, run by his son Kenneth with clients including Wayne Rooney, and has not ruled out a return to club ownership.

There is a limited number of places at this focus dinner and we expect demand to be extremely high, so book now to secure your seat.

This members-only focus dinner is open to entrepreneurial members only and is charged at £75 + VAT. Please be aware that cancellations received within 72 hours of the event will be charged in full.