Charlie Maynard MP addresses Cokethorpe Business Breakfast

The event was part of Cokethorpe Enterprises’ Business Breakfast Forum series, a termly event held at Cokethorpe School near Witney.

It brings together employers, senior leaders, and the school’s network of business-owning parents for a morning of discussion, networking and fresh insight.

Leadership was the theme for this term’s forum and Witney and West Oxfordshire MP Charlie Maynard delivered the keynote address.

Mr Maynard said: “Leadership in business and in public life shares a common foundation; listening, accountability and a clear sense of purpose.

“It was a pleasure to join so many local business leaders at Cokethorpe to exchange ideas on navigating change, supporting growth and building stronger communities.”

Dr Sarah Squire, head of Cokethorpe School (Image: Cokethorpe School)

He shared perspectives from his career in international business and public life, including co-founding BDA Partners, an Asia-focused advisory firm, where he spent 24 years growing the business to more than 120 employees across nine global offices.

The event opened with a networking breakfast, followed by wider discussion around leadership, innovation and the future of business across the region.

Dr Sarah Squire, head of Cokethorpe School, said: “It was fantastic to see so many business leaders come together for this term’s forum.

“Our Business Breakfasts are hugely important to us, as a platform for businesses to connect and share insight, across learning, leadership and the local community.

“They also further inspire our pupils about opportunities in the world of work.”

The Business Breakfast Forums regularly attract major speakers from across business, politics and industry.

Previous guests have included entrepreneur, celebrity chef and musician Levi Roots and senior leaders from the agricultural and retail sectors.

Themes have ranged from leadership and disruption to artificial intelligence.

This term’s forum was sponsored by Clifton Bookkeeping, Philip Dennis Foodservice and JJ Hunt Photography.

The sessions are part of Cokethorpe’s wider efforts to build a professional network that benefits both business leaders and pupils, providing students with unique access to mentoring opportunities, workplace insights and professional connections that help bridge the gap between education and the world of work.

Cokethorpe Enterprises operates within the Cokethorpe group with a distinct commercial focus, hosting teambuilding, training, away days and weddings.

The school sits on 150 acres of Oxfordshire parkland and is an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged four to 18.

With around 600 students, it combines academic achievement with a focus on personal development, preparing young people to thrive in an ever-changing world.