The Enterprise Forum

What The Enterprise Forum does

The Enterprise Forum is an independent, not-for-profit organisation founded in 1997 to facilitate policy discussions between the UK business community, government, politicians, and other stakeholders across the UK, EU, and devolved administrations. It operates a two-way channel of communication, hosting policy round tables under the Chatham House Rule, party conference events at the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat conferences, parliamentary receptions, devolved government events in Scotland and Wales, and a European programme engaging MEPs and the European Commission in Brussels. The membership base spans FTSE 100 companies to SMEs, trade associations, trade unions, and registered charities across aerospace, agriculture, construction, defence, energy, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, tech, telecommunications, and utilities.

The Forum's commercial model is a tiered annual membership subscription, with fees ranging from £525 + VAT per annum (commercial organisations under £5m turnover, registered charities) to £2,100 + VAT per annum (commercial organisations with £20m+ turnover), plus mid-tier rates for trade associations and trade unions. The organisation is governed by an unpaid board of senior directors, with a President (Lord Eric Pickles) and several Vice Presidents drawn from former parliamentarians. It is explicitly exempt from the Political Party Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and does not donate to or receive donations from any political party. The full-time staff is approximately ten, led by CEO Crispin Hayhoe (since June 2025) and Executive Director Mark Beckett (since October 2010).

Name

The Enterprise Forum

Legal name

The Enterprise Forum Ltd.

Website

https://enterprise-forum.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Enterprise Forum is an independent UK not-for-profit founded in 1997 that provides a cross-party policy dialogue forum between business and government, serving FTSE 100 to SME commercial organisations, trade associations, trade unions, and registered charities through annual membership subscriptions and Chatham House Rule events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Engagement Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Government & Public Sector Conferences (MPAGAGAH), Customer/User Conferences & Client Advisory Boards (THAHAMAD)

Keywords

• Policy engagement services
• Business-government dialogue
• Policy roundtable events
• Corporate membership forum
• Political networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from commercial organisations, trade associations, trade unions, and registered charities. Fees are tiered by organisation type and turnover size. All fees are used to run The Enterprise Forum with no money going to any political party.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Enterprise Forum provides an annual programme of independent policy engagement events for member organisations, including policy roundtables held under the Chatham House Rule, receptions and panel discussions at UK political party conferences, parliamentary receptions, devolved government events in Scotland and Wales, and European programme events in Brussels. Membership is sold on a tiered annual subscription basis to commercial organisations, trade associations, trade unions, and registered charities, giving them access to senior parliamentarians, ministers, MEPs, civil servants, and industry leaders across the political spectrum.

Product overview

The Enterprise Forum is a not-for-profit organization providing an independent forum for business-policy dialogue. Its core offering is a suite of event-based services including policy round table meetings with Parliamentarians, party conference events, hybrid and online events, and devolved government events. The Forum organizes events under the Chatham House Rule and facilitates networking between industry leaders and policymakers across the political spectrum. Membership is available to commercial organisations, trade associations, trade unions, and registered charities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual membership programme with tiered subscriptions for commercial organisations (FTSE 100 to SMEs, with three turnover-based tiers), trade associations, trade unions, and registered charities across all business sectors, providing access to the Forum's policy events and networking.
• Business-Policy Discussion Forum An independent forum providing a two-way channel of communication between business and policymakers, facilitating debates on policy with key decision makers from government, politicians, and stakeholders across the UK and EU.
• Party Conference Events A series of events held at major UK political party conferences (Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat) bringing together senior parliamentarians, industry leaders and stakeholders to debate economic growth, skills and trade.
• Policy Round Table Meetings Policy and manifesto round table meetings with Parliamentarians, held under the Chatham House Rule, allowing free and frank discussion on business priorities.
• Hybrid and Online Events Virtual and in-person events expanding access to policy discussions for members across all business sectors.
• Devolved Government Events Business discussions held across Scotland, Wales and other devolved administrations with regional political parties and policymakers, including the January/February 2026 Cardiff programme ahead of the Senedd Elections.
• European Programme Events and delegations engaging with MEPs and the European Commission, including visits to the European Parliament in Brussels for roundtable discussions.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for delivering business discussions with Welsh political parties ahead of Senedd Elections 2026. Events held in Cardiff for Enterprise Forum members and partners.
• Make UKcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegular partnership for skills-focused panel discussions and events at party conferences. Multiple events including 'Skills for Success' panel discussions.
• ADS GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Liberal Democrat Conference events, including Business Lunch at party conferences.
• Association of Convenience Stores (ACS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Labour Party Conference events including Liverpool Business Reception.
• Horticultural Trades Association (HTA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Labour Party Conference events.
• Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for party conference events, providing craft beer for networking receptions.
• UKHospitalitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Labour Party Conference events including Liverpool Business Reception.
• HeathrowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Labour Party Conference events and ongoing events programme.
• Association of British Insurers (ABI)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Peter Davis Business Reception at Conservative Party Conference. Long-standing conference partner.
• Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Conservative Party Conference events and Peter Davis Business Reception.
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Labour Party Conference and Conservative Party Conference events.
• Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Conservative Party Conference events.
• Federation of Master Builders (FMB)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Conservative Party Conference events.
• Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Conservative Party Conference events.
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Conservative Party Conference events.
• UK Private Capital (BVCA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Conservative Party Conference events.
• techUKcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for various events including skills discussions and business events.
• Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Edinburgh events hosting discussions with Scottish politicians.
• Co-operative GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Greater Manchester skills and apprenticeships roundtable with Mayor Andy Burnham.
• Food and Drink FederationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for UK-EU Strategic Partnership discussion.
• Construction Products AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Conservative Party Rising Stars events and President's Lunch.
• SiemensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Apprenticeships and Skills event in the East Midlands.
• MaximusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for youth employment and Get Britain Working policy discussions.
• Airlines UKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Labour Growth Group discussion.
• E.ONminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for UK Modern Industrial Strategy event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• techUK: UK technology trade association that organises extensive policy engagement with Westminster, devolved governments and regulators; overlapping on tech-sector member engagement and party-conference activations.
• Make UK: UK manufacturers' organisation that runs party-conference and parliamentary policy events (including skills panels with The Enterprise Forum), sharing both member overlap and event-format DNA.

Others

• Resolution Foundation: UK think tank producing influential policy research and convening decision-makers; thematically related as a UK policy ecosystem participant but operates as a research rather than membership body.

Broad incumbents

• British Chambers of Commerce: National network accrediting UK chambers of commerce and representing members' policy interests to Westminster, devolved assemblies and the EU, sharing member-base and policy-engagement DNA with The Enterprise Forum.
• Confederation of British Industry (CBI): The largest UK business membership body and lobbying organisation; much broader remit and headcount, but serves overlapping FTSE-grade corporate members seeking government engagement.
• Institute of Directors (IoD): UK-wide membership organisation for senior business leaders that regularly engages Parliament and government on policy, overlapping in target member demographic and policy remit.

Emerging players

• The Conduit: London-based members' club hosting cross-sectoral conversations on global challenges with political and business leaders; comparable convening concept though younger and more international in scope.

Direct peers

• Policy Network: International political-network organisation that convenes policymakers, parliamentarians and business leaders for cross-party discussion, overlapping with The Enterprise Forum's convening role.
• Westminster Forum Projects: Runs a near-identical model of policy seminars and roundtables with Parliamentarians under Chatham House Rule, serving a comparable corporate and association member base in the UK.
• Politeia: Independent, cross-party think tank that organises policy discussions and seminars with politicians and business, mirroring The Enterprise Forum's Chatham House-style convening model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IanTwinn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-enterprise-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Enterprise Forum