THE President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, was the guest of honour at an event hosted by North-East law firm Dickinson Dees.

The breakfast, in Leeds, was organised by the firm's recently established York office, to help cultivate links between the region and Iceland.

Mark Warburton, corporate finance partner at Dickinson Dees' Yorkshire office, said: "The President's visit is a mark of the progress being made in increasing business and cultural links between Iceland and the UK, and particularly links in the North of England.

"As someone who has been dealing with corporate transactional work between Iceland and the Yorkshire and Humber region for the past 15 years, and who has more recently become involved in Icelandic consular work, I am particularly pleased that these business and cultural links are flourishing.

"The support and interest of the business community in relation to the visit has been extensive."

Dickinson Dees has two offices in the North-East, in Newcastle and Stockton, which employ 800 people collectively.

As well as its office in York, it has recently opened a base in London.