TWO high-profile businessmen are in Teesside to address a prestigious business event.

CBI director general Digby Jones will be the principal speaker at The Business Show, an event being backed by The Northern Echo.

While he made his name as a lawyer in corporate finance with firms such as Edge and Ellison and KPMG, the voice of British bosses has been a non-executive director and chairman of several companies, covering sectors as diverse as quarrying, local radio and car parts.

Mr Jones will be joined by David Irwin, chief executive of the Government's Small Business Service.

Speaking after the five-course dinner, held at Yarm's Tall Trees, will be BBC favourite Alan Wright.

The event is being organised by The Northern Echo's Tees Valley In Business magazine and Darlington Business Venture.

Brian Coady, general manager of DBV, said the event will be significant for Tees Valley businesses and the key speakers will have important messages to deliver.

The evening's entertainment will include the presentation of Awards for Excellence to firms showing a strong performance during the previous year.

New for this year's event is The Northern Echo Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented to a key business person in the Tees Valley, and nominations are being sought for the award.

To submit your nomination, explain why you think your nominee should win the award.

It could be someone who has worked hard to make a business successful, or someone with the talent and vision to make things happen.

The Lifetime Achievement award will be presented by Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo.