Students have grilled local business leaders at the launch of West Suffolk College’s Global Enterprise Week.

Topics discussed including Brexit, business and the modern workplace – with the business students given a free rein to put questions to panellists.

The event, held in conjunction with the GeeWizz charity, was compered by BBC Radio Suffolk presenter Stephen Foster.

Tracey Marshall, head of business and tourism at the college, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for the students to hear from the senior professionals industry and in the longer term it could result in jobs for some of them.

“Our mission is to offer every student a business connection to support their journey after they leave us and this event is a wonderful opportunity.”

Global Enterprise Week is an international initiative that aims to inspire people to recognise their entrepreneurial potential.

Students at Friday’s event were encouraged to build contacts with the panellists following the event – with every pupil challenged to get two business cards.

There was also a charitable link to the occasion. Geewizz founder Gina Long MBE, said: “The event will kick-start a week of fundraising with all proceeds going to the charity; which focuses on providing specialist equipment to children and young adults up to the age of 21, living in Suffolk or Norfolk, with life-threatening conditions, a disability or cancer.”

The panellists were: Austin Cornish, MD of Bury Developments; Dom South, marketing director at Greene King; Andrew Speed, MD of St Edmundsbury Financial Services Ltd, director of Larkbridge Mortgages Ltd; Gina Long MBE, founder of Geewizz; Philip Turner, MD of the Chestnut Group; Mark Gaywood, group chairman of Momentum Pensions and chairman of GeeWizz Charity; Edward O’Rourke, CEO and partner in the corporate and commercial team of Ashtons Legal; Mark Daly, Partner of Greene & Greene Solicitors; Robert Hughes, MD Hughes Electrical and Suffolk Chamber of Commerce; Andrew Long, chairman of R L Long Farming Estates and Fornham Business Court; Brad Jones, editor-in-chief of the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star.