The Women in Franchising Zone is a dedicated platform for promoting, encouraging and celebrating women's involvement in the UK's £10 billion franchise industry.

Speakers at the event include Rosemary Conley, a leading entrepreneur and founder of the nationwide Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs as well as Rachel Elnaugh of the BBC's Dragon's Den and founder of Red Letter Days.

Dan Archer, Head of Marketing at the British Franchise Association (bfa), comments, "The bfa sponsors the UK franchise exhibitions because of the focus that they bring to the sector as a whole. As the largest exhibition in the calendar, The National Franchise Exhibition provides the best illustration of the diversity of the franchise sector. Female franchisees account for almost half of all franchised businesses either independently or as part of a joint ownership team, so the Women in Franchising Zone has a vital role to play in furthering the development of enterprising women."

The Women in Franchising Zone also features a franchisee networking zone offering visitors the opportunity to speak with existing female franchisees while sharing in their knowledge and experiences.

Supported by Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs, The Women in Franchising Zone will form part of The National Franchise Exhibition, the UK's largest franchise event which will take place at Birmingham's NEC on 6 & 7 October. The event is open from 10am each day, closing at 5pm on Friday 6 October and 4pm on Saturday 7 October.