David Cameron
Prime Minister
National Freelancers Day was launched in 2009 by PCG, the voice of freelancing, and UK wide events and webcasts focused on "the Future of Work". In 2010 the focus was "Freeing up potential", with special emphasis on the lifestyle choice offered by freelancing and the growing contribution the freelance community makes to the UK's economy.
2009 saw the launch of the very first National Freelancers Day. Scheduled on Monday 23rd November, as well as a network of c15 events (attended by close to 800 freelancers) focussed on the freelance model and how it is changing businesses up and down the UK, PCG hosted a webcast featuring leading names from the world of business looking at the relevance of freelancing in today's business culture, such as Michael Van Swaaij (then Chairman of Skype) and the indomitable Tom Farmer.
The biggest change since the industrial revolution
Dr James Bellini
Evolving trends completely reshaping the notion of business and why individuals in the new economy will be as important as a big company.
James Bellini is a respected futurologist, broadcaster and author focusing on socio-economic trends up to Horizon 2025. He is also Director of Content for www.talentfoundation.com, a cyber-clubhouse for individuals and businesses to discuss issues affecting talent management in the future.
It's about choice and balance
Michael van Swaaij
Skype and eBay’s experiences of striking the balance between a core internal team and expert help from outside, and why it is in everybody’s interest to let people choose how they want to work.
Michael is a global technology leader, currently Chairman of Skype and investor in www.crunch.co.uk. He was formerly the managing director of eBay Europe, where he started up and ran their European operations – it now has over 10 billion Euros per year in trade.
Optimistic about the future
Sir Tom Farmer
Sir Tom reflects on the role of freelancers in the success of the Kwik-Fit group and explains why for companies in the future "bigger" may in fact be "dimmer".
Sir Tom set up his first business in the motor trade in 1964. In 1971 he founded Kwik-Fit, which he later sold to the Ford Motor Company for over £1 billion. He is one of Britain’s foremost entrepreneurs and now oversees a portfolio of business investments.
Freelancers Speak Out
1,597 freelancers across the UK added to the debate on National Freelancers Day and took part in a research study carried out by ComRes and commissioned by PCG on what freelancing means for them.
