A BUSINESS breakfast named Midland the new Dalkeith with Hesperia director Adrian Fini as the keynote speaker will be held on May 3.

Swan Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Tom Smilovitis said he recognised Midland’s history of antisocial behaviour on the streets but was hoping the event would change the perceptions of Midland for the better and drive positive change.

“What we’re saying is that we need to give people significance and at that breakfast, we don’t want to talk about it, we want to demonstrate it by sponsoring up to 60, maybe 100 people that have had an unfortunate life,” he said.

“When you have a vision that’s big enough, everyone in the community, whether they’re a not for profit, a manufacturer, a builder; no matter what sector of business or professional you’re in, we all then can see that we can contribute to that community dynamic.

“That’s what this breakfast is about. We hope to lift people’s eyes to the possibilities of this region.”

Mr Smilovitis said it’s why he chose Adrian Fini to be the keynote speaker due to Mr Fini’s influence within the property development industry and his power to draw interest for the event.

“I’ve been hunting Adrian for at least two years; he’s a very busy man,” he said.

“I can’t think of a better person that can address the breakfast about lifting people’s eyes to having vision.

“I’ve asked Adrian to speak from the heart about what’s allowed him and his family to be in their industry for decades and still be very cutting edge.

“We want to hear his heart, because we’ve already seen the pragmatic side of it.”

Adrian Fini’s spokeswoman said it would be a casual talk with no presentations but with a Q&A, which he envisaged would focus on property development and his experience, lessons and passions.

Former Midland detective Chris Bown, who runs Thrive Integration, a prisoner reintegration company as reported in Ex-cop turned prisoner rehabilitator, will also be a guest speaker at the opening of the event.

Mr Smilovitis said he hoped the event would be a coming together of people from all walks of life propping each other up in business.

“When you come to our events, there’s no allocated tables, no hierarchy, no lanyards with your name on it,” he said.

“If you come in, you don’t know if you’re standing next to the CEO of a multimillion-dollar company or a start-up.

“Build lifelong relationships and that’s the nature of it. The idea is not about Dalkeith, obviously. It’s about ‘we can do better’.”

The breakfast will be held at the Crooked Spire Coffee & Art House.