An international business guru is to launch an enterprise initiative in Bradford.

Dr Ernesto Sirolli, a world renowned expert in community and economic development, will be launching the Enterprise Facilitation scheme with speeches at Bradford City's Valley Parade and at City Hall.

The Passion, Entrepreneurship and the Rebirth of Local Economies Conference, as it has been called, will launch the enterprise scheme and see Dr Sirolli speaking on businesses matters and taking questions from delegates.

The Enterprise Facilitation scheme is a project that Dr Sirolli has worked on all over the world.

Staff from his team and staff from Bradford Council will work with budding entrepreneurs to give them the best possible start for their businesses.

Working on a one-to-one basis, the scheme works to help the newcomers to identity target markets and how to go about raising the capital for their venture.

Dr Sirolli launches the schemes through his Sirolli Foundation, which he set up in 1996. During this time, Enterprise Facilitation has created hundreds of businesses in dozens of communities on four different continents.

This is only the third of its kind to be launched in the UK.

As part of the project, enterprise workers test the personal motivation and skill of a client, and help to develop their capacity to assess their own strengths and weaknesses as a manager and businessman.

The service is available for free and in confidence to any local individual with an idea for starting or expanding a business.

Dr Sirolli claims the scheme will allow people with passionate dreams about their business idea to make it a practical reality.

He is bringing the project to Bradford under the auspices of Bradford Council, which approached his foundation about coming to the district.

Councillor Simon Cooke, executive member for regeneration and culture, said: "Dr Sirolli sounds like a very inspirational speaker. I hope this conference will give people the courage to progress their business ideas and maybe even create a few entrepreneurs."

Dr Sirolli's two conferences take place on February 2 and 3 at Valley Parade and City Hall respectively.

Anyone interested in attending should call (01274) 432641 and ask to speak Bernadette Speight.