IN a change to my normal article, I thought I would share with you an exciting opportunity that I think many local businesses could be part of.

TC Bathrooms, a local Dewsbury-based business were in 2010. Could it be you this year?

Across the UK, 18 businesses will each benefit from up to £6m of lending and a financial reward of up to £120,000 as well as the opportunity to network and gain valuable business insight into an overseas market through the campaign’s Thought Exchanges.

This initiative to find the UK’s best business thinker culminates in the prestigious International Insights finale, attended by business leaders from around the world. Along the way businesses, gain exposure in national and regional press and online.

We want to hear from you if your business is:

l based in the UK

l has been operating for two years or longer

l has an annual turnover of £2m or more,

l can provide profit & loss and balance sheet information for a minimum trading period of 12 months

l can provide projected financials for a minimum of two years

l can demonstrate how your forward-thinking translates into business action and could benefit from HSBC lending to further develop your business.

HSBC’s Business Thinking will help even more ambitious businesses to exchange ideas, build networks and challenge their business thinking.

The regional winners of Business Thinking will benefit by receiving up to £6m of lending, a financial reward of 2% of lending (up to £120,000), national and regional press and media coverage, a place on a Thought Exchange held in one of five dynamic economies around the world and more opportunities to network with like minded businesses.

One overall winner will follow in the footsteps of Richard North and his company Wow! Stuff – and will be named as our next UK winner, doubling their financial reward.

Entry to Business Thinking is open to all UK businesses who meet the eligibility criteria.

Here’s how the process will work.

From each of the UK’s nine regions, six businesses will be named regional finalists and will attend one of five Thought Exchange trips. On their return, all the regional finalists will present their business thinking to judging panels, who will identify two Regional Winners per region.

Regional winners will take part in the final International Insights event, where HSBC will give reveal the winner of Business Thinking.

Can your business rise to the challenge?

Go to www.businessthinking.hsbc.co.uk