TOP business speakers are being lined up for the 2003 Vital Topics lecture series at Manchester Business School, organised in association with The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Paul Skinner, the Royal Dutch/Shell group managing director, will launch the series on Wednesday, February 19, with a talk on corporate reputation.

The series of talks continues on April 8, with Christine Farnish, chief executive of the National Association of Pension Funds.

Jeremy Peat, the Royal Bank of Scotland's group chief economist, will deliver the next lecture, on April 30. The fourth talk, on May 14, will be given by Digby Jones, director-general of CBI.

Each talk will begin at 6.30pm, with a 6pm reception. Tickets are £20. To find out more, visit the MBS website -- www.mbs.ac.uk/vitaltopics/ -- or call 0161 275 7080.