A BBC journalist who hails from Basingstoke, will be a special guest and after dinner speaker at the Federation of Small Businesses’ annual dinner.

Sima Kotecha, who is a multimedia reporter on both the Today programme on Radio 4 and a range of BBC TV news bulletins, will be describing her experiences in journalism around the world and also some of the more difficult individuals she has interviewed.

Her presentation, which will follow the FSB regional Annual General Meeting, is to take place at the Novotel, in Southampton on Friday 21 November 21, with the dinner and presentation, open to all, starting at 7.30pm.

Wessex FSB chairman, Ken Moon, said: “We are delighted to play host to Sima Kotecha, who is clearly becoming a high profile BBC journalist.

“She is one of the freshest, most distinctive journalists reporting news in the UK today, and we are very keen to hear of some of her experiences. The evening should provide a real personal insight into the background on some interesting news stories.”

For six years Sima was the BBC New York correspondent, but returned to the UK in 2011 where she rapidly gained credit for the quality of her work when interviewing what have to be considered notorious individuals.

In the past five years she has visited the war zone in Afghanistan, interviewed murderers, rapists and paedophiles.

She was also among the first journalists to interview an ex-member of Al-Qaeda for the Today show on Radio 4 and was seen at the epicentre of the 2011 London riots interviewing both the emergency services and rioters.

The event is open to FSB members and non members.

For more information visit http://www.fsb.org.uk/FSBEventcalendar