GLASGOW BUSINESS MARCH/APRIL 2014
CONTENTS/PRESIDENT
Vic Emery, President
president@glasgowchamberofcommerce.com
Countdown to big things begins
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The only way for me to start this first column in this slot is to recognise the achievements of my predecessor Varry McMenemy in her term as President. Varry has given Glasgow Chamber strong leadership over the past two years and has made a significant contribution in representing your Chamber on a whole range of occasions. I would also like to record my own
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personal gratitude for the support Varry has given me in the transition to my taking over the role of President. In November, we agreed a business plan that will drive Glasgow Chamber forward over the next three years and I intend to devote my two years as President to delivering that. I take over the role at the
start of a remarkable year for Glasgow, a year that will see the Commonwealth Games in July and the Independence Referendum in September. These are two events that will have huge implications for our city and for the environment and the economy in which our businesses operate. Glasgow Chamber set out its
News
Chamber news Chamber chat Glasgow news Partner news Member news New members
Events Forthcoming training
Past and forthcoming events
Glasgow Talks
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Features City centre strategy
Inward investment Youth employment
Constitutional questions Office space
Office supplies Health and safety
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New board and business plan 42 GBA winner profile
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Column BIG Talks
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Cover image: Dan Ibbetson, Managing Director for Northern Europe, and Chris Harvey, General Manager for Scotland and Ireland, Aggreko.
approach to the Games in our Statement of Intent. In particular, we shall contribute to a Business Embassy during the Games that will focus on bringing local and overseas businesses together at Scotland House and promoting the strengths of the Glasgow business community. As we outline elsewhere in this
issue, we will soon be publishing papers on our website examining the implications of the issues raised by the referendum for the city’s economy and its important growth sectors. I would like to thank Katy Wedderburn for chairing the work of the Constitution Committee that is guiding our contribution to the debate and the material that we will distribute to our members.
The business plan emphasises the
aim to grow Chamber membership and income now that the economy is showing signs of improvement. The launch of the new membership packages, the growing community of Platinum Partners and Partners of the Chamber, the new President’s Club, the Strategic Agreement with the City Council and the health of our events programme have all been important steps I want to build upon. The President’s Club especially has enormous potential both for Glasgow Chamber and for the city. I will pay particular attention to its development. We have, over the past five years,
given particular emphasis to engaging with our partners in Glasgow. I believe we are at our best when we are making constructive suggestions for the city and working with others to help the city’s economy grow. The Youth Employment Action Group, the City Centre Retail Association, the
Commercial Property Group
and the Transport Expert Group are all good examples of that. The Glasgow Economic Leadership
Board and its workstreams, the Glasgow Enterprise Board and the Glasgow City Centre Strategy Board are all important groups that will help shape the city’s future and we will play a full role in supporting them all. I want to close by highlighting
two themes from the business plan on which I want to focus in my time as President: increasing the value of our services to our members and increasing the impact that we as a Chamber make in helping the growth of the city’s economy. This is a remarkable time to
become President. I look forward to leading Glasgow Chamber through one of the most important periods in the city’s history.
Glasgow Business . 3
www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com
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