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24 . Glasgow Business December 2014


BUILD TRADE CONNECTIONS


A Glasgow Chamber event encourages members to benefit from international trade P


ractical help and advice for businesses seeking to get their first step on the export ladder or to


boost their exports was given at a Glasgow Chamber of Commerce event in October. Te second international trade


event, atended by about 100 delegates and 15 support organisations, was a key part of Glasgow Chamber’s drive to increase international trade for members and boost the local economy. Te key themes of the business were “removing barriers and building connections”. Opening the event, Stuart


Patrick, Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber, said it was being held against a background of improved export figures with Scotish exports up by 2.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2014. He also pointed out that there were many possible export opportunities that Glasgow businesses were not seizing on.


Glasgow Chamber’s new


International Trade Partner, the Clydesdale Bank, was the event’s headline sponsor and Heathrow Airport was represented as an associate sponsor. Craig Wilson, Head of


Treasury Solutions (Scotland and NE England) for Clydesdale Bank, who chaired the event and delivered a keynote presentation, said: “Glasgow has a very long tradition of exports and trading internationally. In Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Clydesdale Bank we have the expertise on hand to help you to grow and to trade internationally.” Andy Scot, the Glasgow-based


sculptor well known for his work including Te Kelpies and Te Heavy Horse at the side of the M8, set out his experience of entering the export market. He related how his decision to pluck up the courage to join a trade mission to Chicago and New York had led to his work being exhibited and commissioned


in the US. He said that his first tentative exploration of potential international markets had led to smaller representations of Te Kelpies being displayed in Bryant Park in midtown Manhatan, New York. From that exposure he


received his first American commission. His reputation then grew, leading to more commissions and now exports were a significant part of his business. Andy’s advice to businesses thinking about exporting was to “‘just try it”. Orders weren’t going to come looking for you – you have to go looking for them. In the first panel session –


Removing Barriers – Liz Devine, Trade Finance Manager, and Lynne Anderson, Treasury Manager, both from the Clydesdale Bank, presented on how best to protect your assets, secure payments and to ensure you were aware of foreign


exchange fluctuations. Carlos Guallart, Export Finance Adviser from UK Export Finance, made delegates aware of the range of financial support available, including the Bond Support and Export Working Capital schemes. Completing the presentations


in the first panel session was Susana Cordoba of the International UK Business Network Initiative, who spoke about the work that it is doing with British Chambers of Commerce and other British Business Groups to transform the export support available to British SMEs seeking to do business in high-growth, hard-to-access markets across the world. Following a networking break,


the second panel – Building Connections – took place. James Brodie, Manager and Scotland and China Business Adviser for the China Britain Business Council, said that everyone was aware of China’s size but many did


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