OPINION CHAMBERLINK


THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE


EDITOR’S VIEW


BY JOHN LAMB I Connecting you to opportunity


FRONT COVER Top L-R: Oliver Corrigan, Megan Dudley Bottom L-R: – Luke Turner, James Cobb - Page 23


EDITOR John Lamb 0121 607 1781, 0797 1144064 j.lamb@birmingham-chamber.com


DEPUTY EDITOR Sue Cooke 0121 607 1782, 0797 1144059 s.cooke@birmingham-chamber.com


You can now read the latest issue of CHAMBERLINK and view back issues online at: www.birmingham-chamber.com


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f you travel the world frequently on business, you can quickly gain an impression of the high esteem in which Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce are held.


From Chicago to Calcutta (or Kolkata as we


must now call it), from Yamoussoukro (Ivory Coast's capital) to Yancheng, the Chamber’s reputation goes before it. So it was fitting that Rupi Nandra, senior


‘International trade is going to be in the spotlight in the region this year’


international projects and programmes manager at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, has been awarded the MBE for services to international business (see page 6). Rupi has achieved a great deal in promoting British trade abroad and has never flinched from


going to some of the more inhospitable corners of globe. With the West Midlands leading the way in the Government’s drive to increase exports,


international trade is going to be in the spotlight in the region this year. Not only will Rugby be in focus in Birmingham when two World Cup matches are played at


Villa Park – South Africa v Samoa on September 26 and Australia v Uruguay the following day. The matches will also be used by UKTI to promote export opportunities to Australia, Canada and South Africa, while Worcester Warriors’ base at Six Ways, Worcester, will host a discussion on Global Sports Projects. The drive for exports has certainly gathered pace this year. Export Week, which was led by


UKTI, involved more than 1,500 businesses taking part in 70 events UK-wide aimed at inspiring them to start exporting. Potential exporters are also currently being offered the chance to showcase their business to


the world in the UKTI’s “Grown in Britain” initiative at the Milan Expo 2015. The value of taking part can be gauged when you consider that UKTI hopes that business activity linked to Milan Expo will eventually deliver £1 billion economic benefit to the UK. A “First Time Exporters” programme has been also been launched aimed at encouraging


more companies to take their first steps on the export journey and take advantage of the demand for British goods and services that exists overseas. This programme is designed to allay some of the fears smaller businesses have about


entering into export markets, like language differences and local culture. It is working in the West Midlands, where we have enjoyed six years of consecutive export


growth, with the sale of goods to overseas markets reaching £28.6 billion in 2014, up from £27 billion in 2013. By 2020, it is hoped that UK exports will have reached £1 trillion and that the number of


exporters will have increased from 200,000 to 300,000. Much of this success is achieved on the back of huge companies like Jaguar Land Rover


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CHAMBERLINK is produced on behalf of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce by Kemps Publishing Ltd and is distributed to members without charge. The Chambers and the publisher are committed to achieving the highest quality standards. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information it contains is accurate, neither the Chambers nor the publisher can accept any responsibility for any omission or inaccuracies that might arise. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Chambers. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format without prior written permission of Kemps Publishing Ltd.


and JCB. But many more small businesses are taking overseas initiatives and even a Birmingham PR firm, Clarke Associates, has announced a link with a firm in Hong Kong.


BIRMINGHAM CHAMBER PATRONS


4 CHAMBERLINK JULY/AUGUST 2015


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