BUSINESS NEWS LATEST NEWS FROM GREATER BIRMINGHAM CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
Mine host: Gyles Brandreth
New Year Expo kicks off bumper events calendar
T
Brandreth to focus on the EU
Gyles Brandreth, returning to the Greater Birmingham Chamber dinner and awards this year by popular demand, will use the event to focus on the ‘in or out’ referendum on Britain’s
membership of the EU. The broadcaster and former
politician has also been invited to host the event on 28 April. The last time Chamber members
were asked for their view on Europe was in 2014, when 60 per cent of those surveyed said that leaving the EU would have a ‘negative’ impact. The Chamber is due to carry out further surveys on Europe ahead of the referendum, due to take place on 23 June. Gyles will be well suited to talk
about the issues linked to the UK’s membership of the EU, having held top posts in government as a Whip and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in John Major’s government, whilst MP for Chester. Politics apart, Gyles has a varied
and successful career in other fields, including starring in his own award-winning musical revue in London’s West End. Gyles is one of Britain’s busiest
after-dinner speakers and award ceremony hosts. He is married to writer and publisher Michèle Brown, with whom he co-curated the exhibition of 20th century children’s authors at the National Portrait Gallery. About 1,000 guests are expected
to attend the black tie event, at the ICC on 28 April. Individual ticket prices have been set at £130 + VAT and the event will commence with a 6pm reception.
For details about dinner sponsorship opportunities call Henrik Court on 0121 607 1780 or email
h.court@birmingham-
chamber.com. To book online go to
www.birmingham-chamber.com
6 CHAMBERLINK MARCH 2016
he value of networking can never be underestimated. Thousands of you have attended our events over the years and this year
kicked off with a bumper turn-out at our New Year Expo gathering at the Vox which was sponsored by
BCRS Business Loans. Chamber Expo – showcasing the talents and
business expertise of the West Midlands – was the best yet with more than 800 delegates and 80 exhibitors taking part. “It was a massive success – the biggest Expo we
have staged to date,” said Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, which organised the event, held at the Vox Conference Centre at Resorts World Birmingham. In particular, the comprehensive seminar programme was exceptionally well supported, as were speed- networking sessions.
‘We are committed to providing viable West Midlands SMEs with the finance they need to prosper’
Expo is acknowledged as an ideal platform to begin the New Year on a positive footing – whether a company wants to promote its business, increase its market knowledge, find suppliers or build upon its existing network – and Chamber staff were on hand throughout the day advising delegates on how to get the most out of the event. Taking part in the seminars were Tony Seaton from
Blue Sky Corporate Finance, Ian McLaughlan, GBSLEP Growth Hub, Kevin Deeley-Graham, operations director of Dotted Eyes and media expert Steve Dyson, a former editor of the Birmingham Mail, who explained how to use today’s media to help promote business growth. Paul Kalinauckas, Chief Executive of BCRS Business
Loans, said: “BCRS Business Loans was delighted to be the main sponsor of the New Year Chamber Expo. Sponsoring a prestigious, well-attended business show like this one presented the perfect opportunity to reassure local businesses that we are here to support them with funding, even when traditional lenders say no. “We are committed to providing viable West
Midlands SMEs with the finance they need to prosper. To date, we have lent £27.8 million to support the
growth of over 960 businesses across the region.” Now, arrangements are already in hand to organise
the next Expo – which will be held in October. And that is just one of a broad range of events from Greater Birmingham Chambers. Subjects for events range from women in business and
trading with UKTI to those which address current topics. “The venue for Expo ’16 has yet to be confirmed but
if anyone wishes to book exhibition space in advance they should email the Chamber events team at
events@birmingham-chamber.com,” said Katrina Cooke, the Chamber’s director of marketing and communications.
• See The Hub in the centre of Chamberlink for your comprehensive guide to events for this month and a Picture Gallery from Expo. • See pages 8 and 9 for the full list of companies and individual shortlisted for the Chamber awards
HSBC announced as principal sponsor
HSBC, which is creating the Head Office of HSBC UK, its ring-fenced bank, in Birmingham, is a principal sponsor of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) at the ICC on 28 April. The bank, which became the Chamber’s 35th of the Birmingham Chamber last year, will be shifting 1,000
head office roles from London to Arena Central as a result of the move, which is likely to be completed in three years. Henrik Court, the GBCC’s director of events, said: “We’re delighted to have such a prestigious business as
HSBC as a principal sponsor. This will give the business a tremendous platform as they will become an increasingly important part of the business fabric of the region.”
For full details of other sponsorship opportunities at the dinner contact Henrik at
h.court@
birmingham-chamber.com or call him on 0121 607 1780
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