BABC
The British American Business Council is committed to promoting transatlantic trade and investment between the US and the UK
Contact: Helen Melville T: 0845 603 6650
BABC Patrons
Showcasing trade opportunities
BABC Midland officials, who organised a round- table discussion at which regional business leaders met a senior representative of the US Embassy in London, believe the initiative will open up new avenues of trade and investment between the two countries. Helen Melville, BABC Midland manager, said:
“It is not often that the West Midlands gets the chance to showcase at first-hand its investment opportunities to a top trade minister from the world’s greatest trading nation. However, the discussion stimulated tremendous interest in what the region has to offer and I believe will ultimately lead to further bilateral growth. “The US has long been the Midland’s number
one foreign direct investor and with Birmingham now undergoing a period of massive transformation offering unrivalled development and investment, the city could be even more of a magnet to US investors and financial institutions,” added Helen. John Simmons, Minister Counselor for
Commercial Affairs at the US Embassy, met public and private sector representatives. Mr Simmons, who has been based in London
since last August, was previously at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, where he served as the Regional Senior Commercial Officer for the Gulf with responsibility for co-ordinating commercial programs with U.S. Embassies in Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, in addition to UAE operations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. He has also served in Peru, Vietnam, Pakistan and Japan.
l-r: Harry Reilly, BABC Midlands chairman; Helen Melville, BABC Midlands manager; Julian Beer, Birmingham City University Pro-Vice Chancellor; John Simmons, US Embassy and Russell Jeans, GBCC director of business services.
‘With Birmingham now undergoing a period of massive transformation the city could be even more of a magnet to US investors’
The round-table discussion, held at Birmingham City University, was also attended by representatives from Marketing Birmingham, UKTI, Birmingham Airport, American Airlines, Birmingham City Council, Hickey & Associates, Avitus, Browne Jacobson and the University of Birmingham.
Mapping out the future
There’s life and business beyond London and New York – that’s one of the topics up for discussion at BABC’s ‘Future Cities’ conference, which takes place this month. “We’re in for a thought-provoking
Running for Birmingham
Runners from all over the world are in training for this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Birmingham’s sister-city hosts one of the great events in the athletics’ calendar, which will take place on 9 October. Professor Jo Andrews, a BABC board member
who chairs Birmingham City Council’s North America Association, said: “For all those making the trip from the West Midlands, I would like to remind them that the Chicago-Birmingham Sister City program will be hosting the second annual ‘Meet and Greet’ event for British participants and their guests.”
and stimulating get-together as some of the most significant brands from across the US and the UK will be attending. And we’ll definitely be letting everyone know about our region!” said Helen Melville, manager of BABC Midlands. The ‘Future Cities’ discussion
is just one feature of a two-day BABC conference in London on 11- 12 May which brings together one of the most prominent gatherings of representatives from across transatlantic business and policy. “The audience will be travelling from all 21
major business areas of the wider BABC network and this will provide an unrivalled opportunity to interact with a range of leaders in the transatlantic corridor,” added Helen.
Steve Allen (pictured), a partner in the Birmingham office of Mills & Reeve, who is BABC president, said: “Our London Chapter is putting on a first class conference focusing on the very topical concept of ‘Future Cities’. These cities are where most of the future growth, both population and economic is forecast to occur and I’m looking forward to hearing from key players from both sides of the Atlantic. “The welcome reception at London’s iconic Tower Bridge will provide a memorable venue for the opening of the conference and I’m very much looking forward to hearing the success stories SME’s have
enjoyed in transatlantic business. I hope to see a good representation of Midland businesses at the event.” The event concludes with the Chase Awards
dinner – a celebration of achievements in businesses exporting to the US and those of US companies investing in the UK.
May 2016 CHAMBERLINK 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64