Contents Contents Chamberlink June 2017


Business News 5 West Midlands mayor outlines plan for the region


6 How the Chamber can help exporters 8 Chamber attends transatlantic conference in Chicago


10 President’s focus: James Blackman, Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber president


11 Launch of Solihull Jazz & Blues Festival 12 Edgbaston Stadium in ICC Champions sell-out


13 PwC help disadvantaged people get back to work


14 The Griffin Report: Chairman of Vintage Trains, Michael Whitehouse


16 Solihull Chamber in Twitter takeover 17 Introducing the Chamber’s newest start-up members


19 Amadeus wins hospitality contract


Chamber Patrons 20 Robert Walters records rise in Birmingham job vacancies


1813 Club and Premier Members 22 Honour for D-Day glider pilots


14 21


International Trade 24 Export firm wins Queen’s Award


Chamber Group 26 Future Faces: Common Purpose offers award prize


27 BABC: Bright Food acquires breakfast brand


28 Solihull: Father-son duo named as digital leaders


30 Lichfield & Tamworth: Pop star signs on as festival patron


35 Burton & District: Cancer screenings held at Pirelli Stadium


36 Chase: David Frost is reappointed to LEP chair


37 Sutton Coldfield: Chamber announces charity of the year


38 ABCC: Events company joins forces with international football team


36 Features


ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES 40 Harness the potential of accounting options 42 Playing the numbers game


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 44 Sailing into choppy waters


55


The Hub 31 Pull-out calendar of events taking place across the Chamber network


Sector Focus 46 Legal: Victory for personal injury lawyer


48 Property: Protect your home from fraud


50 Finance: Increase in financial pessimism


52 Retail: Octagon’s new rewards scheme


53 Manufacturing: Midlands Engine cities may be outpaced


54 Business Travel: Thomas Cook launches new flights


56 Sport: Sport 4 Life celebrates anniversary


Member Section 58 Competitions:Win a meal at Indico 59 Chamber Insight:West Midlands Fire Service


60 New Members: Chamber welcomes new members


62 Appointments: Who’s moving up and moving on


June 2017 CHAMBERLINK3


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