BABC
The British American Business Council is committed to promoting transatlantic trade and investment between the US and the UK
Contact: Lauren Hunt T: 0845 603 6650
BABC Patrons
Special relationship goes to next level
British American Business Council (BABC) is expanding into the East Midlands, and its launch event in Nottingham on 13 October will feature MEP Emma McClarkin. Emma is one of two Conservative MEPs in the
East Midlands and is an expert on overseas trade, particularly with the USA. She is already well known to BABC Midlands members, and was a speaker at the recent BABC Transatlantic Conference Emma joined the European
Parliament’s international trade committee in 2012 and is the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) co- ordinator on INTA (committee on international trade). This means she leads ECR on trade matters, including the current EU-USA trade deal. At the EU, she has been at the forefront of
opening up other trade deals, or modernising those already in place, such as the global agreement with Mexico. She is also ECR’s lead MEP on trade issues
with China. Emma believes that post-Brexit, it will be possible for the UK and USA to quickly sing up a free trade agreement. She said: “The UK and the USA have an opportunity to work together to show that when there is common ground and a willingness to pursue trade negotiations, these can be concluded quickly to benefit both sides.
“Whereas the EU and the USA failed to sign
TTIP, which could have been a standard bearer for how nations trade, the UK and the USA can lead the world in free trade, rather than follow. “UK-USA trade is estimated to be worth $240 billion a year, supporting a million jobs in each of our countries. A new trade deal between our nations would build on this and increase the potential for businesses to grow. Supporting economic growth, job creation and increased consumer choice on both sides of the Atlantic. “Our workforces are some of
the brightest on the planet, we both admire the entrepreneurial spirit and our enterprises are some of the most innovative. The benefits of a trade agreement between the UK and
the USA are clear. Let’s take this opportunity to take our special relationship to the next level.” The BABC East Midlands launch event is being
organised in conjunction with Browne Jacobsen, and will take place at the firm’s Nottingham office on 13 October, starting at 7.30am. BABC co-ordinator Lauren Hunt said: “BABC Midlands is growing in membership, and with us now expanding into the East Midlands, our organisation is going from strength-to-strength. “With Emma’s background on negotiating trade
deals, it’s never come at a more relevant time with the UK leaving the EU and having to look to negotiate multiple trade deals with countries.”
Graduate receives
Stanford fellowship A graduate from Birmingham City University is celebrating after being awarded a prestigious fellowship at Stanford University in California. Barbara Maseda
(pictured) from Havana, Cuba, is one of 18 journalists and journalism innovators from around the world who has been awarded John S. Knight (JSK) Journalism Fellowships for the coming academic year. Barbara’s fellowship will build on her final
MA Online Journalism project at Birmingham City University last year, which explored the use of text analysis tools for journalistic purposes. The JSK Fellowships is committed to the
pursuit of innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to improving the quality of news and information reaching the public. They support journalists who are deeply engaged in exploring solutions to the biggest challenges facing their profession. Barbara is the first Cuban journalist to be
awarded a JSK Fellowship, selected from nearly 600 applicants from more than 100 countries. She said: “My time at Birmingham City
University under Paul Bradshaw's guidance gave me the opportunity to experiment with new skills and tools, and to expand my understanding of data journalism as a very broad field demanding a high level of specialisation.”
Midlands links with Canada are thriving
Canada’s leading diplomat in the UK told a gathering in Birmingham she looked forward to “re-imagining” the relationship with the Midlands post- Brexit. Janice Charlette, Canada’s High Commissioner to the UK, was speaking
at an event organised by the Midlands Chapter of the British American Business Council. She said: “It has been a pleasure to see first-hand the many thriving
business connections that exist between Canada and the Midlands and to join together in looking for more ways that we can grow both of our vibrant and innovative economies. “I am confident that the upcoming application of the Canada-EU free
trade agreement will bring even more opportunities for us to strengthen those bonds and forge new friendships. “I think Birmingham and ourselves can create a great future. We already
have a considerable number of investment links with Birmingham, including the airport, the Paradise redevelopment and Grand Central. “Brexit is very interesting and an opportunity to re-imagine our
relationship. And in doing that regulatory standards need to be improved along with a mutual recognition of qualifications.” The removal of trade tariffs through CETA (Comprehensive Economic
and Trade Agreement) would bring a 20 per cent boost to the UK economy, said Mrs Charlette.
More opportunities (from left): Lauren Hunt (BABC), Russell Jeans (Birmingham Chamber), Janice Charlette, Julian Beer (Birmingham City University) and Mark Richardson (High Commission of Canada)
July/August 2017 CHAMBERLINK 31
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