Business News Chamber shows off ‘great shape’ By John Lamb


Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce GBCC) “is in great shape” because of the strength of its membership and staff, its annual meeting was told. Chairman David Waller told the


meeting at Radisson Blu: “The Chamber is in great shape because of the strength of both our staff and membership, whose enormous contribution ensures that we remain the premier voice of local businesses across the Greater Birmingham region. “And because of this, membership has been rising, which is unusual for membership organisations at the moment. “We have successfully launched


a section for start-ups and our recent visit to Bursa Chamber in Turkey has underlined the growing importance of our International Hub.” Chief financial officer Helen Bates


said: “All areas of activity - memberships and patrons, export documentation, public-funded activity and office rentals - increased their income in the year: this means that we are not overly dependent on any one area of business.”


place where you went on holiday but I soon discovered that here is a city similar to Birmingham with a sense of purpose that was tremendous and we have a great deal to learn from them. “And if the Commonwealth


Games come here in 2022 we can show 53 countries what we can do through commerce and industry.” Chief executive Paul Faulkner,


whose presentation looked back at the Chamber’s colourful history, said: “We have gone through a full range of changes and in this year we refreshed our mission, vision and value which is detailed in the full annual report.” Saqib Bhatti, the Chamber’s vice-


Chamber in “great shape” (left to right): David Waller, Paul Kehoe and Paul Faulkner


‘We remain the premier voice of local businesses across the Greater Birmingham region’


President Paul Kehoe, who starts


his second year in office, said: “There has been a real buzz in the Chamber and you feel this as you go round the Chambers in the group. “The political climate in our


region has changed markedly and I


Chamber honours influential members


By Dan Harrison


Some of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s longstanding and most influential members were honoured at the organisation’s annual general meeting. Chamber council members Diane


Rance and Rick Grain became the first recipients of President’s Medals, in recognition of their outstanding contributions. Diane, a director of Creating Value


With People Ltd, has been a Chamber Council member since 2015. She played a crucial role in


proposing and championing the Growth Through People campaign, which will return for a second year in 2018. Rick was commended for his


enthusiasm, devotion and endless commitment to the Chamber. The Effigy Blinds managing


director was first elected as a Chamber Council member in November 2012. Chamber president Paul Kehoe


said: “The idea behind the President’s Medals is to recognise those who have made a significant


10 CHAMBERLINK November 2017


contribution to the Chamber week in, week out, year in, year out and who continue to give without asking for anything in return.” A presentation also took place to


celebrate six longstanding member businesses – intellectual property firm Barker Brettell, catering industry product supplier Drywite, workplace furnishing supplier Dalen, international law firm Gowling WLG, construction tools sales and distribution company Hyde and Chamberlink magazine publishers Kemps Publishing. They received whistles from


another longstanding member Acme Whistles, whose boss Simon Topman is a past Birmingham Chamber president. Mr Topman, who served as


president in 2005, also received a commendation from GBCC chief executive Paul Faulkner. Mr Faulkner said: “We picked six


of our longest serving members who represent the variety of businesses that we have. “There is something for everyone


and that is why the Chamber movement has existed for such a long time.”


Long-standing members with Paul Kehoe (left) and Paul Faulkner (right) are (left to right): Lee Markham (Kemps Publishing), Richard Hyde (Hyde), David Vaughan (Gowling), Priscilla Makovski (Barker Brettell), Kelvin Lee (Drywite), Simon Ferguson (Dalen), Aneela Hoque (Dalen)


Honoured by president (left to right): Paul Kehoe, Diane Rance, Rick Grain and Paul Faulkner


think we have been successful in warding off some anti-business rhetoric. “As businesses, we need to trade


with the world and I must confess that I had my eyes opened on our recent visit to Bursa in Turkey with the Chamber. I thought that was a


president, spoke of attending the Chamber’s Future Faces dinner which confirmed “what a great future the city had”. Steve Allen, global president of


the British American Business Council and head of the Birmingham office of lawyers Mills & Reeve, was confirmed as the incoming junior vice-president.


To view the Chamber’s full annual report, go to: www.greaterbirminghamchambers .com/about/annual-report/


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