Business News
Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce have established a tenth division – the Commonwealth Chamber. Its creation not only coincides with the announcement that Birmingham is to stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games but also marks a post-Brexit campaign to drive trade between the UK and Commonwealth countries. This month Chamberlink celebrates two moves that will put Birmingham more firmly on the global map.
Games to aid race for trade
Greater Birmingham
Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce
By Dan Harrison
An initiative to drive trade between Greater Birmingham and the Commonwealth has been given lift- off with the launch of the Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce (GBCCC). The Commonwealth Chamber
becomes the tenth division of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce group and will offer membership-based services to businesses who wish to reach and develop markets in Commonwealth countries. The Chamber believes that
Commonwealth countries represent a largely untapped market, and one which has been overshadowed by the UK’s relationship with the European Union. Currently, the EU accounts for 44
per cent of all UK exports, whereas the Commonwealth countries only make up nine per cent of export output. The Chamber says the new trade
initiative will help its members to develop trade links with Commonwealth, and will include a major events programme focusing on Commonwealth knowledge transfer and trading opportunities. The GBCCC will also promote
local businesses to the Commonwealth countries through its connections with overseas High Commissions and Consulates in the UK, British diplomatic posts
6 CHAMBERLINK February 2018
overseas and British Chambers of Commerce overseas (through the British Chambers Overseas Business Network). GBCC chief executive Paul
Faulkner said: “The launch of the Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce builds on all of the great international activity we do at present. “Through our International
Business Hub, our European programmes, the British American Business Council Midlands Chapter and our Department for International Trade (DIT) contract, we already have tremendous knowledge and experience in this field. “Birmingham’s bid to host the
Commonwealth Games in 2022 has shone a light on the strong links which already exist between the city and the Commonwealth. “Developing trade links with
Commonwealth countries has never been more important as the UK prepares to leave the EU.” Chief operating officer Russell
Jeans said the establishment of the GBCCC was a natural step, given the Chamber’s history of delivering international programmes over several decades. Recent examples of the Chamber’s work with Commonwealth countries include supporting a Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce event in Birmingham, while Paul Faulkner joined West Midlands mayor Andy Street on a trade mission to Toronto. Furthermore, the Department for
International Trade team at the Chamber are supporting a Midlands Engine visit to the Auto Expo Components event in New Delhi, India in February.
Games venue: Paul Faulkner (left) and Keith Stokes-Smith at the Alexandra Stadium
‘This new Chamber puts a membership wrapper around elements of our expert knowledge and international connectivity’
Mr Jeans said: “The Chamber has
a distinguished history in delivery of programmes all over the world – a lot of which have been in Commonwealth countries. “This new Chamber puts a membership wrapper around elements of our expert knowledge and international connectivity.” Keith Stokes-Smith, president of
the GBCCC, said: “The Commonwealth is now back on the
map and maybe now its much overlooked potential will come to the fore. Organisations like the Birmingham Commonwealth Association will work together with the GBCCC to maximise the fulfilment of that potential to Greater Birmingham's benefit. “After all, with the massively
diverse diaspora in and around the city, we effectively already have our own commonwealth.
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