Business News deliver my mission – and more


is outward looking and willing to embrace change and deal with the grey rather than the black and white. Promoting links with countries


outside the EU and creating a Commonwealth Chamber to restore the links with 52 other nations that have values and common legal systems who have forgiven us for turning our backs against them in the 60s and 70s should be a mission. While exporting is great, we


know that most companies don’t export but they do provide services and products to those who do and therefore they share in the common purpose of working to the same goal – the well-being of our society through the generation of wealth for all. The Chamber has led on many


aspects of my mission and a whole lot more. It is at the forefront of a number of initiatives that will help members deliver for the customers, shareholders and hopefully the taxman and the country at large. The effects seem to be showing through despite some of the uncertainties that are latent. We have witnessed some of the


lowest unemployment rates (4.0 per cent) for a generation and seen


employment levels reach new heights such that the number of people in work has never being as high - that at 32.39m would equate to nearly 85 per cent of the total population at the end of WW1 just 100 years ago. This staggering number of


people in work belies other issues. We hear about productivity and the belief that France with all its problems and strikes can still produce goods in four days whereas it would take us five. I always find this productivity challenge a difficult one; we have some of the most efficient manufacturing plants in the world but we are largely a service-based economy and getting higher levels of productivity from domestic service organisations can prove problematic. Even though some of our service organisations operate internationally, the down time or travelling time to get to assignments must weigh heavily on the productivity challenge. That, coupled with a significantly


stressed domestic transportation system and increasing pressure on the state support services such as the police, fire and NHS, makes for


a difficult economic drag which must impact on the overall well- being of the country. It is in this curate’s egg of


economic circumstances that the Chamber must operate and operate it does. The Chamber has made a great


success in turning itself around and has now become a “go to” organisation for business advice and guidance across a number of activities and areas.


E


ach of the constituent parts of the GBCC have all excelled and the activities that they


have laid on for members have been well attended (over 1400 diners at the annual dinner) and allowed the Chamber to grow by some 12 per cent to more than 3000 members. The establishment of new divisions to meet the needs of members and new trade opportunities shows how flexible the Chamber can be. The most significant growth has


been in Future Faces. The delight here is to know that there is great talent coming along who will in time ensure that the Chamber remains a


vibrant and prominent force for good for business and the community. The next generation will need to


deal with greater uncertainty no matter what the economic and political circumstances prevail but you should be heartened to know that one member of that next generation will be your next president. Saqib Bhatti will be one of the


youngest Chamber presidents in the country and will be, I am sure, a great leader and set an excellent example to his peers on the role that the next generation can play in ensuring that business, trade and commerce remains a force for good across the Greater Birmingham region. It has been my pleasure to serve


the GB business community for the past four years as VP and president. I have had a ball and it’s been a real pleasure to work with some great people - too many to mention here but they all know who they are and whom are ably led by our chief execuitve, Paul Faulkner. All that remains for me to do is


wish the Chamber all the very best for the coming years. As they say in my old profession – “Over and Out!”


September 2018 CHAMBERLINK9


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