Business News President’s Focus
It’s been a year since Qasim Majid was elected president of Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), and this month he has been re-elected for a second year. In this month’s ‘President’s Focus’, he looks back upon that first 12 months, and how intends to keep the momentum up during 2019/20.
presidency, I sit here, writing this article, with a real sense of pride and accomplishment. It was this time last year that I
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became president of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), following on from the exemplary Saqib Bhatti, who had steered and led the organisation for four successful years. You could argue that my task
was ‘simple’, and that all I had to do was continue the great work that Saqib, Anjum Khan, and the rest of the executive committee had set in motion - but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is that people will
always judge you, and naturally compare you to your predecessor. In this instance, I had very large boots to fill - and it was a case of all eyes on me. The added pressure of taking
over and proving my capability was a good thing, because it encouraged me to think deeply about what I stood for and more importantly, how I – along with the team – could build upon the success of the organisation. Unequivocally, the first thing that
came to my mind was how do we make the ABCC better for our members, so that they can continue to connect, support, and grow? For me, this is a question that still remains at the heart of everything we do at the Chamber, and something we should use as a source of direction. It’s the ‘connect’ part of this
question that we have collectively been banging the drum about over the last 12 months. The fact is that if we believe it, say it aloud, and then action upon it, then the message of connectivity truly hits home for our members. It is without a doubt that the
ABCC, GBCC, and all the other Chamber brands are here to first and foremost support businesses with more opportunities. If we all create the environment for this to happen, then the notion of ‘support’ and ‘growth’ will naturally take care of itself.
14 CHAMBERLINK May 2019
‘During a time where our region is currently winning, my advice would be to make hay while the sun is shining’
At present, I couldn’t be more
proud to say that we are achieving exactly this, the fact that the ABCC is growing year on year, is testament to it. Collectively, we are attracting
new members and continuing to re- engage with longstanding ones. Not only this, but the ABCC is
currently at the forefront of shaping policy and is the only organisation in the region, whose diversity and inclusion policy delivers tangible and actionable results, for businesses who identify it as being a key-player in an ever- changing regional and economic landscape.
ime flies - it certainly has for me. As I reflect on the past 12 months of my first year in
The future of businesses who
want to stay competitive over the coming years, needs to be one of openness and understanding. Customer behaviour and demographics are evolving, it is therefore vital that we as business owners are empathetic towards this. That’s why the ABCC is still
paramount today and will continue to be in the future. More and more savvy business leaders are getting to grips with the changing landscape, which is why they are now partnering with the ABCC and actively looking for ways that they can attract and retain the best talent and clients. During a time where our region
is currently winning, my advice would be to make hay while the sun is shining, with the ABCC and all its associated brands at the very core of the positive culture that we’re working towards. Irrespective of what lies ahead
for our country, with the impending Brexit decisions, my ultimate message to each and every one of our members, is let’s keep that winning mentality and build the momentum. As always, instead of competing with each other, we should be looking at how we can collaborate and innovate. Agility of thinking in a rapidly changing, digitally-driven world, means that we all need to be acutely aware of what our members need now, and for the future. Therefore, at the ABCC we are constantly working on how we can improve and tailor our offering, for customers who know exactly what they want. This is fundamentally how we’ll continue to win and grow. The next 12 months are going to
be even more exciting, with larger partnerships and greater opportunities in store. Most importantly, however, the
organisation will continue to promote the culture of innovation, collaboration, and connectivity. These are the key ingredients that will ensure that every member gets maximum benefit from their investment with the Chamber, and will undoubtedly foster success.
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