BUSINESS REPORT


POLICY MATTERS


The Chamber’s Policy Executive DEVEN ATTWELL represents your views to the people who matter.


Milton Keynes businesses were well represented at the recent British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Annual Conference. The Annual Conference explored the subjects most relevant to UK business – providing insights into these key topics through panel discussions, keynote speakers and opportunities for discussion. The day


RISKY BUSINESS PAYS OFF FOR ENTREPRENEUR


A mum of two who took a leap of faith and set up her own business has seen the risk pay off after being named as one of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in the UK. Nicola Case, 42, invested the last


of her savings into buying a franchise of Pink Spaghetti PA Services a little over 18 months ago with the aim of creating a better work-life balance for her and her family. She now has a thriving enterprise helping small and micro businesses in and around Milton Keynes offering specialist ad-hoc PA services. f-entrepreneur #ialso awards was


set up to recognise females in business and Nicola was invited to attend the House of Lords in March, ahead of International Women’s Day. She was formally recognised for her achievements which also includes giving back to her local


10 inbusiness JUNE/JULY 2019


community as a trustee for a children’s cancer charity and as Vice Chairman of her son’s school. “It’s such an honour to be


‘IT’S SUCH


AN HONOUR TO BE RECOGNISED


FOR DOING A JOB I ADORE’


recognised for doing a job I adore. I take such pride in my work, by being that extra person to bounce ideas off, someone’s 25th hour in a day and getting the jobs done to take the pressure off.” At the end of


last year, Nicola secured both


Bronze and Silver iDEA awards as part of an ongoing training


programme set up by the


Duke of York to develop digital, enterprise and employability skills. She was invited to St James’s Palace for the official launch of the Silver awards as one of just a handful of Silver award winners. She has also just recently expanded her core team by taking on two new members of staff.


included a wide range of speakers – such as Sadiq Kahn, Mayor of London, Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, Alison Rose, CEO Commercial and Private Banking RBS and Rt Hon David Lidington MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office. As you can imagine, Brexit was


‘THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE EXPLORED THE SUBJECTS MOST


RELEVANT TO UK BUSINESS’


conference also focused on the other issues which are fundamental to business – innovation, people and infrastructure. These panel sessions all considered how these topics can be used to grow British business and boost productivity & economic growth. Debating on questions such as how to best responsibly and ethically utilise future technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and what role it can


have in businesses. How to close the skills gap the UK is currently facing and


how to unlock productivity and growth through the UK’s


infrastructure. The day was a great opportunity


very much at the forefront of everyone’s minds and what it meant for our business community. Adam Marshall, Director General of BCC, urged those in Westminster to chart a clear path forward, avoiding a messy and disorderly Brexit, and stem the corrosive damage and dislocation of ongoing uncertainty. However, Brexit was not only the topic of conversation, the


for Milton Keynes’ businesses views, priorities and concerns to be represented on a national level and to get involved with future strategies of how to improve the environment for the business community.


To find out more about the BCC Annual Conference and the Chambers’ policy work then contact Deven Attwell on 01536 547820 or policy@chambermk.co.uk


Delegates at


this year’s BCC Conference


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