Business News President’s Focus
As Saqib Bhatti, the youngest president of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, starts the second year of his term of office, he reflects on how businesses in the region have just been “getting on with it” despite 12 tumultuous months at a national level.
the country and I can’t help but reflect on what a year it has been. If you had asked me when I became president
I
what I would be writing about in 12 months’ time I would have said “how much simpler life now is”.
Our journey out of the European Union would
be complete and there would be more excitement about the opportunities that lay ahead of us. Needless to say the future remains uncertain, and we, as business people, are doing what we always do - getting on with life regardless of what the national picture is. Despite all the tumultuous events at a national level, our fundamentals as a region have remained strong. I am proud that the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) plays such a pivotal role in championing the role that business plays in all of this.
t has been almost a year since I became president of one of the most dynamic and fastest growing Chambers of Commerce in
We continue to be an attractive hub for
business, entrepreneurship and investment. This is reflected in our record membership levels, our 250-plus events and continued robust engagement with members. None of this happens by chance and I am lucky to have some exceptional individuals serving as presidents across the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Group. As I stepped into my presidency I spoke of
two themes. As a region we had a trade surplus with China and the United States. Our small and medium businesses, however, were still not exporting and grasping the opportunities are out there. With all that the GBCC can now offer internationally through our international department the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce, I believe we are well positioned to address this gap. With the newly-branded
Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce we had the privilege of hosting the
Transatlantic Annual Conference for the second year running. Through this we
welcomed businesses from across the UK and North America and is testament to our
global reach. We will continue to work on our international
offering and position the GBCC to be ready to support businesses no matter what the future holds. Our three presidents, Qasim Majid , Keith Stokes-Smith and Professor Julian Beer do an exceptional job of championing their respective Chambers and the cause for international exporting. My second focus was to promote the role of
business in society. Business has always been a force for good. We continue to engage with national and regional stakeholders so they remember that business is not an opaque term but it is the hardworking individuals who make sure society remains prosperous. All our presidents do a sterling job but of particular note here are Martyn Jupp (Chase Chamber) and Nik Hardy (Burton Chamber) who have both been exceptional in championing their members and the wider business community. James Blackman of our Lichfield and Tamworth
Chamber has been championing getting businesses to pay in 30 days for as long as I can remember and sometimes the hardest of causes take just the relentless drive of one champion.
‘Despite all the tumultuous events at a national level, our fundamentals as a region have remained strong’
His strong links with the Small Business
Commissioner and knowledge on this issue are testament to the work he has put in. Katie Hale, president of Sutton Chamber, recently launched the eco-pledge aimed at trying to get businesses to be more sustainable. As the focus on Global warming and climate change continues, Katie is passionate about a crucial issue and, like her, I believe it will be businesses who drive us forward to make a tangible change in this regard. Finally, the Chamber that excites me most
(and I say this unapologetically), is the Future Faces Chamber of Commerce. I am always astounded by the talent that our region offers and the Future Faces Chambers of Commerce is the premier chamber for showcasing this. Daniel Alcorn, the newly-crowned Future Face,
is a testament to this as is the excellent president Mark Hipwell. As the region reclaims its place on the global stage it is our young generations that will lead the way and the future is very exciting. So as I reflect on the last 12 months, despite
uncertainty being the new norm, I can’t help but think the Chambers of Commerce is extremely well placed to weather any challenges and drive the necessary change that business require. Bring on the next 12 months!
10 CHAMBERLINK October 2019
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