International Trade
International Business Hub
Warm welcome: Chamber training co-ordinator Carl Douglas, Paul Winter and Mandy Haque
Experts to deliver
new training courses Two industry veterans have been appointed to deliver a selection of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s new training courses. Paul Winter, managing director of European
Health & Safety Consultancy (EHSC) and Peter Murphy, international freight specialist at freight forwarder Allenco, will be delivering Chamber courses on health and safety and imports and exports. The appointments are part of a revamp of the Chamber’s training services offered to its 3,000 member businesses. The relaunch of the portfolio of courses
includes a boosted offering of training, on topics such as international documentation, cultural awareness and health and safety, along with new courses being accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. Paul Winter will be leading the health and
safety courses. He has over 30 years’ experience in health and safety – initially working for an international vehicle manufacturer and then branching out on his own and forming EHSC, based in Milton Keynes, in 1991. Paul was awarded his MBE for services to
occupational health and safety in the New Years Honours list in 1993. Peter Murphy will be leading the Chamber’s
customs and international documentation courses. Peter has worked in the international freight industry for more than 35 years, and has experience in container shipping, courier operations, emergency freight. For the last 20 years he has served as
director for Birmingham-based Allenco. Peter has been consulted by senior members of the Government and HMRC during the Brexit process, and is a member of the GBCC Brexit Steering Committee. Mandy Haque, international director, said:
“We are delighted to be offering a brand new range of courses from the International Department at GBCC. The courses have been carefully produced to make sure that they are packed full of content and relevant material.”
44 CHAMBERLINK December 2019/January 2020
The Chamber’s translations team was faced with one of its biggest challenges recently when it was asked to source 15 interpreters at short notice to help at an event featuring a visiting Chinese delegation. The delegation was made up of more than 20
businesses from Chengdu, in south western China, who were seeking UK business partners. The delegation was taking part in a business
matchmaking event in Leicester, organised by the Department of International Trade (DIT). With just two weeks to go before the event
took place, the DIT approached the Chamber for help in sourcing 15 fluent speakers of Mandarin, the official language of China. Chamber senior client executive Shazia Khaliq
said: “We have never been asked to find that number of interpreters in a single language before – it was certainly a challenge, and particularly with that timescale. “But we are proud to have handled such a
high calibre conference and to have supplied our client with the interpreters that they needed.” Shaz, with the help of the Chinese Community
Centre in Bradford Street, managed to find the interpreters. She said one of the reasons the Chamber’s
recruitment effort was a success was down to the longstanding relationship with some of the interpreters, going back 15 years in some cases. “It’s very hard to get people at such short
notice. But we did it – and it also helped having a close relationship with the local Chinese community.”
Challenging task: Shazia Khaliq
Lily Xu, secretary-general of Chengdu
Association of Trade in Services (CDATS) said: “We really appreciate your help. Each enterprise has made new friends and hopes to deepen contacts and achieve practical cooperation.” DIT event organiser Annette Vlachou said:
“We are very happy as were our Chengdu visitors about the performance of your team of translators.”
• Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and China West Midlands 2020 are holding a gala dinner at Birmingham Council House on 23 January to kick off a programme of exhibitions, shows, sports and seminars throughout the year. For more information visit
www.chinawestmidlands.com
Economic impact in Guangzhou
The University of Birmingham’s work with its partners in Guangzhou is contributing £37m to the Chinese city’s economy every year, new figures have revealed. And the university has cemented its
successful partnership with Birmingham’s sister city by signing a new five-year agreement to continue working with the Guangzhou Municipal Government on research and education initiatives in the city. The university has working with the city’s
government since 2011, and a new independent report details how this contributes £4m per year from research activities in Guangzhou and £5m from teaching and learning initiatives.
In addition, every £100,000 invested in
research partnerships with Birmingham generated a return of £239,000 for the Guangzhou economy. The report – which measured the 2017/18
academic year - was launched by University of Birmingham vice-chancellor professor Sir David Eastwood in a ceremony at the city’s Jinan University ahead of signing the new agreement with Guangzhou Municipal Government. Sir David said: “This agreement marks the ongoing success of our partnership. We look forward to many more years working together with the Guangzhou Municipal Government to meet challenges and create closer relations between our cities.”
T: 0121 725 8994 E:
ibh@birmingham-chamber.com
Translations team sources interpreters just in time
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