President
Plans for Glasgow
New President Paul Little details his experience and key initiatives for the Chamber
IT
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE HONOUR and privilege to be elected as the 133rd President of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. I follow in the footsteps of many illustrious Chamber leaders who have played a pivotal part in the civic leadership of our great city. I will endeavour to live up to this rich legacy whilst steering our Chamber to enable inclusive growth and competitiveness in these increasingly volatile and uncertain times. Of course, I have been actively
involved with the Chamber for the past 13 years as both a Board member and through my position as the founding Principal and Chief Executive of the City of Glasgow College, Scotland’s largest technological and professional tertiary college, having previously turned around four other institutions. A decade ago, I successfully merged Glasgow’s four specialist colleges, including the internationally renowned Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, on the Clyde, to create a pioneering next generation world-class super college for 40,000 students and then built a super campus across two sites. Our graduates are the future lifeblood of commerce and employment in the city, so the connection between the Chamber and our world class college is indeed a strong one. There has always been a really close link between the College of Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce and before that to the Allen Glen’s school which produced many distinguished alumni, including Charles Rennie McIntosh. And while the arrival of the
United Nations’ COP26 conference will be a game changer for Glasgow and the Chamber leadership, I will also be championing several distinct initiatives during my two-year presidential tenure: the development of the skills across our city; the promotion of lifetime
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learning for all; the revitalisation of our mighty river Clyde which weaves through our communities; and the further growth of the City Centre and the wider city economy. As a qualified yacht skipper, I
am well-used to choppy waters, I have also served part-time with HM coastguard and the United States coastguard as a search and rescue Officer for 30 years.
I will also be supporting
the Scottish Government’s commitment to the Clyde Mission, promoting this transport artery and important economic zone along its banks in a new and innovative way. My preferred style is collective leadership to ensure that together we maximise the opportunities for all our communities, our members and of course these priorities also play into the wider debate about net-zero carbon for the city region, the increasing relevance of the green economy, and developing the young workforce, all areas where the Chamber already plays a significant and much valued role. What is abundantly clear to me already is that the narrative of Glasgow and our metropolitan region is changing. It is more compelling than ever and has greater ownership too. We must all speak up and often about the multiple attributes of Scotland’s greatest city, and I intend to do this across Scotland, throughout the UK, and also on our international trade missions. In particular, we must tell everyone about COP26 in November. Our vibrant City Centre, with
its scores of businesses, must continue to thrive and remain a magnet for locals and visitors alike to come and enjoy their shopping, work, learning and recreational time. We want them to spend more time, and of course their money in the city centre, including in our night-time economy. In addition, we must all
play our part to adapt the city to more urgently meet the climate challenges, without damaging our economy. This will require mature debate, careful planning, thoughtfulness and honest conversations. This is something I am especially keen to ensure during my tenure as President. Cities are where it’s all happening, and we live and work in one of the greatest cities in the world. Meantime, I look forward to
working closely with Stuart Patrick and his diligent Chamber team and especially hearing from you, our valued Chamber members.
Paul Little, President president@glasgowchamber
ofcommerce.com
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