Transatlantic Greater Birmingham
Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce
Contact: Lauren Hunt T: 0845 6036650
Transatlantic Chamber Patrons
Talking trade: Professor Julian Beer and Paul Faulkner
Strong links: Eileen Schofield has been involved with the Transatlantic Chamber and BABC for nearly a decade
Eileen Schofield takes on new role
An employment law solicitor has become the new vice-president of Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce. Eileen Schofield, principal solicitor at Schofield & Associates, is replacing Andy Newnham who has stepped back from the Transatlantic Chamber after leaving University of Birmingham to take up a new role.
Eileen, who is also a director of Birmingham Law Society, will support Transatlantic Chamber president Professor Julian Beer of Birmingham City University and fellow vice-president James Tait, of law firm Browne Jacobson. She said: “I am delighted to take up the
role of vice-president of the Transatlantic Chamber. I have been a member of Transatlantic Chamber and its predecessor the BABC for almost 10 years and have valued the opportunities developed through the connections made over the years. “We are working and living through
unprecedented times and all businesses are facing challenges which require us to work more closely and effectively with our business network. “Reaching out to the US to reinforce links
and stabilise business contacts is one of our key objectives as we work through the restrictions placed on us at this time. The team have worked incredibly hard to foster strong ties with the US and we are committed to ensuring that these connections generate business opportunities for members of the Transatlantic Chamber. “I look forward to working with the board
to ensure that our members are supported and that their businesses are afforded as many opportunities to work within the Transatlantic network as possible.”
34 CHAMBERLINK June/July 2020
Considering the future of Transatlantic trade
Professor Julian Beer, president of the Transatlantic Chamber, took part in a Q&A with chief executive Paul Faulkner on what it’s like to lead the organisation through Covid-19 and what the future holds for Transatlantic trade. Here’s a snapshot of their discussion.
Paul Faulkner (PF): How different is it leading the Transatlantic Chamber during the Covid-19 crisis? Julian Beer (JB): We’re one of 23 chapters or offices across the UK, Canada and the US and in the run-up to Brexit I said how important trade on both sides of the Atlantic was going to be. Then this happened, so as well as Brexit, we’ve had this unprecedented period with Covid-19. So I think it’s even more important now to build those connections and relationships.
PF: Do you feel this period is a chance for people to explore what might be possible in the future? JB: This is an absolutely crucial time. We’re in resilience stage at the moment but we’ve got a crucial post-Covid recovery period that we’ve got to exploit in terms of our networks, connections and relationships. The US and Canada is the biggest marketplace for the West Midlands. We’ve got a huge trade surplus with the US. We really need to be well-positioned, not just sitting down contemplating our position.
PF: The business community has become ‘au fait’ with tools such as Zoom and Skype to communicate. Do you agree they bring overseas markets closer together?
‘It’s even more important now to build those connections and relationships’
JB: You can do deals in seconds just by connecting through one of the platforms available. It’s an interesting dynamic that has come out of Covid-19. I think there’ll be a lot more mixed use of technology but also face-to- face. You can’t beat doing a deal face-to-face. But having a first exploration and just testing the water with digital technology, I think that’s going to change fundamentally.
PF: What does the business community need to be doing in the short-term? JB: Whether you are part-owned, or back office of an American or Canadian company or you have no connections with the US or Canada at all, you really need to think about connecting with the Transatlantic Chamber and start exploring those opportunities. Start thinking about it now and acting upon it
now because when we come out of this you want to be a first mover, a first responder and get into those markets quickly. Myself and the team at the Transatlantic Chamber can help you make those connections and drive your business forward.
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