This week I had the pleasure to speak as part of a Middle East panel discussion at the British Chambers of Commerce Global Business Network Live event in London.
I set out from deepest, darkest Hampshire (in the fog) joining the swarm of everyday commuters. A very different start to my days in Dubai. But, I was greeted with warmth (a nice cup of coffee helped too) and lots of friendly faces, all set for a day focussed on supporting the ongoing international development of British business. One statistic shared early in the day was the fact that only 11% of UK businesses are actively exporting and venturing into overseas markets, think how much more we could achieve as a country if we were just a bit more open minded about operating on an international level.
The tone of the day was set by strong introductions from Francis Martin, President of the British Chambers of Commerce, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, Lord Price, Secretary of State for Trade Policy and Lord Deighton, Non- Executive Chairman of Heathrow. We heard inspiring stories (littered with amusing tales of trials and tribulations) from entrepreneurs who have ‘broken the mould’, William Butler-Adams from Brompton Bicycles, Charles Rolls, Co-Founder of Fever Tree and Sarah Wood, Co-Founder of Unruly, to name just a few.
The rest of the day was packed full of opportunities to learn more about overseas markets, international e-commerce, international events, export finance, foreign currency and more. The networking sessions provided invaluable opportunities to meet people from all aspects of international trade, share stories and explore new opportunities.
At the British Centres for Business our purpose is to help British companies to spread their wings and look beyond the shores of the UK. We focus on the UAE (and its access to the Gulf and wider Middle East) but we are also part of an international network working collaboratively with the British Chambers of Commerce and the Department for International Trade across the globe.
There is a tremendous amount of opportunity out there for UK companies. If you are one of those companies keen to look beyond the UK market and grasp the chance to explore new opportunities then get in touch with us at the BCB, and start your journey.