Overseas delegations flock to region in post-Games boost

Birmingham is going increasingly global in the trading stakes - with a string of international delegations flocking to the West Midlands, writes Jon Griffin.

The city is enjoying a post Commonwealth Games boom as delegations from overseas arrive to boost prospects of lucrative bilateral trade.

In the last few weeks alone Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce have hosted a string of VIP visits from a wide range of countries keen to explore future trade opportunities between West Midlands companies and their counterparts abroad.

Among the high-profile visitors was Ukraine trade advisor Dmytro Bespalov, who joined the Chambers international director Mandy Haque for a tour of Birmingham Wholesale Markets before discussing future trade opportunities between the West Midlands and the war-torn country.

Meanwhile, Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce held productive talks with a delegation from South Carolina to promote trade with the US and Canada.

A trade delegation from the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce met Chamber members Beeswift, Selfridges, Aston Villa and the Wholesale Markets while Josefa Gonzalez-Blanco, Mexican ambassador to the UK, discussed trade and partnership opportunities alongside Chambers president Deb Leary.

Other VIP visitors included Jan Budaj, Slovak Minister for the Environment, representatives from the British Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Vojvodina, the Serbian Northern Province, the Mayor of the Gold Coast, Queensland and Chris Wren, CEO of the British Indonesia Chamber of Commerce.

A delegation of Indian visitors including the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises attended the Indian Consulate in Birmingham at a meeting headed by Atish Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of MSME, New Delhi.

And other VIP delegations are in the pipeline from Pakistan and America, including a Consortium of American States event on 12 October.

Mandy Haque, the Chambers international director, said: “With Birmingham firmly on the global map after delivering a successful Commonwealth Games, we have started to receive a high number of senior delegations to the Chamber.

“It is fantastic to see the enthusiasm and engagement from our international partners who are wanting to support bilateral opportunities between our region and the rest of the world.

“There is no doubt that Birmingham 's international profile has never been higher in the wake of the Commonwealth Games and the number of VIP visits from overseas delegations reflects that status for the city and the wider West Midlands. ”

Pictured (from left): Deb Leary, Mexican Ambassador to the UK Josefa Gonzalez-Blanco and Mandy Haque