Presidents Report - September 2018

The Chamber team has been really busy since my last update. We have launched the new and improved Fife Business Awards, delivered lots of well attended and well received events and organised even more events for you to enjoy as we close out 2018 and move into 2019.

The Chamber team has been really busy since my last update. We have launched the new and improved Fife Business Awards, delivered lots of well attended and well received events and organised even more events for you to enjoy as we close out 2018 and move into 2019.

I am really pleased that there has been such a positive response from so many people to the changes we have made to the Fife Business Awards. They have either applied for one of the new Awards, registered to attend one of the new “In the Know” workshops or nominated a great business they know. I would like to thank all the members that are sponsoring an Award, and all the other partners who have contributed their expertise to get us this far.

The end of this month sees another highlight of our year: the Annual Dinner. I am looking forward to another enjoyable evening at the Fairmont hearing our two very passionate speakers: Josh Littlejohn and Derek Mackay. My thanks go to EQ and the other generous sponsors.

We celebrate Fife Social’s second birthday in October. I remember attending the first Fife Social at Cluny Clays in October 2016 and being really impressed with the turnout, and it has been great to see its appeal and its reach grow, giving even more people the chance to experience Fife Chamber.

Our next Fife Learn programme starts in November with another exciting Master Class. This will be the fourth Fife Learn programme, demonstrating the appetite that members have to share their business experiences and insights with each other. We will end 2018 in style at our new look Christmas Lunch in December.

The pace of activity isn’t slowing down in 2019, and January already features a fascinating behind the scenes visit to one of Fife’s biggest companies: Marine Harvest.

The Chamber’s representational role hasn’t been forgotten during all this event activity. It is important that we continue to engage politically because of all of the uncertainty about the economy and Brexit. Members met the Scottish Government’s Business Minister during the Summer. Businesses from the Chamber and the Fife Economy Partnership met Fife’s MPs and MSPs at the end of August.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Cabinet’s main UK spokesman on Brexit, briefed members in September. HM Treasury were also in Fife to meet members. We will hear directly from the UK Government about its Brexit planning in October when Lord Duncan from the Scotland Office comes to St Andrews for a meeting with members of the Chamber and the St Andrews Business Club. Our Bank of England Panel will be meeting again in November.

Thank you all for your support.

Peter Southcott

President, Fife Chamber of Commerce