CEO Update - March

Happy Spring to everyone.

It’s uplifting to see the first signs of new growth appearing in the garden, and I’m hopeful we’ll see similar green shoots of economic confidence emerging in the months ahead. I’ve also been enjoying the Six Nations Rugby which, from a Scottish perspective, has been an especially exciting tournament to follow.

As we move through the early part of 2026, it has been encouraging to see strong engagement from our members and partners across a wide range of Chamber activities. Over the past month, the Chamber team has been focused on strengthening connections and ensuring that the voice of our members is clearly heard in the conversations shaping the future of our region.

I have personally been involved in meetings with MSPs and elected Council officials and have been writing to Ministers to highlight the ongoing concerns around Non‑Domestic Rates, which remain a significant issue for businesses across our region and Scotland. Engagement with key stakeholders, partners and policymakers continues to be central to our work, and we remain committed to advocating for the ambitions and needs of businesses across Fife.

We have also been progressing our new Chamber strategy, which will set out our priorities for the coming years. This work has been shaped by the invaluable input we have gathered from members and partners over the past six months, ensuring we remain focused on delivering meaningful support, opportunities and representation for the businesses we serve.

Our Coffee Connections sessions continue to flourish, with more than 100 members and non‑members attending in recent months. These informal gatherings are now among our most popular networking opportunities, providing a relaxed and friendly environment for people to meet, share ideas and form new business relationships. It’s been fantastic to see such strong participation, and we encourage all members to join us, enjoy a coffee and make valuable new connections.

It was also great to host another ‘Behind the Scenes’ visit with our member, Quaker Oats, which was thoroughly enjoyed by those who attended. Our aim is to continue creating opportunities for members to connect, collaborate and grow, while championing Fife as a vibrant place to live, work and do business. We are also developing our collaboration with Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber, and West Lothian Chamber, over the coming months - so watch this space.

As always, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our members, partners, Board and wider network for your continued support and engagement. Your involvement is what makes the Chamber community so strong, and I look forward to building on this momentum as the year progresses.