Richard Burge LCCI
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ssentially, these visits have been fact-finding
missions, an attempt to explore synergies between these localities and London – still viewed internationally as a global destination for trade. Ultimately, memorandums of understanding (MOUs) will be agreed with each Chamber before the implementation of three-year engagement plans that will, hopefully, boost trade between London and each of these overseas cities.
London builds bridges with overseas cities It’s fair to say that Richard Burge has had his travelling boots on recently. In the last few months, he has visited Hamburg and Berlin in Germany, Dubai, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in a bid to build relationships with Chambers of Commerce and other key organisations in these localities. 24
It’s a bold, ambitious plan that Richard has been driving forward since assuming his current role as CEO of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) two years ago. He says: “We’re trying to create and maintain international relationships in a post-Brexit world. Despite all of the political rhetoric, London is a global, welcoming city with good connections to the outside world. Essentially, we’re still the same outward-facing, pro-business city as we were before Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
