PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Welcome to all our members and thank you to everyone who has contributed to this edition of CONNECTED. The past year and a half has been an absolute whirlwind for those of us in business. The world screeched to a grinding halt last March and the way we work, do business, and live our lives has changed dramatically. During conversations with and visits to North West businesses I have witnessed the hardship suffered. I have listened to the stories of decimated businesses; depleted reserves and continual anxiety and uncertainty, but the one shining light was the concern business owners had for their people over and above their own problems. I have been heartened, and filled with pride, by the way in which our North West business owners and leaders reacted to the crisis. When things have been at their toughest, we have often been at our best, and the sense of community, camaraderie, and support among members and traders has been genuinely inspiring. As your Chamber President, I have been fighting for certainty, clarity and flexibility for you, our members, and our local businesses. I’ve often spoken about my optimism for our region as we emerge from Covid. While, at times, it was hard to be positive about the future with such difficult circumstances, it’s important that we take stock of what we’ve achieved, and what’s within our immediate grasp. I truly believe we are on the cusp of something great in the North West City Region. The £250m Derry and Strabane City Deal was finally signed off this year, a huge and transformational capital investment project which will boost our economy, create thousands of new jobs, and set our region on the path to even greater prosperity. At the end of August, the School of Medicine at Magee welcomed its first ever students: an exciting development for the North West region and the first step in the journey to further expansion of our university. We’ve welcomed new companies to the North West and FDI remains strong in our region. New jobs in sectors such as tech, fintech, and health and life sciences are being created. Our infrastructure is improving, and we look forward to the strategic rail review conclusions. Stronger and more reliable connectivity across this island and beyond is a key pillar to our economic success, especially as a border region.
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Our overarching and united message is to prioritise the North West, ensure we get our fair share of investment, and help us unleash our potential as a leading location to do business across these islands. Make no mistake – the future is bright for the North West and with regional partners all pulling in the same direction, there is a palpable energy and excitement across the region. We have welcomed new members of all sizes and from all sectors. Our members are the lifeblood of the Chamber and everything we do is guided by you, for your benefit, and for the benefit of the wider economy. We have engaged with MLAs, MPs, councillors, TDs and Ministers from across Northern Ireland, the UK and
Ireland to give North West businesses a voice and we worked constructively to find solutions and secure support for our members. It’s crucial that we represent the whole of the region, not just our great City, and this will be a key part of Chamber’s strategy going forward. As my year in office draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all, recognising the lengths you have all gone to, to protect your people and your businesses and commend you, for all you have done for our community during these challenging times. Dawn McLaughlin President, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce
