PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Welcome to all our members and thank you to everyone who has contributed to this edition of CONNECTED.

Our second edition, coming at the halfway point of the year, is always a welcome and natural opportunity to reflect on the first six months and look ahead to the second half of 2023. Despite the triple headwinds of economic uncertainty, persistently high inflation, and the absence of functioning government in Northern Ireland, businesses in the North West remain optimistic.

Where political leadership has been lacking, our business community and the voluntary and third sectors (budgets permitting) have provided support and guidance to communities during tough times. The Chamber has consistently called for the restoration of the Executive, and we continue to work with our colleagues across the political spectrum to find solutions to hurdles. We spearheaded a recent delegation of business leaders from across the country to meet with Assembly Party Leaders in Stormont and we are working to secure a meeting with the Secretary of State as we continue to explore how business can support and encourage the return of power-sharing. While we are conscious that the Executive will not be a silver bullet to the multitude of issues we face in Northern Ireland, we know that the lack of Executive is doing no good for anyone in our society.

In the absence of political leadership, we at Chamber have identified key strategic pillars that we must leverage in order to drive forward the North West and realise our full potential. We have formed committees dedicated to influencing Policy and Investment focused on driving positive outcomes for our region. Alongside the core pillar of Member Support, we will also add a Connectivity Committee as we look forward to the All-Island Rail Review and the outcome of the A5 inquiry as well as a Skills Committee to reinforce our talent pipeline which is crucial to both local business expansion and FDI.

With our strategic committees in place, we look forward to working with government for the good of the North West. We want to see an Economy Minister making decisions which drive investment and create prosperity, an Infrastructure Minister who brings forward strategies and policies which boost our regional connectivity, and a Finance Minister who reforms our rates system and begins the journey to putting this place on a more sustainable fiscal footing.

As we move through the summer and towards September, we hope that our MLAs will be preparing for going back to school. It’s crucial that local ministers are in place to greet global investors as we welcome businesses from around the world to our shores as part of the UK’s Investment Conference in a couple of months. In spite of the political challenges, I know that our business and our civic leaders will continue to lead the way and Chamber will continue to act as a progressive business voice for the North West City Region.

This latest edition of CONNECTED features a special focus on those North West companies who are prioritising and leading on innovation and digitalisation, industry disruptors at the head of their game. A key tenet of my presidency has been to champion and spotlight innovation in all its forms. It’s been an absolute pleasure to read about all the exciting and innovative work being done across a diverse range of sectors in our local economy.

I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable summer and enjoy reading about the strength of our local economy within this edition of CONNECTED.

Selina Horshi President of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce