Focus on Doing Business in the USA - Thursday 13 March saw over 60 delegates meet at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley for this BABC Midlands and Midlands World Trade Forum co-hosted workshop. Sponsored by UK Trade & Investment, the half day programme focused on various aspects of doing business in the United States, including; an overview of the market, banking and finance issues, legal matters, experiences of other UK businesses and transportation and security.
Taste of the New World: Food & Drink from the Americas - On Wednesday 5 February 2008 over 30 BABC members and guests enjoyed wines and finger food at this themed wine tasting. Connollys Wines provided excellent examples of wines from the various regions. Hosted by BABC member, BPE Solicitors in their Birmingham office on Bennetts Hill, the evening proved to be a great networking opportunity for all who attended.
Diversity: An American Perspective - The BABC Midlands and Birmingham Professional DiverCity hosted a lunchtime seminar at Eversheds LLP on 25 October 2007. Guest speakers for the event were Nina Lund, Vice President of Human Resources for Aggregate Industries USA and James Retallack, Group Resources Director for Aggregate Industries. Nina and James gave their perspectives of diversity in business and how the UK and the US approaches contrast.
British Consul General from Los Angeles - The BABC Midlands was delighted to host Bob Peirce and his wife, Sharon, at a business luncheon on Monday, 15th October 2007. Sponsored by Friend LLP, the luncheon, which took place at Opus Restaurant in Birmingham, was attended by 20 business leaders from around the region.
Mr. Peirce joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1977 and has served in China and Hong Kong and at the United Nations in New York, and has also done a consultancy in Uganda. During his distinguished career, he has been Private Secretary to three British Foreign Secretaries - Sir Geoffrey Howe, Mr. John Major and Mr. Douglas Hurd.
On Thursday 13th September, over 140 business leaders came together at the “Celebrating International and Local Communities” Gala Dinner, hosted by the British American Business Council in the Midlands (BABC Midlands) and sponsored by Birmingham International Airport. The evening highlighted the city’s global connectivity through guest speakers, including Richard FitzGerald, the CEO of Aston Villa, and entertainment from an international influence, including Bollywood and Irish Dance Troupes. The evening included a raffle with all monies raised going to the BCH Red Balloon Appeal. This effort through the BCH Foundation Trust, represents a massive development programme to create a state of the art 21st Century children’s hospital in Birmingham. The Hospital provides critical services to the families across our region. Over 140,000 children from the Midlands and further afield are treated at the hospital annually in over 50 wards and specialist departments. Over £2400 was raised on the evening.
Raffle prizes reflected the global focus with airline tickets to New York, Toronto, Paris and other exciting destinations around the globe donated.
