As well, BACBNE’s membership is in bloom. We’ve engaged new colleagues and re-enlisted old friends. 2024 will see a more vibrant BABCNE than before. And, to lead us into brighter and better days, Jerry Alderman has taken the helm as president. Jerry is a past member and held the role as president previously. You can read more about Jerry’s background and intent for our member organization here

It’s been an honor and a pleasure serving as BABCNE’s 2023 president. I look forward to continuing the journey alongside new leadership and wishing you all warmth both personally and professionally.

Darlene Hollywood

February Message from Dr. Peter Abbott, OBE,

We have enjoyed a spectacular few weeks, so make sure you watch the Consul General’s vlog above, to hear about all the incredible things we engaged in since the last newsletter. Here we feature just two programs to give you a look inside the work of the British Consulate in New England.

Two fantastic events celebrating Burns Night 2024. Our invitation-only Residence dinner was sponsored by Dept. for Business and Trade (DBT) and Scottish Development International (SDI) focused on companies with Scottish business links.

A separate Ceilidh held at the Crystal Ballroom in collaboration between the Consulate and National Trust for Scotland Foundation NTS), Scots in New England (SINE), NH Scot, SDI and DBT, welcomed over 200 guests who enjoyed live Scottish music, Poetry readings, energetic Toasts to the Laddies and Lassies, and hours of dancing!

Enjoy this snapshot from the Ceilidh courtesy of Kristin Bridier of the NTS Foundation.

It was an incredible honour to host Congressman and US Envoy to Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, and the Founders of AwakenHub and AwakenAngels to our Residence on 5th February. On a mission to transform the landscape for women founders on the island of Ireland, the delegation was led by the unstoppable Mary McKenna, MBE and supported at the event by Irish Consul General Sighle FitzGerald. Six women founders delivered pitches for investment – we can't wait to see their future growth!

On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2024 we are co-hosting with our international partner organizations a panel discussion with accomplished women entrepreneurs, sharing their journeys and successes, and reflecting on the distinctive perspectives women bring to the entrepreneurial landscape. Reception to follow-up the panel discussion.

   

March 07, 2024 ; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm 

Panel Discussion + Networking            

         

Admission:      Tickets: $25 member | $40 non-member + fees 

Location            Atlantic Wharf, Fort Point Room, 290 Congress Street, Boston

You may be interested in viewing the events of the twenty chapters of the British American Business Network. The BABCNE is a founding member of this network.

The complete event list, which is updated monthly, can be accessed on this link: https://babn.org/events/

BAB welcomed the recommendation to establish a Ministerial Investment Group and for the UK government to develop a more strategic and proactive approach to engaging with new and existing investors. 

To find out more, contact: Dominic Parker, Senior Communications and Media Manager

Other UK trade agreements signed in 2023

CITY A.M. Chris Dorrell, January 24, 2024

Activity in the UK economy’s private sector accelerated for the third straight month, but the impact of the crisis in the Red Sea is starting to hit firms, a new survey suggests.

The closely watched S&P Global/CIPS flash UK purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a reading of 52.5 for January, up from 52.1 in December. The survey measures business activity in the private sector. Anything above 50 indicates business activity is expanding. Economists had expected a reading of 52.2.

The survey showed that the UK economy’s all-important services sector recorded another month of expansion, taking it to an eight-month high of 53.8.

AJOT, Joe Mayes, Kitty Donaldson and Olivia Fletcher, January 31, 2024

The UK plans to reduce trade friction on goods flowing between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a move which fell short of an overhaul of Brexit rules but is still expected to persuade the Democratic Unionist Party to end its boycott of the region’s devolved government.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government said it will replace the so-called “green lane” for goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland — part of the effective trade border in the Irish Sea created by the post-Brexit settlement agreed with the European Union — with a new “UK internal market system” that will not require checks. It also plans legislation to guarantee “unfettered access” for Northern Irish goods to the UK internal market.

The measures are part of a package, which includes a £3.3 billion ($4.2 billion) funding boost, agreed with the DUP to end its boycott of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government. Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been talking up the concessions and promised to end the protest once the UK published the plan.

BBC News, January 27, 2024, Harrison Jones & Tom Espiner in London, Jessica Murphy in Toronto

The UK and Canada are blaming each other after a dispute over beef and cheese led to the collapse of trade talks.

Negotiations to thrash out a new agreement to replace the one that the two countries had when the UK was still in the European Union had been running for nearly two years.

But it emerged the UK had halted discussions, due to a lack of progress on the two food products.

It could mean tougher trading terms for the UK with a partner that accounted for 1.4% of its total trade in the 12 months to June 2023.

Consumer confidence in China is rock-bottom, but American importers still need goods

FreightWaves, John Paul Hampstead, February 7, 2024

·

There’s a seeming contradiction in the macroeconomic and trade data coming out of China these days: Despite contracting industrial activity, low consumer confidence and a worsening stock market rout, China is currently sending the highest volume of ocean container freight to the United States since May 2022.

Part of the surge in shipments is due to the traditional pre-Chinese New Year surge, when factories on China’s coast move a flurry of goods to the port before their workers depart for a long holiday in their hometowns. But this year’s peak is well above 2023’s anemic Chinese New Year season, and volumes have been mounting all year.

Download report

National Geographic, Anne Roth, February 2024

Swifts nest in the crevices of old buildings, but such spaces are becoming scarce. To stem a drop in the birds' population, UK conservationists developed "Swift bricks", blocks with built-in nesting holes, and are advocating their mandatory use in new construction.

BABCNE SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook * LinkedIn * Twitter

info@babcne.org |  www.babcne.org