The Chamber

NEW YEAR
NEW CHALLENGES
NEW OPPORTUNITIES

by Maureen Young, Director Perthshire Chamber of Commerce

Perthshire Chamber of Commerce is preparing for a new year of challenges and opportunities as it tackles the ever-changing business demands of the 21st century.

With the glitz and glamour and well-deserved accolades of the annual Business Star Awards behind them, the area’s leading business organisation is setting its sights on a programme of education, development, entertainment and involvement for 2006 - designed to facilitate increased business opportunities for its ever-expanding membership.

An impressive “Who’s Who” of speakers for the monthly Chamber lunches opens with St Johnstone FC manager Owen Coyle on January 24 at the Lovat Hotel in Perth. An insight into the challenges facing the frontman in the high-profile and unforgiving world of football will be followed in February by a peek at the world of business journalism through the eyes of award-winning writer and business campaigner Antonia Swinson. The journalist and novelist will be guest speaker at the Chamber lunch in the Centenary Suite at McDiarmid Park on February 22.

Networking plays a key role for members and in March the Chamber lunch is dedicated to that important role with 20 members from Dundee Chamber of Commerce as guests. The networking lunch takes place on March 28 at the Isle of Skye Hotel when businesses from both ends of the Tay will have the opportunity to expand their contact base.

The Chamber’s recent highly successful “Procurement Seminar”, staged in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Council, has paved the way for similar events in 2006. Already, March 15 has been confirmed as the date for a seminar looking at a wide range of environmental issues.

The Huntingtower Hotel seminar and lunch event will be sponsored by Scottish private environmental experts Envirowise and will feature a case study involving Highland Spring spotlighting waste disposal.

Perthshire Chamber of Commerce business manager Marilyn Wallace explained that the FREE OF CHARGE seminar could be one of several staged throughout the year to tackle topical issues for the benefit of members.

“In the coming year we aim to get our teeth into the really serious issues affecting our members,” she explained. “Seminars have proved to be a popular way to deliver this goal and hopefully we can arrange a variety of events throughout the next 12 months.

“One of our roles is to keep members informed of changing situations in business, commerce and legal issues and to help them maximise their potential and sustain - or hopefully expand - their business involvement in Perthshire.

“This means working closely with the local council, MSPs, MPs and the people with their fingers on the pulse of today’s increasingly demanding and challenging business world,” added Ms Wallace. “There’s some hard work ahead for all of us but if we can deliver what we promise our members in 2006 then we feel we will have notched up another successful year for Perthshire Chamber of Commerce.”

* A date for all business diaries next year is May 10 when Perthshire Chamber of Commerce will stage the popular Perthshire Business Fair at Dewars Centre. Hopes are high of securing Sir Tom Farmer as the guest speaker for the event’s lunch.