Chairman’s Note
Dear Member,
It is a little over a year since I last wrote to you, as I was embarking on a term as Chairman of the British Business Group. I reminded you then of the Group's aims and achievements. That letter looked forward with confidence and sentiment has only got better.
We have completed a great year for the Group. The number of our Members and Associates has increased, not only numerically, but in terms of those actively supporting and participating in events. I am particularly pleased that we are attracting more and more Members from the younger elements of the business community. That increase in our numbers, combined with the generous support of our Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors, has all helped to put the Group on a sound financial footing.
I hope that you have felt suitably rewarded for your Sponsorship or Membership or for your contribution as an Associate. We have held regular lunches, where guests of honour have included HRH The Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the Lord Mayor of London, Terence Allen -who gave a riveting talk on the position of financial institutions here -journalists from the Times, including its now editor, and the British Ambassador, H. E. Edward Oakden CMG. We started this year with the excellent Nima Abu-Wardeh, the BBC World Service's Middle East business correspondent as our guest. We shall maintain the quality of our speakers.
Those lunches have been supplemented by a New Members' Breakfast and by several evening events, whether Gala or Summer Dinners, Cocktails or Welcome Backs and other Informal Evenings. At one of these we heard an informative presentation of the Tawteen Programme supporting UK/UAE private sector cooperation. We have also had joint events with the American and Australian Business Groups. All of these events are not only good for business, but are also great social occasions at which Members and Associates, spouses and guests can mix and match.
In addition to these events, we have promoted the Group and its objectives on a broad front. Your Committee Members and I lose no opportunity to represent the broad interests of the Group's Members and Associates at all levels, here and in the U.K. We have also encouraged offers for the benefit of our Members, including reduced subscriptions to the Times, beneficial rates for the upcoming Economist Round Table and other offers which are circulated to Members or details of which are available from our website.
We have a strong Committee to take us forward into this year. Joining the Committee, Anne McAdam, who is Hon. Secretary, also takes responsibility for Events organisation. In a new departure, reflecting increasing interest in the UK and Abu Dhabi, our other new Committee Member, Bashir Siman, has special responsibility for relations with the City of London. Julian Snell becomes Membership Secretary, which now encompasses Sponsorship. A full list of Committee Members and their contact details is attached. Do please feel free to contact any of us or the stoical Margaret at the Group's office at any time.
The next edition of Capital Letter, due to be published shortly, is the biggest ever and will have the widest circulation here and in the U.K. I have made the point before, I know, but that magazine is such a great medium in which to publicise your businesses and their activities, at no charge in the case of news items, that I am always a bit surprised that more of you don't take advantage of it.
There is much planned for the current year. We have started with a great lunch and now go forward in the next month or so to a Golf Day, a Gala Dinner in the Embassy Garden, the Economist Round Table and a joint event with the British Council at the British Embassy for UK-UAE Alumni. Lots of bright young things and business opportunities! Julian will be writing to you shortly with details of an incentive to encourage new Members and Associates.
In the meantime, thank you for all your help and support in the last year. We look forward to a dynamic year to come.
Yours sincerely
Peter Michelmore
Chairman |
