Every year the British American Business Network (BABN) brings together members of all 22 chapters from the US, UK, and Canada for a multi-day conference. This year, more than 200 senior level business executives and government representatives aligned to more than 100 organizations actively involved in trade, investment and business participated in the BABN Annual Transatlantic Conference. Ministers from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for Business and Trade, regional government from the City of London and the Greater Manchester area, and executives across a broad range of commercial sectors delivered timely remarks about matters related to business and trade throughout the transatlantic corridor. The six sessions covered many subjects including the current state of the US/UK trade relationship today; people the “crucial commodity”; sustainability; the digital economy; and the “transatlantic investment case – fact vs. fiction,” to name some of the major themes.
Matthew Palmer, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy, London declared the UK/US relationship the strongest in the world. He referenced the recent meetings Joe Biden, President of the United States had with Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the newly signed agreement, The Atlantic Declaration, that speaks to the strength and future of the partnership between the two countries. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Manchester, spoke about the region’s focus on leveling up, a green future, city to city relationships, infrastructure, and higher education.
As the world continues to recover from the economic turbulence created by COVID, and the UK also grapples with the effects of BREXIT, workforce development is an area of concern for the UK. “Human-centric skills” are most important; businesses are seeking team player employees with resilience, compassion, and adaptability. Wage inflation, up-skilling and re-skilling, and generation AI (ChatGPT) are all top of mind. Infrastructure, supply chains, energy, waste and data were also discussion focal points as industry and government on both sides of the Atlantic, and across the globe develop regulations and policies.
Duncan Edwards, CEO, BritishAmerican Business reported that despite confidence in the UK slipping again, trade numbers remain strong and growing. The overall message delivered during the conference was that the US and UK need to continue to work together to maintain easier more fluid trade routes not only between the two nations, but throughout the world.
Special thanks and recognition to Bank of America for partnering with BABN on this event, and to session sponsors: Bain & Company, Schneider Electric, S&P Global and Pearson.
Click here and here for photos. Click here for the BABN Conference Highlight Video.
