Glasgow Chamber of Commerce’s leaders were deeply impressed with the breadth and depth of business opportunities on their mission to northern Italy where the Chamber signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the British Chamber of Commerce for Italy (BCCI).
“There are so many familiar brands that emanate from northern Italy. It’s a roll call of the motor industry with names such as Fiat, Ferrari and Lamborghini and in style and fashion there is Armani, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Versace and many more,’’ said Deputy Chief Executive Richard Muir.
However, what impressed the Glasgow contingent was the vast number of independent artisans and workshops across a range of industries who supply many of these global brands. The memorandum, which set out formal co-operation, will give Chamber members access to companies across northern Italy. There have also been discussions with the Confartigianato – the confederation of craft businesses – in Bergamo, which represents 14,000 small businesses, artisans and entrepreneurs in the region.
“Our members will now have much better access to this industrial hotspot in northern Italy. And it will give our members and other firms in Glasgow the chance to do business with these major companies and their myriad of suppliers in the craft and artisan sector,” he said.
President Neil Amner, Chief Executive Stuart Patrick and Richard Muir travelled to Milan to sign the deal with BCCI – which was founded in 1904 to improve trade and business relationships between the UK and northern Italy.
“At one of our events, I was sitting next to two Italians who were extolling the merits of Islay malt whisky, so I know there is an appetite for premium, high-quality Scottish products,’’ said Richard Muir.
The agreement is the result of discussions between the two organisations following last year’s Milan Expo, a visit to Glasgow by Christopher Prentice, Britain’s Ambassador to Italy, in December and the involvement of Richard Rollison, the Scottish Government’s Head of International Trade and Investment Policy. BCCI has over 350 member companies, mostly across northern Italy, and an early outcome of the collaboration will be two joint trade events – one in Glasgow and one in Milan – which will allow Glasgow Chamber members to meet these businesses.
Glasgow Chamber President Neil Amner, said: “The signing of this agreement could not have come at a more appropriate time, with the uncertainty that the Brexit vote has brought to future trading relationships with Europe. This agreement shows that we are on the front foot in maintaining business links with Europe and are not sitting back waiting on others to make decisions.
“Glasgow and the West of Scotland has always had close links with Italy, with many businesses owned and run by people of Italian descent. However this collaboration formalises that relationship and facilitates access for our members to a very important market in the prosperous northern half of that country.”
Stuart Patrick said: “This agreement came about as a direct result of a Scottish presence at the Milan Expo, and shows the importance of Scottish businesses attending such important events and developing face-to-face relationships. This is an exciting development for us, and I’m confident that Glasgow businesses will benefit from it in the near future. We greatly appreciate the involvement of both the Ambassador to Italy and the Scottish Government in bringing it to fruition.”
