Whether you work in the private, public or third sector, it is fair to say that we are operating in a more uncertain, complex and volatile environment. For me, strengthening and enhancing Scotland’s trade and investment and wider international links has never been more important, particularly as we navigate through the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Scotland has always been, and will remain, ‘open for business,’ with global exports, excluding oil and gas, up by £1 billion to £28.7 billion during 2015. Meanwhile, Scottish exports to the rest of the UK are up 4.4 per cent at £49.8 billion. While this is promising, businesses in Scotland, as elsewhere, have faced increased economic uncertainty in the months following the EU referendum result.
To deal and manage with this economic uncertainty, we must evolve how we work, so that Scotland can boost its economic performance. As part of this ambition, civil servants from across the Scottish Government and enterprise agencies, are collaborating with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network to improve our exporting performance and open-up more opportunities for SMEs in Scotland. In December 2016, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the support of the Chamber Network’s ambitious programme of boosting trade through stronger Chamber-to-Chamber links and business alliances. We recognise the powerful role that Chambers can play to increase and leverage its global connections, and I fully commend the drive and ambition of the Chamber leadership to respond proactively to the business challenges we face.
In addition, we are working together to deliver the actions in Scotland’s Trade and Investment Strategy and I am delighted that Nora Senior, past-Chair of SCC and Executive Chair of Weber Shandwick, was the first confirmed member of the Scottish Government’s Trade Advisory Board.
As part of the Trade & Investment Strategy, the Scottish Government has committed to the establishment of four strategically placed hubs in Dublin, Brussels, Berlin and London. The aim of the Hubs is to bring together the Scottish Government and its agencies, along with public and private partners, to promote trade and investment links, strengthen government to government relations and enable greater collaboration on economic, academic and innovation projects. The Hubs will provide touchdown and meeting facilities for Scottish business people to meet, work and collaborate.
During my visit to the Dublin Hub and to Brussels, I saw first-hand how staff are providing dedicated support to build on pre-existing trade, investment and cultural links between Ireland and Scotland, including facilitating greater cooperation between our industries and sectors.
Through these visits, I have heard directly about the concerns and opportunities in various sectors including life sciences, digital, renewable energy and financial services. This engagement informs my intention for senior civil servants to maximise engagement and collaboration with Scotland’s business community.
These are uncertain times, but effective joint working between the private and public sectors will support our shared ambition to increase trade and business investment and demonstrate that Scotland remains open for business.
