BBG National Convention update

Registrations for CONNECT ’14, BBG’s national convention will be opening shortly. Prior to that Team BBG Delhi thought they should give us notice of what the CONNECT ’14 will offer delegates.

If you have had a chance to look at the website (www.britainindiaconvention.com) you will know that the outline programme is coming together. The team is still working on the details with our various partners but it is clear already that there will be excellent participation from India and the UK.

The various partnerships mean that CONNECT ’14 delegates will enjoy the following:

8/9 October
Complimentary participation in the CII’s Global SME Convention at the Habitat Centre – this will offer B2B meeting opportunities with companies large and small form India and other partner countries – see http://www.cii.in/Events
We will arrange free transportation between the Taj Palace Hotel and the Summit venue, the India Habitat Centre

10 October
Two events we are running in partnership with:
– the Indian Angel Network – a round-table on how to access angel investment money for your businesses
– FICCI – a broader meeting (followed by lunch) on investment between the UK and India
We will arrange free transportation between the Taj Palace Hotel and the meeting venue
The Convention proper will open that evening in the beautiful gardens at the home of the British High Commissioner, Sir James Bevan, who will host a reception and dinner, for which BP are the Platinum Partners, featuring Indo-British success stories (and drinks provided by Diageo!)
We will arrange transportation between the Taj Palace Hotel and 2 Rajaji Marg

11 October
The Convention itself, starting with Sector Summits and offering a wide range of programmes through the day, both in plenary and in our different Zones, including more opportunities for B2B meetings (which you will be able to arrange ahead of time through the CONNECT ’14 website). We will also be offering catalogue exhibition space just for BBG members at the Convention, and a special BBG Zone for each BBG to be at home.
The day will conclude with an evening reception organised in partnership with the British Council, and then a bigger, more informal party in the Convention Village.

12 October
We are working on a range of leisure opportunities for delegates ranging from golf, to test drives and tourism, and even a brunch organised specifically for BBG members from across India.

Delegates will enjoy special rates at the Taj Palace Hotel for the nights of 10 and 11 October, and special discounts on Virgin Atlantic and Indigo, our Convention Partner Airlines. Upon completing Delegate Registration formalities on the CONNECT ’14 website, the details of how to book through these partners will be sent across to you. We will be letting you know when registration is open.

The delegate fee for all BBG members for the Convention will be INR 9,500 per person which includes access to all Convention events. There will be a different rate for non-BBG delegates coming from the UK.

More details at www.britainindiaconvention.com

Sir James Bevan presents GBE (Knight Grand Cross) to Ratan Tata

British High Commissioner to India, Sir James Bevan, today conducted the honours presentation ceremony for Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons. The High Commissioner presented Mr Tata with the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Mr Tata has been awarded an honorary GBE, one of the highest civilian honours conferred by the UK, in recognition of his services to UK/India relations, inward investment to the UK and philanthropy.

Speaking after the ceremony, Sir James said: “Ratan Tata’s leadership, vision and integrity will remain the gold standard for generations of aspirational British and Indian business people. His contribution to the deep ties that exist between the UK and India has been invaluable”.

Further information:
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II conferred on Mr Tata the honorary award of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 2009. Mr Tata is the only Indian national to be awarded the GBE since India became a republic in 1950.
Mr Tata is a member of the UK-India CEO Forum and the British Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group. As Chairman of Tata Sons, he oversaw the Tata Group, one of the leading foreign investors and employers in the UK. Under his leadership the UK benefited from significant inward investment from Tata companies. Tata are now the largest manufacturing employer in the UK.

BBG Chennai’s Trade Delegation to Dubai in Jan 2014

BBG Chennai undertook a modest trade mission of 8 delegates into Dubai, between 25/28 January 2014 (two members were from BBG Goa and BBG Bangalore respectively). Whilst the visit clashed with annual January Shopping Festival and Arab Health Week, our delegates undertook their business contact work whilst joining the program organised by David Burns, Deputy Chairman & COO of BBG Dubai and Claire Boosey at BBG Offices.

On 28th January, we were joined by David Burns and very well received at the Dubai Chamber in a formal meeting with their Senior Director, Atiq Juma Faraj Nasib and Madhi Al Mazim, Director – Member Relations. Atiq Nasib opened the proceedings, speaking of the Chamber’s long and close relations with BBG Dubai and his own experiences on visiting Chennai for an eye operation. He had also visited our website and seen our activities. Madhi Al Mazim then related all the functions and sectors of the Chamber and offered all help to delegates in making trade contacts.

Christie Cherian was able to present BBG Chennai and introduce the delegates. He explained the activities of BBG and the initiatives being undertaken from other Chennai trade missions, including “Bristol” forests around Chennai and apprentice-ship schemes for skilling-up young technicians in few Chennai industries, as also of our charity work.

The Chamber has an elegant building and from 12th floor Conference Room, overlooking the scenic Dubai Creek and the old areas Burdubai / Jumeriah. The Chamber has a vast membership data-base of over 153,000. BBG Chennai will be sending across the details of the delegates and the Dubai Chamber has offered to make connections with their relevant members. On hearing of Annual BBG conferences in India, Atiq Nasib offered to support BBG Dubai in holding an International BBG Meet in 2015. In appreciation of the meeting, Christie presented Atiq Nasib with our 2012 Conference folder and in turn Atiq Nasib presented him with the Chamber’s memento.

In the evening, BBG Dubai Committee hosted the delegates over drinks at Rodent’s Return, the club at the British Embassy, where we met Focus group Heads, UKTI’s Ian Gibbons and Karen Williams amongst others including Joe Hepworth, the newly appointed CEO of Brit Biz Centre UAE.

On 28th January, the delegation attended the BBG Dubai monthly breakfast meeting at Al Murooj Rotana and networked with 60 members. Chairman Jonathan Davidson opened the meeting, introducing Christie Cherian and invited him to say a few words on the trade mission. Christie introduced his delegates and briefly spoke of BBG Chennai and other BBGs in India. He then spoke about the British PM’s initiative since end-2012 and meetings in January 2013 which got the ball rolling to established the British Business Centres in India and 20 other locations around the world. The Gurgaon-Delhi BBCentre and smaller satellite BBCentre at Connaught Circus, Delhi opened in Sept 2013. Christie was happy to hear of new BBCentre in Dubai and wished it success.

Jonathan Hepworth then spoke about his appointment as CEO of Brit Biz Centre and it’s role and functions / relations with BBG Dubai and expressed how lucky they have been to have ready-made premises in Deira at Dubai’s own Business Incubation Centre, thanks to the co-operation extended by UAE Government’s Department of Economic Development. David Burns closed the meeting with a presentation to the Chairman. Formal meeting was followed by networking, when contacts were made with members in telecom/ energy / facilities / law / metals & scrap trading / digital media. We did also re-connect with Barry Clarke of Invest NI, covering India-ME Africa.

A brief wrap-up with follow-on actions closed the mission – altogether a very eventful trade mission.