British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference 2021

Day 1 – A Year of Challenge and Reflection

On Day 1 we consider trade, tech and innovation; the drivers to a bold new post-pandemic world. The speed of innovation and change is speeding up, so how can we transform, restructure and innovate to stay agile in response to global demand?

Our first day of our Global Annual Conference will open with Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, the President of the BCC, and will be followed by a senior government speaker.

Other highlights include an In Conversation with Miriam Gonzalez Durantez to discuss how trade is a driver for economic recovery. On a similar note, our second Leader to Leader In Conversation features two high-profile leaders discussing how access to finance is a crucial driver for global economic recovery.

We have an expert panel discussion around our increasing reliance on tech and innovation, and how they are drivers for economic recovery; delving deeper into sectors which are disrupting traditional industries, such as fintech and tradetech.

Our Day 1 Keynote will consider measures which business communities, academia and government need to take to maintain the UK and London’s global reputation as a financial and professional services powerhouse in an ever-evolving world.

And finally, our Big Interview is with Ben Francis, the inspirational Founder of Gymshark, which has gone from being an entrepreneurial start up to a global brand in 170 countries. How did Gymshark become the first DTC brand in the UK to achieve Unicorn status with no external funding, whilst helping to reshape the world into a more sustainable environment?

Plus delegates are warmly invited to participate in Day 1 workshops including:

• The key pillars and guiding principles of any FTA and what that means for global trade
• As 2021 heralds Coventry as the City of Culture, we will see how the pandemic has impacted the world of culture whilst exploring the opportunities that City of Culture celebrations bring.

Day 2 – The Road to Viable Renewed Growth

Day 2 will be hosting a series of business leaders and experts addressing the big topics such as net zero, the levelling-up agenda and how we need to update our skills base to adapt to the future of work. We’ll also be considering how Gen Z and millennials are driving change – and how business leaders pursue a more fulfilled and balanced life in the face of information overload.

The day will be introduced by our incoming Director General, Shevaun Haviland, and Rt Hon Edward Miliband MP will join us for the political Keynote.

Other highlights include a hugely relevant discussion around how we can redefine and balance the new demands on the way we live and work. How has the pandemic affected our caring responsibilities, the new urban-rural divide and the enormous impact on our cities and town centres?

Our Day 2 Keynote explores how young people are a force for change, with Lewis Iwu, CEO of Purpose Union, who seeks to consider how millennial and Gen Z consumers, employees and activists are driving change from the bottom up.

How is the government’s levelling-up initiative going? We discuss how it should be addressing inequality in underperforming and left-behind parts of the UK through a programme of infrastructure development, investing in education, skills and scientific R&D.

A Leader to Leader session around innovation and new skills sets out to identify and address the weaknesses in our skills base to prepare for new ways of working, and there will be a session on diversity in leadership representation.

In the year that Glasgow hosts COP26, our Leader to Leader In Conversation examines how businesses of all sizes can take steps towards meeting their net zero targets.

And how can business leaders can build resilience and the pursuit of a more fulfilled, balanced and self-improved life in today’s hectic world? Our expert panel will guide us on the path to a healthier work-life balance.

Today’s Big Interviews are with an inspirational corporate entrepreneur and a household name social campaigner.