The Chamber has kept close to our core mission which is to drive UK and International trade, and be the strong, independent voice for SMEs in Wales. We exist to help you to raise your profile in your markets, make vital business connections and deliver to you the resources you need.

This Chamber is one of the few UK Chambers that is financially sustainable by private sector funding alone. Almost all other Chambers have not yet made this transition and are still reliant on public sector funds.  In this respect, we are trailblazing other UK Chambers. However, being the pioneer has brought its own challenges. Being the first means that the path is not well trodden and progress can be slower sometimes, but, despite this, we have delivered a huge array of services, events, training courses, connections and profile raising for you, our members.

We continue to meet the challenge working across the 5 ½, 000 square miles from Welshpool to West Wales, across Swansea, Cardiff and Newport, but our South Wales Chamber name doesn’t tell you this, so we will need to address that somehow in 2019/2020.

As we highlighted last night, we are continuously building on what we offer you as our members, and here is how we will continue to develop our service to you:

• focus on growing connections, for you, to signpost you and identify opportunities
• focus on how we can help you raise your profile, with new customers, suppliers and new markets
• offer stronger market focused resources to you
• develop a sector approach, building on the different sector strengths in the regions of Wales
• be proactive in undertaking research into key issues affecting your growth
• lobby in Welsh Government and Westminster, so your views are not only heard but fully understood
• influence policy to meet your interests

In Wales, I believe that businesses have a huge offer to the world, a massive contribution to make, and every day I meet extraordinary businesses who deliver imaginative world class solutions. So, here is our cry:

• Use the Chamber to tell your story, to amplify your voice, and to highlight the excellence and abilities that Wales offer to the UK and international markets
• Use the Chamber to find the connections, and add your own offer into our networks
• Use the Chamber to find help and resources, to grow your profiles, find new sales, new markets and new suppliers

So, get on board, hold on tight, because we are about to accelerate what we can do for you.

Heather Myers
CEO
South and Mid Wales Chamber of Commerce