Heathrow Airport is collaborating with Welsh exporters to explore new opportunities in global markets and strengthen trade links in a roundtable event.
The event will bring together distinguished representatives from Welsh's exporting companies and Heathrow executives to share insights, discuss challenges, and explore collaborative opportunities to boost the region's trade in global markets. The roundtable will be hosted by the Wales Chamber of Commerce.
The discussion will focus on Heathrow's new ‘Exporting Excellence' programme, which aims to increase exports by UK businesses and reduce red tape. The programme is designed to help businesses navigate the complexities of exporting and provide them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in global markets.
In Wales, exporting supports 196,000 jobs and creates £5.1bn GVA. Across Wales, the aviation sector directly generates over 21,000 jobs, with the top 5 constituencies for aviation jobs being Alyn and Deeside, Delyn, Torfaen, Vales of Glamorgan, and Wrexham. Wales has attracted 429 Foreign Direct Investment projects between 2012-2013 and 2016-2017, generating over 18,000 jobs.
Paul Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer, of Wales Chamber of Commerce said,
“Chambers Wales is delighted to host this round table discussion. The event aims to bring together businesses from across Wales, to discuss how they can trade and work with Heathrow to champion export growth and international trade through the Chambers network. We are confident that this conversation will stimulate the conversation and identify the challenges businesses across Wales face when exporting, and the potential remedies to open up opportunities for more businesses to export and reach international markets as well as their business potential.”
The roundtable forms part of a series that Heathrow has hosted over the past month. The views gathered at the six regional roundtables will contribute to a comprehensive new report outlining the latest developments in Heathrow's Exporting Excellence programme and its plans for economic growth through its relationships with regional export partners.
The report will also outline Heathrow's plans to become a customs modernisation and digitisation leader supporting Britain's exporters.
Ross Baker, Chief Commercial Officer, said:
“We are delighted to be hosting this roundtable and to welcome business leaders who can share their own experiences and insights into working with Heathrow. We are confident this event will provide an excellent opportunity to discuss our proposed policy themes and gain valuable insight into how we can work even more closely with our regional partners to shape the future of exporting from the UK. We would like to thank the Wales Chamber of Commerce for their continued support and commitment to bringing global opportunities to local businesses.”
By fostering collaboration between local exporters and Heathrow, this event will play a vital role in driving economic growth, creating jobs and positioning Wales as a leading player in the global trade arena.