We were very fortunate to welcome the Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce to St Benedict's, to give the latest lecture in the St Benedict's series. Students, parents and staff enjoyed Shevaun Haviland's unique insight into how the UK interfaces with global markets, and how the Chamber engages with government. We also welcomed Lara Giusti, who talked about the trials and tribulations of establishing, running and developing her business. 

Economics A Level student Ben R (Upper 6th) reviews the lecture:

Shevaun Haviland, the Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, shared insights on the main parts and role of the British Chamber of Commerce, including their aim to build British businesses, invest in people for a stable economy, and raise export-led growth. Haviland's wealth of knowledge in politics and economics was evident in her discussion, which helped me to understand the interconnected world of business and trade more comprehensively.

Haviland also shared her background in business, which added further depth to the talk and helped to provide context for her points. Her discussion on the recent Trade and Cooperation Agreement was particularly interesting, as she highlighted the positive impact of exporting for businesses. Her perspective was particularly enlightening considering the uncertainty that Brexit has brought.

In addition to Haviland's talk, the inclusion of a guest speaker, the founder of Veloforte, a cycling nutrition brand, was particularly engaging. Lara Giusti provided a unique perspective on trade through Brexit, sharing her personal experiences and insights, which made the talk more relatable and practical.

Overall, the talk was insightful and informative, providing attendees with a better understanding of the British Chamber of Commerce and its role in promoting economic growth. As someone who is interested in business and economics, I appreciated the combination of politics and economics that Haviland brought to the discussion. The British Chamber of Commerce aims to support businesses in the UK by providing them with a range of services and resources, including networking events, training, and advice. The talk helped to emphasise the Chamber's importance in promoting a strong and stable economy for the UK, and the role that businesses play in achieving that goal.

In conclusion, I found the talk to be a valuable learning experience, which provided me with a better understanding of the British Chamber of Commerce and the role it plays in supporting businesses in the UK. Haviland's knowledge in politics and economics was evident throughout the talk, making it a well-informed and engaging discussion.

Eden K:

The talk by Shevaun Haviland was a real eye-opener on how the UK's political system may help small business in times of hardship. After this talk I feel I have a greater understanding of how the British Chamber of Commerce works and seeing the real-life example of ‘Veloforte’ helped bring it to life. While listening I was intrigued about the political side of the talk through her discussions with previous PMs, as Ms Haviland told us which ones were most supportive of smaller business and who was willing to take risks. The Chamber helps businesses find suppliers who can help to upscale their business to a commercial stage, while increasing demand through the ability to export goods by giving international opportunities which can help them but also improve the UK Balance of payment and access the global market. All in all, the talk was fun, informative, and interactive and shed light on parts of our democratic process I had never considered before.

 

Billy D:

Before this talk I had never heard of the Chamber of Commerce or what it does. However, I quickly realised the benefits the Chamber of Commerce has for small and large businesses, and how far they reach throughout Britain. It was interesting to see how they can boost business confidence and help increase their international trade. When the owner of 'Veloforte' talked about how the Chamber of Commerce helped her, it showed me that businesses can be looked after and helped through hardships like COVID-19. In general, the talk helped me understand more about business and how they can be helped by the non-government organisations.