The Isle of Man Chapter of the British Irish Trading Alliance (BITA) welcomed guests from the Isle of Man, UK and Ireland for their second networking event on Friday 31 January 2020 at the Comis Hotel and Golf Resort.
As an international networking organisation, BITA facilitates collaboration and encourages relationship-building by organising social events for its Chapters facilitating new opportunities for business growth. Currency Matters and the Department for Enterprise sponsored the event which saw over 100 attendees, including 34 representatives from off-Island businesses, come together to network and discuss collaboration opportunities.
Minister for Enterprise, Laurence Skelly MHK, commented:
‘The Isle of Man’s strategic partnership with the BITA network is important for us as it facilitates business connections with other Chapters in the North West of England and Ireland. Engaging with these partners is essential for maintaining economic prosperity for the Isle of Man. However, it is just as important for us to collaborate locally and this event provided an opportunity for the business community to gather, network, and identify opportunities for growth both on and off-Island.
‘The United Kingdom is our largest trading partner and we view our Island as being very much part of the Northern Powerhouse, and with our historical links with the North West, in particular with respect to tourism, healthcare, education and maritime, we are now committed to expanding our business links across all our sectors including financial and digital services.
‘It is vital that the Isle of Man nurture both new and existing relationships in the North West and Ireland, especially ahead of the challenges and opportunities that will arise post-Brexit. Whilst in turn, making these off-Island businesses aware of the options available to them to operate in a low-cost, professional jurisdiction such as the Isle of Man, which is only a 20 minute flight away.’
Keynote speaker, Tim Marshall OBE, discussed his colourful, successful career where he occupied a wide range of roles in the broadcast and technology industries, most notably with the BBC and Walt Disney. Tim is an experienced chairman and non-executive director in private and public enterprises from start-ups to multi-national high brand value companies in telecommunications, media, e-learning, television and sport. Tim showed his passion for breaking down barriers and promoting shared services in the public sector to avoid wasteful duplication, which was very much in line with BITA’s efforts to encourage collaboration.
Attendee and President of the Isle of Man Business Network (IOMBN), Katie Nicholson, commented on the success of the event:
‘It is fantastic to see BITA hosting another event on-Island and we are delighted to have developed a partnership with BITA which enables both IOMBN and BITA members to benefit. It is great to see BITA attracting so many off-Island attendees to their events, which enables our members to access a broader network outside of the Isle of Man.’
Paul Whitnell, President of BITA, also commented:
‘The event was an incredible opportunity to connect with people, share ideas and to build relationships with business from all over the Isle of Man, UK and Ireland. We are at a unique stage at this point in time, where there are many economic changes affecting businesses globally and BITA acts as the conjugate for good communication and practice.’
BITA Isle of Man has now developed a number of strategic partnerships with private, public and third sector organisations on-Island, including the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce, IOMBN, the Department for Enterprise, and E-Sign.
If you would like to join the BITA Isle of Man membership and benefit from exclusive offers and networking events, while forging strong business relationships with other members throughout the Isle of Man, UK and Ireland, visit the website or contact brendon@ellanstone.com.
