Ballet chief and transatlantic business expert join global conference line-up
The boss of one of Birmingham’s biggest cultural exports and a transatlantic business expert are among the speakers confirmed for a major conference hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce next month.
The Global Business Conference, a flagship event in the GBCC’s calendar, on Tuesday, 4 June at Birmingham City University’s Curzon Building.
Delegates with an interest in international trade will hear from expert panellists and keynote speakers about the current global outlook and opportunities in new overseas markets.
A Birmingham-born transatlantic business expert will be involved in a session about bilaterial trade opportunities with the USA.
Dr Raymond Davies is chair of the British American Business Council’s Pacific Northwest chapter.
The Aston University graduate works in global value chain (GVC) development across sectors such as aerospace, defence, healthcare and sports.
He is taking part in the Doing Business with the USA session, which focuses on bilateral trade, investment opportunities and MOUs, as well as looking ahead to the US presidential election.
Meanwhile, Caroline Miller, CEO of Transatlantic Chamber patron Birmingham Royal Ballet, has been confirmed as a conference keynote.
Caroline, who has been BRB’s CEO since 2018, previously served as executive director of Orlando Ballet in the USA.
Before that, she spent 10 years as the director of Dance UK, which was the national body representing the professional dance sector.
Other conference highlights include the Going Global session, in which a series of experts will offer insights and intelligence on entering new markets internationally.
Confirmed for this session are Shaun Gray, European managing director of Burton-headquartered automotive components manufacturer Ginho.
Mr Gray is European head of Chinese-owned Ginho, which is a specialist manufacturer of precision castings, components and assemblies.
He has served as president of the Burton & District Chamber of Commerce since May, 2021.
Ginho has a huge presence globally - with 1,800 employees in China, Europe the UK and the US.
Katie Trout, director of policy and partnerships at West Midlands Growth Company, is taking part in a ‘Ones to watch: Global Trade 2024 and beyond session’, which will look at the outlook for international trade for the West Midlands.
Ms Trout is the former chief executive of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP).
In her current role, responsibilities including oversight of WMGC’s growth strategy and key stakeholder relationships.
Sian Timmins, head of international divisions at the GBCC, said: “The Global Business Conference is an opportunity to take stock of the current international trade outlook, as well as helping firms identify opportunities for growth in key markets.
“We look forward to hearing from our experts who each have a wealth of experience in different aspects of global business.”
Find out more information and book a place at the conference.
Pictured: Caroline Miller and Dr Raymond Davies
