New Welsh Chapter launched for trade

The British Irish Chamber of Commerce has officially launched its new Welsh Chapter at an event held at the Cardiff office of Browne Jacobson on 29 September. This occasion was described by the Chamber as one of the most significant events in its calendar this year. The launch featured a keynote address from First Minister of Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, who spoke about the strong economic connections between Wales and Ireland. Following the address, a business panel discussion explored potential opportunities for enhancing trade and investment collaboration between the two nations.

Browne Jacobson, a UK and Ireland law firm, has a strategic presence across the Irish Sea with offices in Cardiff, Dublin, and recently Belfast, following its merger with Davidson McDonnell. Tim Edds, Partner and Head of Cardiff at Browne Jacobson, expressed pride in hosting the event, stating “We are proud to host the launch of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce's Welsh Chapter. As a firm uniquely embedded at both ends of the Welsh-Irish trade corridor via our offices in Cardiff, Belfast and Dublin, we can understand the importance of having this kind of institutional platform to build and support trade relationships, across these islands act as a collective voice and develop new economic opportunities across high-growth sectors such as green energy and life sciences.”

Jeanne Kelly, Partner and Co-Founder of Browne Jacobson’s Dublin office, shared her enthusiasm for the expansion, saying “As both a co-founder of our Irish office, and a board member and past President of British Irish Chamber of Commerce, it is personally rewarding to welcome this expansion. We thank Paul Lynam, Cillian Molloy and the team for their ongoing support of this initiative.”

Historically, Wales and Ireland have been strong trade and investment partners, with Ireland being the third largest export market for Welsh goods. Recent developments, such as a green energy interconnector between the two nations and enhanced partnerships between higher education institutions, have reinforced this connectivity. The establishment of the Welsh Chapter represents a pivotal moment for the Chamber, aiming to bolster these economic ties and support businesses on both sides of the Irish Sea in their growth.

In his keynote address, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS highlighted the economic connections further, noting “Wales and Ireland have strong economic connections, with around 85 Irish owned companies investing £31 Million in Wales last year, complementing our own strengths in sectors such as financial services, compound semi-conductors and cyber security. Dublin was my first overseas visit since becoming First Minister in May and I look forward to building ever-closer ties with Ireland, including through our shared economic interests. Wales’s new chapter of the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce will play an important role in making the links between our two nations even stronger in the coming years.”

Addressing the launch, Helen McEntee TD, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, remarked “I welcome the launch of the Welsh Chapter of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. The British Irish Chamber of Commerce has done tremendous work in building the bilateral trade relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Ireland-Wales relationship has deepened in recent years, and the Ireland-Wales Shared Statement 2023 outlines our planned cooperation up to the end of the decade. One area of particular focus is advancing our economic & trade links; the establishment of the Welsh Chapter further assists our governments to achieve this commitment.”

With both nations benefiting from a shared commitment to strengthen trade ties, this new chapter is poised to facilitate further collaboration and economic growth in the years ahead.