The British Chamber of Commerce 2023 Annual General Meeting was held on Friday, 24th November, at the Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon. The format of the AGM was conducted both physical and virtual this year.
The AGM 2023 meeting covered the
- Report of the Board of Directors’, presented by the Chamber’s Chairman, Peter Beynon;
- Financial Statement Summary 2022 September - October 2023, presented by the Treasurer of the Board, Martin Appel
- Approval for the appointment of the Chamber’ auditors
- Election Results
- CEO Forward Looking Statement
Welcome Remarks by Peter Beynon | Chairman of the Board
This 2023 Annual General Meeting is the 10th Annual General Meeting of British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar, and the Board Meetings are scheduled monthly. Peter Beynon offered special thanks to all physical and online attendances including attendance by Anne-Marie Martin from British Chambers of Commerce London.
Returning to the AGM 2023, the British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar has maintained the highest profile possible in market to support businesses and to promote and support members' businesses locally and internationally.
To highlight the last year, despite the difficulties and uncertainties, the Chamber is increasingly more physical activities less online and announced that some successes in 2023 including membership growth and maintenance including SMEs, corporates and representing a wide cross section of sectors, organising 61 events since October 2022 hosting approximately 3,300 attendees including Signature Events, Training and Knowledge Sharing webinars covering varieties of topics, The First Trade Event in September 2023 was a sellout success,: supporting local business Exposure in Myanmar.
By looking at the plan of the priority in coming year, British Chamber Myanmar has established a platform for growth with flexibility towards with the changing environment. We have a clear vision and strategy for the coming year which is based on four pillars: membership, events, advocacy and business community development.
In conclusion we trust that the AGM provides members an insight and understanding of activities of British Chamber Myanmar.
Financial Summary from November 2022 to October 2023
Martin Appel | Treasurer
The Chamber generates the income from membership, events & training and trade consulting that is used to cover the operational costs:
2023 AGM Financial Report - https://www.britishchambermyanmar.com/sites/britishchambermyanmar.com/files/publication_docs/agm_financial_reports_2023.pdf
Congratulations, welcome and welcome back to our 2023/24 Board of Directors –
Newly Elected Board Member
- Rajesh Malhotra - Myanmar Awba Limited
- Ram Nurani - Park Royal and Pan Pacific Hotel
Re-Elected Board Members
- Catherine Smith - Pragma Ventures (Myanmar) Ltd
- Devanandan Batumalai - KBZ Bank
- Martin Appel - Yoma Group
- Patrick Charm - STANDARD CHARTERED Bank
Continuing Board Members
- Peter Beynon - Jardine Matheson
- Eddy Herbert - Focus Core Myanmar
- Alison Fox - The British School Yangon
- Jasmin Thazin Aung - AYA Bank Limited
- Thura Soe Paing - All Myanmar Advisors
- Alex Nyi Nyi Aung - Unilever ECA Myanmar Company Limited
- Naing Aye Lynn - Prudential Myanmar Life Insurance Limited
Ex Officio Board Members
- Sarah Deverall - British Council Myanmar
- Adam Aspden - Department for Business and Trade | British Embassy
Grateful thanks to Peter Beynon – Chairman, Martin Appel - Treasurer and Adam Aspden - Department for Business and Trade for all of your support for the British Chamber Myanmar.
Grateful thanks to all of Sponsor Partners for the continuous support to the British Chamber.
CEO FORWARD looking Statement | Peter crowhurst
CEO expressed thanks to everyone for participation at today’s AGM towards online attendees and those who were present.
British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar is Myanmar Registered Organisation not for profit and BCCM is the largest international western chamber of commerce in Myanmar.
Membership, there is a 95% return rate of members to BCCM for this year and we have around 230 member companies in BCCM network. We have an ambition to increase 290 members in the next year by engaging business to business or promoting their businesses. We are supporting SME companies and need to support the entrepreneur sector, financial sector, education sector and hospitality sector in Myanmar.
Approximately 25% of membership are the large Myanmar conglomerates and the rest includes the local and international businesses. The overseas membership is important for British Chamber Myanmar, we have locally 10 members in Mandalay and will put someone to execute the Mandalay activities leveraging as appropriate our MOU relationship with MRCCI in Mandalay.
We built up the varieties of event programme in this year. We are planning to re-launch Burns Night in February 2024.
In terms of partnership events, we are making environmentally sustainable practice events or webinars together with WWF. Professional Women Network Events led by Catherine Smith and the Chamber is proud to support PWN Events.
Working groups are the engine of the Chamber:
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Legal Working Group chaired by Kenneth See,
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Financial Working Group chaired by Patrick Charm,
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HR Working Group chaired by Martin Appel
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There will be HR conferences in February 2024
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Hospitality Working Group chaired by May Myat Mon and Ram Nurani.
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We need to re activate Energy Working Group Activities.
The training Porfilio is successful with Project Management, Financial Course and English Language Course.
The signature Trade Fair
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45 member companies and non-member companies too. Thanks to all sponsors and members nonmembers participation.
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We are linking business and opportunities to each other by careful consideration sanctioned entities.
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Business engagement could be locally, regionally and globally through the BCCM and the network of the BCCM is extensive.
We will launch the Small Promotional Videos to promote the product or service in the next year and therefore, please consider the BCCM as the marketing and engagement platform for all of your businesses as well.
The Export Training worked extremely well, especially in the Mandalay Region and there are a lot of potential businesses which the products could be exported to.
Three members have joined the COP28 event Dubai December, hosted by British Chamber Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Trade and Business services team are planning the delegations to Thailand in the coming year. The Chamber is planning to join the British Chamber Commerce Annual Conference on 27th June 2024 in London.
We would like to thank Ken O’Flaherty Head of Mission at the British Embassy for policy and economic updates to the Chamber Members and Department of Business and Trade, which are very much appreciated.
We are pleased to announce the re Opening of the British Club Yangon in December 2023. The club will be operated by Chamber member Memories group and Club membership will be through membership of BCCM. . Thanks to Merry Kate Thomson, Deputy Head of Mission Christine Oram to help make this happen.
Our Commitment to Myanmar is for your business development and substantially and we are here to support all your businesses.
Concluding Remarks
The chamber will be continuing to build events, business linkage, and develop business opportunities as well as supporting the members' needs.
We are also looking forward to working with the newly elected board members in the years ahead.
As closing remark, the Chamber would like to invite everyone your feedback and open for all of your suggestions, opportunities linking, creating and development for the people and the sustainable economy in Myanmar and the UK.
We would like to thank everyone, Chairman, Members, New Board Members and Past Board Members for all your support and look forward working together to become the most active British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar in the Market.
The meeting adjourned @ 18:30 Myanmar Time with participants invited to participate in a networking.
