2019 Year in Review: Diplomatic Transitions & Business Growth
Updated: Jan 9
Farewell 2019, Welcome 2020
The IBCC wishes our members and partners a great year. We anticipate Israel-UK trade relations will continue to grow far beyond the $11 billion US mutual trade figure!
Leadership & Diplomatic Transitions
The second half of 2019 saw significant changes in leadership:
Greetings to Boris Johnson, New UK Prime Minister: The IBCC welcomed and congratulated the newly elected UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his victory.
Welcome to Mr. Neil Wigan, the New UK Ambassador to Israel: Mr. Wigan was welcomed at a breakfast and Jewish New Year toast in September 2019. The Trade Envoy for Israel, MP Ian Austin, joined the reception and promised his full support to the two-way business between the countries.
Farewell to Mr. David Quarrey: A farewell cocktail was held in May 2019 to thank the outgoing UK Ambassador to Israel, Mr. David Quarrey, for his great service.
Business & Innovation Highlights
The IBCC continued to drive business in key sectors throughout 2019:
CYBER WEEK 2019: The IBCC was proud to be a partner for the 5th time at the Annual International Cyber Week. The Chamber hosted a successful seminar on the Cyber Insurance market with over 200 participants, covering topics like quantifying risk, policy exclusions, and best practices for purchasing a cyber policy.
PRIVACY BY DESIGN - SECURING DATA IN AN INSECURE WORLD: The IBCC partnered on a unique event in December 2019 that featured world-class speakers exploring different perspectives of privacy and GDPR.
REAL ESTATE 2.0: A unique event focused on the meeting of technology and real estate, organized by BCC member Profimex, featuring advanced technology companies in the real estate world.
Brexit and Trade Continuity
The Chamber was highly active in preparing businesses for Brexit:
UK-ISRAEL CONTINUITY AGREEMENT: The agreement was signed to ensure minimal disruption to the mutual trade relationship between the two countries considering the prospective Brexit.
BREXIT BREAKFAST: An event was hosted at the Ambassador's Residence to discuss possible developments with senior managers from Israeli and British companies.
BCC ANNUAL CONFERENCE: The IBCC participated in the March 2019 conference in London, which was particularly enlightening due to the uncertainties surrounding the Brexit situation.
Community & Culture
QUEEN ELIZABETH'S BIRTHDAY PARTY: The celebration was held in Ramla at the Apple Seeds Academy.
BRITISH ANTISEMITISM - IT'S PERSONAL: The BCC participated in this event, hosted by "Camera," which discussed the current reality of antisemitism in Britain.
Download the full newsletter here:
