Opening for business in Košice

AFTER the successful introduction of the British Slovak Business Centre in Bratislava in 2014, the British Chamber of Commerce will open its new office in Košice in October.

KošiceKošice (Source: Courtesy of SDKE)

The official opening will be held at Hotel Yasmin with attendance of the British Ambassador to Slovakia Andrew Garth and other guests who will help establish a permanent presence of the British Chamber of Commerce in the east of Slovakia.

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“After many visits to the east of Slovakia over the last year, I am extremely proud and excited that on October 13 we will expand operations with a new office launch,” Christopher Plant, the chief executive of the British Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia told The Slovak Spectator.  

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Plant perceives the east of Slovakia as an area of largely untapped potential for business and trade in Slovakia and the opening of the British Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia is a necessary step towards increasing the scope of business opportunities for both Slovak and UK businesses engaging in cross-border trade.

“We look forward greatly to contributing to the eastern Slovak business environment, bringing new ideas and new opportunities to the region for the benefit of all,” said Plant.

Over the past 18 months the British Chamber of Commerce has provided assistance to UK businesses interested in investing in Slovakia. The opening of an office for the British Chamber of Commerce in Košice is aimed at providing their services in eastern Slovakia.

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Plant believes that the short term is very interesting especially now as there is massive interest in Slovakia from the UK after Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have chosen to consider Slovakia for their upcoming manufacturing facility.

“This month has seen the most productive month of new clients since we opened our office to UK business in 2014,” said Plant, adding that they have steadily grown and have now assisted nearly 500 businesses. “Long term, we know that as British business start to move and bring operations to this country, the surrounding business we grow stronger and opportunity will be rife amongst our members.”

The chamber has become over the last few years an even more bilateral entity than ever before, according to Plant.

“Since we started cooperation with the British Government, UK Trade and Investment it has allowed us to develop a first class team of professionals, who have in turn created a comprehensive suite of services for both Slovak and British SME’s,” said Plant.

The chamber now operates within a Global Chamber network that comprises of 37 countries with six offices across the CEE region, of which Slovakia is a lead player. “As a fully accredited British Chamber of Commerce we can boast 53 partner Chambers in the UK which have 104,000 business members comprising of over 4.5 million employees,” said Plant, adding: “a very established network indeed”.

The British Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic (BCCSR) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to creating and developing business relationships between the United Kingdom and the Slovak Republic. It was founded in 1998 and is now comprised of approximately 75 corporations, small businesses, mid-sized companies, individual members and entrepreneurs representing the majority of business sectors within Central and Eastern Europe.

The BCCSR has developed significantly in the last 16 years, and today it stands as an unparalleled amenity for British companies, British nationals and local businesses in Slovakia.

In December 2013, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) approved the funding for the creation of a business centre based in Slovakia that would provide key services to UK businesses. Under the British government’s Overseas Business Networks Programme, the British Embassy and the BCCSR created the British Slovak Business Centre (BSBC), opened on March 5, 2014.

 

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