Chambers will continue to remain relevant – and be advocates for business communities – but they must become innovators and drive change, chamber leaders said during a recent virtual discussion hosted by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Their comments came during the latest Chamber Connect Series event, which was joined by 138 delegates from 39 countries. Speakers included H.E. Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Chair, ICC World Chambers Federation; Dr. Alaa Ezz, Secretary General, Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (Egypt); and Aebhric McGibney, Director of Public and International Affairs, Dublin Chamber of Commerce (Ireland).
The discussion delved into how – from inception – chambers were built on a foundation of advocacy, providing a place for businesses to gather and become a trusted voice for common interests. Strengths and platforms have continued to grow with advocacy becoming a core function that builds business policies, a robust economic agenda and, above all, a much-needed value proposition for members. However, over the years, the speakers pointed out that chambers have seen their influence weaken due to various factors including most prevalently a fragmented business sector.
Responding to the question of whether chambers are still relevant to advocate change, the speakers highlighted the importance of advocating a pro-business agenda for communities and noted that chambers can no longer afford to be reactive, and should be more proactive in anticipating members’ needs and changing business environments.
Addressing participants, H.E. Buamim said Covid-19 has underlined the importance of advocacy in strengthening chambers’ response to new challenges and constant change.
“Chambers around the world all share a similar mission, which is to support and share the interests of their members. Advocacy is a big part of this mission, which has become even more important as companies deal with disruption, navigate a new business landscape and plan for post-Covid recovery,” said H.E. Buamim, stressing the importance of chambers in staying in tune with the evolving needs of members and ensuring a favourable environment where businesses can thrive and grow.
Hosted by Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and in association with ICC World Chambers Federation (WCF), the Chamber Connect Series is a virtual platform allowing the chamber global network to gain insights, share best practices, and build on the valuable expertise of colleagues around the world. The series builds up to the 12th World Chambers Congress, which is set to be held later this year in Dubai and bring together more than 1,000 participants from chambers and the business community from more than 100 countries across the globe.
