Spectacular Platinum Gala Dinner Marks Chamber’s 70th Anniversary
Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 70th anniversary with a spectacular gala dinner at Peel Cathedral.
Guests included Chamber members, current board members, sector leaders, Past Presidents, sponsors, plus representatives from the wider business community. The evening included singing from Roc Vannin Chior, speeches from the CEO, President and Founder of the Isle of Man Salt Co plus music from the NOVA Band.
Chamber President Claire Watterson thanked everyone who contributed to making the event such a memorable occasion which celebrated an important milestone in Chamber’s history. In her speech the President highlighted the challenges that are facing business and the economy. But she added that the Island – as it has done for decades – has the collective strength to work together to build a strong, resilient and future proof economy. The way to address the challenges ahead, she said, was to support strategies that drive economic growth. She concluded: “The future of the economy will be built by people prepared to say yes to growth, yes to innovation and yes to backing the talent that already exists here.”
The gala dinner was sponsored by Ørsted, the company behind plans for the Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm which could bring £2bn in financial benefits to the Island. Jamie Baldwin, Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm Project Director, said: “We are delighted to support and attend the platinum anniversary celebrations for Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce. In addition to celebrating Chamber’s many achievements over the past 70 years, it was also interesting to hear about the challenges businesses are facing as they look to the future, especially concerns about rising energy costs. Access to cheaper, secure, renewable energy is a key to future economic growth, and at the gala dinner we continued some good conversations about how Mooir Vannin offers an unprecedented chance to secure new revenue streams for the Island, create long-term skilled jobs for residents, and generate funds that would go directly to the local community.”
In her speech at the dinner, Chamber CEO Rebecca George paid tribute to the many individuals and organisations, past and present, who have enabled Chamber to be a strong voice for the Island’s business community. She said that the strength of Chamber is not from any single business or sector. It is built, she said, on the collective strength of all members working together towards common goals to benefit businesses and the economy.
VIP guests and key speakers included His Excellency The Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer, Helen Crosbie, founder and owner of Isle of Man Salt Co; and Richard Bodal Hansen, Head of External Affairs for Ørsted in the UK.
The gala dinner was also supported by the London Institute of Business and Technology.