| Annual General Meeting 2007 |  Print |
The AGM, the first event of the new season, was attended by over 45 members. Our new venue, the SAS Royal Hotel worked well, with many comments on the improved parking facilities and the bigger meeting room.
- Our chairman Mariano A Davies gave a clear report on the Chamber's activities in the last year, illustrated by a powerpoint presentation - when the IT hitches had been overcome!
- Board member, Gareth Garvey outlined the key issues of the accounts for the year. He emphasised that expenses had increased significantly during the year due to full time administration salaries, new offices and venue hire for starting off the new "on the way home" meeting series. However on the plus side, income had risen considerably with a successful launch of the sponsorship scheme and some new members.
- Ernst & Young were approved without question to continue acting as the Chamber's auditors following a strong recommendation and vote of thanks from the Board.
- The proposed merger between BCCD and BIU is moving forward although the summer period has meant some delays. The final details should be in place in time to hold an EGM at the end of the year and hopefully merge on 1 January.
- Three new Board members were elected unanimously by the members. Their reasons and motivation for standing were:
Thomas Thune Andersen:
"I am very honoured to be offered a position on the BCCD Board. Having had the good fortune of living six years in England and having had close relationships to the UK during most of my career I am very much involved in the issues of BCCD. Contributing to the important work of strengthening the relationship between Denmark and the UK gives me both a professional and a personal satisfaction."
Professor John Donaldson:
“As a British citizen and an academic in Denmark, being a member of the Board of BCCD will give me the opportunity to expand and foster relationships between the British and Danish communities in different areas of interest.
Firstly my interest in globalization has given me an awareness of the impact that Britain and Denmark have had on world issues over the last millennium and how their strong geological and political ties will compliment each other in promoting their ambitions to contribute to making our world a better place for our children.
I have special interests in education on a world wide scale having contributed to University education in many parts of the world including South Korea, USA, Canada, UK, Denmark, Thailand, Indonesia and Kuwait. This should enable me to contribute to the education debate with the aim of providing students with the skills and qualities necessary for the future of our world.
I also have a wide research experience, ranging from gold mining to pharmaceuticals, and would expect my mathematical background to ensure that everyday logic is not ignored. Having no affiliation to any specific industry, I expect to bring an independent and broad view to discussions on the Board and in the Chamber."
Alan Pitts:
“The BCCD has grown in status and numbers over the past 5 years which is a testament to the value it brings to supporting business between the UK and Denmark. Chevron has a history of supporting the BCCD as one of the founder members and I am committed to continue this tradition. Being a UK citizen working in Denmark I am confident I can bring the necessary skills and experience to the BCCD board to continue its vision to become the leading promoter of trade and commerce between Britain and Denmark.”
- Mariano A Davies was re-elected as chairman of BCCD for the coming year.
The full minutes can be read here.
We were joined after the meeting by about 25 members of the British Import Union to hear our patron David Frost's talk engagingly about:
"British and Danish business - global leaders moving forward together"
There was a very congenial atmosphere at the buffet lunch in the conference foyer, which enabled the two sets of members to start getting to know each other.
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