Sir Chris Bryant met Chamber representatives in Derry to discuss business needs and the economic priorities of the North West.

Londonderry Chamber of Commerce became the first business organisation in Northern Ireland to engage with the newly appointed Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Sir Chris Bryant MP, during a meeting at the Ebrington Hotel on Tuesday 25th August.

Chamber President Steven Lindsay and Chief Executive Anna Doherty met the Secretary of State for an open and constructive discussion about the opportunities and challenges facing businesses across the North West.

The engagement provided an important opportunity to introduce Sir Chris to the Chamber, its membership and its role as the leading private-sector voice for the region.

Representing approximately 400 businesses, the Chamber outlined the experiences of its members and highlighted the importance of supporting investment, strengthening infrastructure and ensuring that government policy reflects the needs of businesses across the North West.

The discussion also considered the region’s economic strengths and the opportunities presented by continued investment, innovation, education and cross-border collaboration.

The Chamber emphasised that the North West has considerable potential to contribute further to the Northern Ireland and wider UK economies. Realising that potential will require sustained engagement between government, businesses and regional partners.

The meeting marked a positive beginning to the Chamber’s relationship with the new Secretary of State and provided a strong platform for continued dialogue.

The Chamber thanked Sir Chris and the Northern Ireland Office team for taking the time to hear directly from the North West business community and looks forward to working with them to support growth, investment and opportunity across the region.