My warmest congratulations to the British Chamber of Commerce in Singapore on your momentous 70th anniversary!

As part of Singapore’s business ecosystem, the Chamber plays a pivotal role as a bridge between the Ministry of Manpower and the British business community on various issues relating to manpower policy, talent attraction, development and retention.

The Chamber has a deep legacy of fostering meaningful partnerships and advocating for the interests of businesses and workers. We value the trust of the British business community in Singapore. As we look towards the future, I am confident that the Chamber will continue to be a driving force to facilitate connections among its members, industry leaders and the Government to support business growth and development in Singapore.

Thank you for the close partnership over the years. We look forward to exploring new avenues of collaboration and mutual support to benefit the business community and workers in the years ahead!

I congratulate the British Chamber on your 70th anniversary. 70 years ago in 1954, Philip Mawrey, who was the father of the British Chamber, launched the UK Manufacturer’s Representatives Association (UKMRA) to provide trade support for British business interests in Asia. 20 years later, UKMRA became the British Business Association, which in 1985, hosted Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during her visit to Singapore. At a speech on 8th April 1985 at the Shangri-La Hotel, she shared about the British Business Association and how it was important to British companies, “particularly since so many British firms use Singapore as a springboard to other markets in the region”, very similar to what Singapore is as a launchpad to other markets in Southeast Asia and beyond. Then she praised the association saying, “there can be no better testimony to the success of your work than the fact that British exports to Singapore have doubled in the past five years”. Fast forward 40 years later, the UK remains an important partner for Singapore.