Chris Barton CMG’s Post

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HM Trade Commissioner, Europe

Q: Which country has the highest number of castles per head, produces the largest number of cars per head, and it seems has the largest toothpaste tubes in the world? 🌍 A: Slovakia, which I had the pleasure of visiting this week. 🇸🇰 Highlights included 👇   📣 Speaking at the The British Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic "Silver Wedding" 25th anniversary reception, highlighting the deep value UK puts on our trade relationship, its impressive growth (UK exports + 32% last year, total trade >£5bn), exciting investment opportunities and environment for #Slovak companies in UK, and how the UK Government can help. Thank you Miroslava Remenarova for the wonderful hosting.   🦻 Hearing inspiring stories from many UK companies active in Slovakia and bringing joy and jobs across the country – including Tesco, Jaguar Land Rover, Haleon, Shell, Freshfields UK, Brother Industries, Ltd. and KPMG   🇬🇧🤝🇸🇰 Sharing perspectives on our bilateral and multilateral trade interests in meetings with Slovak Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency: Very encouraging to see such similarity in our support for open, rules-based trade.   👀 Admiring JLR’s spectacular – and vast! – production facility for Defender and Discovery models, and Haleon’s factory producing all the world’s Sensodyne & Aquafresh toothpaste alongside other brands. Both companies are brilliant examples of enormous benefits that #BritishBusiness can bring – growth, jobs (7000 on and around JLR site alone), enhancing sustainability, exemplifying business ethics, supporting the wider community (incl. 100s of Ukrainian employees).    Huge thanks to our superb team in Slovakia, excellently led by British Ambassador to Slovakia, Nigel Baker and DBT Country Director Ivana Winbladh. And do get in touch with Ivana if you are a UK company wanting to grow your exports in Slovakia, or a Slovak company wanting to buy from or invest in UK. 🇬🇧 📸 Some impressions below #Slovakia #Europe #UK #UKBusiness #UKGovernment

Miroslava Remenarova

Strategic Engagement, Public Affairs and Communications Professional

11mo

Dear Chris, thank you very much for your kind words. It was exciting to welcome you in Slovakia! Your key note speech during our Leader2Leader event was so inspiring and energizing - we have received so many positive feedbacks from our members - great example how to nurture mutual trade relations. Your presence underlined our 25th anniversaty too :) Our The British Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic is here for all who want to join our efforts to develop cooperation and trade between UK and Slovakia!

Damion Potter

A Global Leader | Senior public and private sector experience - at Ambassador and Vice President level | Communications | Government Affairs | Trade Policy | Crisis Response | Project Management | Sustainability

11mo

Chris, it was great to meet you at Nigel’s residence last April. I’m delighted that you have been able to visit the Haleon facilities in Levice, that our teams work so well together and that our business in Slovakia continues to flourish. Nigel Baker Ivana Winbladh Hedviga Peliova Chris Barton CMG Chiara Marcelline Bart Derde

Ivana Winbladh

Country Director, Slovakia at Department for Business and Trade (DIT)

11mo

Thank you Chris Barton CMG for you kind words and nice impressions from your visit. It was a great honour and pleasure hosting you here in Slovakia. Your continuous support to deepen trade and investment cooperation between the UK and Slovakia is much appreciated and we look forward to welcoming you again.

Michal H.

Cousellor for Bilateral Trade Cooperation, Slovak Foreign Ministry

11mo

Chris Barton CMG nice to meet in person at last. I'm glad you had a pleasant visit.

Jarmila Entezari

Senior Associate at Carter Lemon Camerons LLP

11mo

Brilliant post! Very proud of Slovakia, and a little (a lot) homesick now

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