SFE FOCUS IN 2010
January 13, 2010
In this first blog of 2010 I have decided to steer clear of making predictions for the year (there are many other voices out there doing just that) but instead I will focus on some of SFE's plans for the coming months.
Europe will be very much on our agenda. For many years SFE has understood the importance of working with Brussels, and keeping a strong relationship with the EU Commissioner for our industry. We will continue that work, and we also plan to arrange some events in Scotland for members with European industry speakers, focusing on the prospects for some key Eurozone economies. Look out for more information in the next month or so. And we will continue to respond to the AIFM Directive.
China remains a priority for SFE. Next week I will be there to try and take further our nascent co-operation with Tianjin, in financial services education (on which we are working closely with Chartered Institute of Bankers, amongst others). We also want to maintain the high level of Chinese interest in Scottish financial services we saw in 2009. These visits are a great opportunity for creating links between key Chinese contacts and Scottish financial companies.
We will develop our engagement on skills and education, both within the industry and in the wider community. I'm also keen to see continued improvement in communication in the industry, particularly between the industry and its customers, and aim to focus on this issue and its business benefits in 2010.
The environment in which we work will be increasingly influenced by the build-up to the General Election, and its aftermath. Our priority politically is to ensure that the parties have the information they need about the industry in Scotland, and have every opportunity to speak to our industry as they formulate policy.
Others issues for 2010 are the importance of maintaining and developing our strong links with the City; emerging areas of banking such as green finance and community banking; and the overall changing nature of banking over the next decade.
There will be the unexpected to deal with, of course. But there is also great potential to lay the foundations for growth and a bit more sparkle in 2011 and beyond. If we can succeed in that, we will be contributing to the restoration not only of our industry's standing as a facilitator and driver of economic growth but also, most importantly, to the renewed prosperity of those who rely on our services.
Owen
