BABC July Newsletter

Dear Friends of the BABC,

2020 is going by quickly and as we come to terms with the ‘new normal’ the BABC has been working extremely hard to keep delivering the value to all its members in the parameters that allow for us to sustain ourselves as a networking organisation.

Behind the scenes the BABC Team has been thinking creatively to deliver a variety of fun, interesting and informative events as our BABC Events calendar is predominantly now virtual for the foreseeable future.

On August 12th, we welcome BABC Members to our now staple Happy Hour, with Gary Brown, President of Furnished Quarters sharing his insights on Corporate Housing and Corporate Travel as this months lightning speaker.

We have been collaborating closely with members this month and are delighted to announce NCC Group’s Premier Member Event on Emerging Technology Threats & Opportunities (August, 8th), AssayCS’s 3-Part Workshop Series on Thriving Through Crises (August 25th, September 9th & 22nd), and a Penfolds Wines Chef Tasting Series with Scott Huggins! (September 24th), All 3 events are new topics and formats introduced to the BABC Calendar, so don’t miss out!

As mentioned last month, the 64th BABC Annual General Meeting and Election of Directors has been rescheduled to September 16th. On reflection, this means that we can provide a clearer picture for what is in store for the rest of our Fiscal Year and hopefully, we will have some news to share regarding the BABC Annual Christmas Fundraiser. I kindly ask that all BABC Members complete your Ballot/Proxy Letter voting for the slate of Directors to be elected. Our By-Laws dictate we need a quorum which is 51% of members.

As many of you might already know, HM Consul General of San Francisco, Andrew Whittaker, has come to the end of his tenure and will be leaving the Bay Area later this month. On behalf of the BABC I would like to thank Andrew for his outstanding support and involvement with the BABC. I know that the BABC community has thoroughly enjoyed the time that you have spent with us and we all wish you and your family all the best back in London and wherever the Foreign Office eventually takes you.

In addition to thanking Andy for his support I would like to thank you all for your continued support of the BABC which has been absolutely fantastic. We are getting through this together!

Stephen Wares, CGMA,

BABC President &

VP Business Development,

CCW Business Solutions

From The Consul's General's Desk

Dear BABC Members,

My column this month is bittersweet. I have had the privilege of serving as HM Consul General to San Francisco for the past four years. But sadly my tenure ends this month and we’ll be returning to London.

The events of the past several years means it will be quite a different place from when I left – from a change in Prime Minister at Number 10 to officially leaving the European Union earlier this year, and of course now the global pandemic that has changed life both on a personal level and how we operate on a professional level.

With all of these changes, though, there are certainly adjustments but also huge possibilities. Near the end of July, Oxford University announced a team of scientists have taken the next step toward an effective and accessible vaccine for coronavirus, meaning more than 1000 adult volunteers who received the vaccine since April had detectable antibodies neutralising the disease. Find out more about the study here.

And tech investment into the UK continues with strength, increasing by 27 percent in 2019 with particular success over the course of the 2019-20 financial year which further demonstrates the UK’s resilient economy and the hard work the UK government – including the Department for International Trade team in San Francisco – does to build this type of investment.

On a personal note, I’d like to thank you all for your support over these past four years. I will miss seeing all of you at BABC events, including the Christmas lunch, and the delightful discussions in the many panels we at the Consulate hosted that many of you were an integral part of. There are just too many great memories for me to list here, but I will be sharing as many as I can on Twitter so check there for more. Be well, I look forward to seeing you in London soon.

Andrew Whittaker,

HM Consul General

BABC 64TH (VIRTUAL) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2020

MEMBERS ONLY

DATE: WEDNESDAY, 16TH SEPTEMBER

TIME: 5.15PM-6.30PM

It is imperative, that if you have not returned your Ballot for the election of our Board of Directors, that you do so immediately. If you will not be available to attend the Virtual AGM in September, it is also important that you complete a Proxy Letter to ensure the meeting establishes a Quorum (51% of all members) to pass the vote. For ease, we have combined both the Proxy Letter and the Ballot in to one Docusign document. Please use button below to complete both documents. It should only take a minute to complete. info@babcsf.org

If you plan to attend on September 16th, but have not yet registered, please follow this link to do so. The Zoom registration link will be sent to attendees registered via our ChamberMaster system.

There will also be a short opportunity to mix and mingle (virtually) with your fellow members prior to the beginning of the AGM.

COMPLETE PROXY & BALLOT

BABC EVENTS CALENDAR

See all BABC & Member Events

BABC MEMBER AUGUST HAPY HOUR

WITH FURNISHED QUARTERS

DATE: TUESDAY, 12TH AUGUST

TIME: 4PM - 5.30PM

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY & OPPORTUNITIES - WHAT WILL THE TECH WORLD LOOK LIKE IN 2030

DATE: WEDNESDAY, 19TH AUGUST

TIME: 12.30PM - 1.30PM

THRIVING THROUGH CRISES - 3-PART WORKSHOP SERIES

PART 1 - FOUNDATION FOR CAPTURING THE NEXT RECOVERY

DATE: TUESDAY, 25TH

AUGUST

TIME: 5.30PM - 6.30PM

PART 2 - OPPORTUNITIES TO INNOVATE: PRODUCTS & PACKAGING

DATE: TUESDAY, 8TH SEPTEMBER

TIME: 5.30PM - 6.30PM

PART 3 - OPPORTUNITIES TO INNOVATE: MARKETS, CHANNELS & REVENUE CHAIN

DATE: TUESDAY, 22ND SEPTEMBER

TIME: 5.30PM - 6.30PM

BABC MEMBER SEPTEMBER HAPPY HOUR

WITH FURNISHED QUARTERS

DATE: TUESDAY, 9TH SEPTEMBER

TIME: 4PM - 5.30PM

PENFOLDS WINES CHEF TASTING SERIES WITH SCOTT HUGGINS

DATE: THURSDAY, 24TH SEPTEMBER

TIME: 5PM - 6.30PM

CHARITY PARTNERS IN NEED OF YOUR SUPPORT

Raphael House

British Benevolent Society

Play Rugby USA (PRUSA)

DONATE

BABC MEMBER NEWS

See all BABC Member News

ACCA USA DISMAYED BY ATTEMPT TO PUSH OUT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

When the Trump administration rescinded their guidelines to revoke student visas whose universities transition to remote-only classwork, the higher-education community exhaled in relief.

GET INSIGHTS INTO BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES!

The Building a More Resilient World podcast series discusses the basics from getting started and understanding your organization to protecting your people and more.

PROPOSED CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION REQUIRES PUBLIC COMPANY BOARDS TO INCLUDE DIRECTORS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES

California lawmakers have proposed legislation (AB 979), which, if enacted, would mandate that public companies whose principal executive offices are located in California appoint at least one director from an underrepresented community by the end of calendar year 2021.

BEYOND THE BLUNDERS & KEY MISTAKES

Lessons Learned and

7 Opportunities to Thrive

Over the last two months, we provided our top-level perspective about the impact of blunders and mistakes in an unprecedented economic environment.

FURNISHED QUARTERS -

WE'LL MAKE THEIR LIVES EASIER

If you’re sending staff to a state that requires a 14-day quarantine upon arrival, don’t put them up in a cramped hotel room. Our fully furnished apartments offer more space, a full-sized kitchen and a desk area with high-speed WiFi.

WE'LL COVID & PHILANTHROPY: HOW THE CRISIS HAS CHANGED CHARITABLE GIVING

As we begin to take our first tentative steps out of lockdown, to meet family and friends once again – albeit at a safe distance – we can perhaps also start to take stock of the collective experience that we have endured together.

PEOPLE AT THE CENTRE DRIVING THE VALUE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

We are pleased to launch our new series People At The Centre which will share insights on how businesses are tackling the ESG agenda and putting people at the forefront of future thinking.

BRITISH AIRWAYS SAYS FAREWELL TO THE QUEEN OF THE SKIES

Today (Friday July 17, 2020) British Airways announces, with great sadness, that its fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft, fondly known as ‘The Queen of the Skies’, are likely to have flown their last scheduled commercial service.

BAB NETWORK NEWS

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