Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen said that the positioning of the metro as the Bay of Opportunity aimed to harness its unique advantages as a two-port city with a strong manufacturing base building on its existing strength as South Africa’s automotive hub, with highly skilled people and an attractive lifestyle proposition.
"The Trade and Investment Desk is a strategic driver in bringing this vision to life, working as a united business community along with our partners and key role-players in the trade and investment space to market the Bay as an investment destination of choice and secure catalytic projects that will drive growth.
"The launch of the Desk is a major step forward in resurging the Bay and setting up the local economy for growth and diversification amid massive global advances in technology, new energy and the need for climate resilience. In parallel, as the Chamber is working to improve the enabling environment for business, we must be proactive in building investor confidence in the advantages of the Bay, and providing support to retain and attract investors," said Van Huyssteen.
The Trade and Investment Desk will focus on:
• Marketing Nelson Mandela Bay as an investment destination
• Securing partnerships and linkages with key trade and investment role players
• Supporting investors with economic data, local information, and networking
• Facilitating trade and export opportunities for local businesses
The Desk will support the Chamber’s forward-looking Local Economy Reinvention Think Tank, which is working to generate viable new business opportunities to build on the metro’s strengths and future-proof the local economy.
Van Huyssteen emphasised that the Desk would work in tandem with local, provincial and national government role-players in trade and investment promotion and investor support, seeking "collaboration that enhances a coordinated effort rather than duplication, and provides streamlined engagement for investors".
BDO SA CEO Bonga Mokoena added that the firm was encouraged by the Business Chamber’s progressive approach and innovative thinking to fostering collaboration for the greater good of the local economy.
"I believe that as partners, we are aligned in our vision of unlocking economic growth. The Chamber’s Trade and Investment Desk, founded on global investment promotion best practice, will be an important lever in our collective vision and create much-needed opportunities for the people, businesses and communities of Nelson Mandela Bay and South Africa at large," said Mokoena.
ECDC chief executive Ayanda Wakaba said the launch of the Desk extended and deepened the long-standing collaborative relationship between the agency and the Chamber on enterprise and exporter development.
"As the provincial agency tasked with promoting the Eastern Cape as an investment facilitating export and trade to advance economic growth, we are excited to collaborate with the Chamber on the new Trade Desk and efforts to promote trade and investment. A collaboration involving the metro, the province and the Chamber stands to produce better results for the Eastern Cape Province and Nelson Mandela Bay.
“Nelson Mandela Bay is the largest commercial centre in the Eastern Cape, an anchor for large-scale trade, investment and tourism, and the automotive manufacturers in the Bay are the largest contributor to provincial manufacturing output and trade. It stands to reason that the metro and the Chamber are key partners for the province in economic development," he said.
Wakaba said ECDC envisaged a close working relationship with the Chamber and would be designating officials to participate in the Trade Desk activities. He said the ECDC was in discussion with the Chamber to locate an official at the Chamber offices to further strengthen integrated efforts.
RMB corporate and investment banking sector head Pieter Nienaber said the bank supported the Chamber’s vision and its efforts to support business in Nelson Mandela Bay. "We are thrilled to partner with the Chamber to support the Trade and Investment Desk, an initiative that aligns with our focus on innovation and solutions to add value for business and contribute to economic growth in our country."
Business Chamber president Siyolo Dick hailed the founding partners in the Trade and Investment Desk for their shared vision and confidence in the Bay of Opportunity. "Such collaboration is the only way to transform and resurge Nelson Mandela Bay, and promoting the metro as an investment destination is key to reducing unemployment and transforming the lives of people," he said.
