As Chair, it was a pleasure to attend the South West Business Council dinner, greeting old friends and new.

All of our guests were thrilled to be hosted at His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport, Plymouth:  the largest naval base in Western Europe and one of three operating bases in the UK for the Royal Navy.

Commodore Jane Roe and her team warmly welcomed us and treated us to an excellent evening, kindly sponsored by Plymouth Community Homes.  Keynote speaker Luke Pollard, Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry, was a passionate advocate for the South West and we are all delighted that he continues in his post as part of the new cabinet. Personally, I find his energy and commitment to action refreshing.

The evening, charged by senior attendance of “movers and shakers”,  provided the opportunity for constructive dialogue and networking to advance matters of strategic importance to the economic development of the South West, strengthening security and resilience,  as well as connecting new members and stimulating new collaborations.

A truly remarkable evening, and the pressure is on to shape next year.