International Trade Events Update
By Alan Rides, Chief Executive Officer, West London Chambers of Commerce
West London Chambers of Commerce is proud to announce a record year that culminated in our Business Awards at the end of November. The event was attended by 350 business guests, a significant increase from the 290 attendees in 2024. Just the month before, the Ealing Festival of Business also set a record with 450 attendees, compared to 250 in 2024.
A Year of Growth and Engagement
The year began with the long-established West London Festival of Business, which attracted 300 attendees, followed by the West London Regeneration Conference, which showcased developments in West London. Our Charity Golf Day also remains popular, with 80 participants attending and playing.
Chamber membership has increased steadily over the last 10 years, now reaching 2,300 members from just 200 in 2015. We are now the second largest Chamber of Commerce in London. Alongside our five flagship events, we hold informative sector webinars, seminars, networking breakfasts, and evening networking events across our three boroughs. We have a highly active Women in Business group and delivered two black history month events. We also publish a business magazine, Let’s Talk Business, five times a year.
This year also saw a first for West London Chambers, as we were instrumental in launching a Business Improvement District (BID) in Hounslow town centre. Hounslow’s Heart BID is the first BID to be introduced in the borough of Hounslow. BIDs were first introduced in 2003, and there are a number in Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham with which we work closely.
Focusing on Global Markets
A key Chamber USP is a focus on international trade, particularly for the international companies based around Heathrow. Out of a total of 100 events in 2025, 45 were dedicated to international trade. Additionally, a survey showed that 44% of the 450 respondents expressed interest in participating in overseas trade missions. Consequently, the Chamber organised missions to Istanbul, Taipei, Atlanta, and Hainan, China, in 2025. Our unique reputation for international trade continues to grow alongside our domestic events.
These successes come as Heathrow reports a record-breaking year, handling 84 million passengers (mostly for business) and a record 1.59 million tonnes of cargo, including a 4.6% increase to the USA. This is reflected in ONS figures showing total UK exports of £929 billion, up 4.3%. This suggests we are well on the way to our national target of £1 trillion of exports by 2030.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Programme
To help our exporters achieve this goal, our 2026 programme includes:
- Mission to China: March, following on from the November 2025 visit.
- Mission to Turkey: March or April.
- Mission to Morocco: May.
- Mission to Atlanta: September or October.
- Mission to India: November.
"A key Chamber USP is a focus on international trade, particularly for the international companies around Heathrow. 45 international trade events were held out of a total of 100 events in 2025."
