Friday News: 21 October 2016

Dear Members and Friends,

On Tuesday 18 October we had this season's first New Members' Evening. where 6 new members presented themselves to other BritCham members and the Trade Mission from East of England. Below you can read more about this truly enjoyable evening. 

This week we announced two events - the Guy Fawkes Night 2016 (on 4 November) and our second session of the BritCham Academy (on 9 November). To find out more please scroll down or visit BritCham website. 

Contents

Upcoming Events

• Guy Fawkes Night 2016 at RISEBA University on 4 November NEW
• BritCham Academy: How To Write E-mails Right? on 9 November NEW
• Save the date! Very Special Dinner with Very Special Guest on 29 November

News

• New Members' Evening on 18 October NEW
• BritCham Academy: Purposeful Branding - Making Profit and World a Better Place At The Same Time 
• Health Insurance For BritCham Members Only LAST CALL 
• COBCOE Survey: Have Your Say On Brexit NEW
• British Womenswear Brand Phase Eight Opens First Store in Latvia at Riga Plaza NEW
• New Vacancy at the British Embassy in Riga NEW
• Miss Saigon: The 25th Anniversary Performance NEW

Member to Member Offers

• Member to Member Offer of the Week NEW 

Upcoming Events

Guy Fawkes Night 2016 at RISEBA University

View full size poster here.

We are delighted to invite you to Guy Fawkes Night on Friday 4 November!

It is our great pleasure to announce that this year the event will be organized by BritCham long-term member and supporter RISEBA University! They have taken a major part in the organization of Guy Fawkes in previus years so we are confident that this event is in safe hands. 

As in previous years it will take place at RISEBA Architecture and Media Centre and it will be a traditional British party where you can participate in burning Guy Fawkes on a giant bonfire, watch a firework display as well as enjoy a theatrical performance. 

This time the play will be a modern look on the reenactment of the Gunpowder Plot: "When things on Earth went out of control the Supreme Court - lead by the wise Judge George Odd and honorable members of the jury - rolled up their sleeves and prepared to decide the fate of the world as they invited the first attorney - the Spirit of Guy Fawkes..."

There will also be kids' corner and workshops to keep the younger guests entertained, presented by our member the international preschool "Putnu Dārzs". Welcome drinks from Singh's restaurant will greet guest at the door, alongside with other tasty treats from Grila Bode that will be available for purchase at the event.

Come experience Guy Fawkes Night in Latvia with your whole family!

Date & Time: Friday, 4 November 2015, 18:00
Venue: RISEBA Architecture and Media Centre, Durbes iela 4, Riga
Admission: Free
Registration: website sign-up, email events@britcham.lv or call (+371) 25 45 6000

BritCham Academy: How To Write E-mails Right?

View full size poster here. 

It is our pleasure to invite you to the second BritCham Academy session: How To Write E-mails Right? on 9 November.

TOPIC:
How To Write E-mails Right?: e-mails is an essential part of everyday business. However, because of the email’s perceived informality and simplicity, as well as convenience and fast way of communication, we often write things in an e-mail we would not write in a business letter: our e-mail messages have been flooded with excessive and unnecessary information, impolite phrases, errors and ambiguous sentences.

This workshop is about writing e-mail messages that work and help you to get the most out of this exciting way of communicating in business

SPEAKER: 
Aiga Veckalne, latvian language and business communication expert, business professional since 2003. Previously: Executive Area Manager of the Foreign Division Skrivanek Group (language solutions, as well as CEO of the Skrivanek Baltic. Opened and established branches in the Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovenia and United States. This experience enabled to acquire practical knowledge of the communication and business etiquette in different cultural environment.

Aiga conducts seminars and workshops about the public speaking, business correspondence, e-mail etiquette in Latvian and recommendations for the improvement of the Latvian knowledge. As of 2015 regularly participates in the Latvia State Radio show radio ‘How to Live Better’ about the correct use of the Latvian language. 

VENUE:
Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel, Elizabetes iela 73, Rīga

ADMISSION:
FREE for BritCham members
EUR 35 for non-members

The deadline for cancellation is 12.00 on 8 November 2016.

SCHEDULE:
6:30 – 10:30 Breakfast buffet (optional, EUR12). Please use this opportunity to have breakfast or to get coffee and snacks before the beginning of the event.

9:00 - 10:30   BritCham Academy seminar 

REGISTRATION:
Website sign-up, email events@britcham.lv or call 25 45 6000

News

New Members' Evening

On 18 October we gathered at the British Ambassador's Residence for this season's first New Members' Evening. 

Firstly, we would like to say thank you to Tim Colley, Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Riga for the warm welcome words. 

As always the first presentation of the evening was from the sponsors. Casa Nostra had prepared amazingly delicious feast for all that everyone appreciated after the long day. Many many thanks to them for it!

At the Autumn New Members Evening 6 new members presented themselves to other BritCham members as well as the Trade Mission from East of England. The first presentation was by our new platinum members Singh's Restaurant followed by Accenture Latvia, Spilbridge, King´s College, The British School of Latvia, Sigma Vadība and 12 Līnijas. 

On this occasion everyone seemed to truly enjoying each other's company, food and wine so we were not surprised at all that it continued on till late in the evening. We are glad that our members still appreciate the New Members' Evening and we hope to see you all again at the next event in May!

BritCham Academy: Purposeful Branding - Making Profit and World a Better Place At The Same Time

This Wednesday we had the opening session of a new BritCham project - the BritCham Academy. 

Our guest speaker at this very first seminar was Edgars Pētersons who introduced us with Purposeful Branding. Edgars has 10 years' experience in marketing and he brilliantly explained the ins and outs of this recent marketing trend. His examples varied from Pampers and AXE & Dove deodorants to Google cars, painting houses in Rio favelas and Accenture's Skills to Succeed campaign. We learned that the main aim of the Purposeful Branding is creating purposeful and useful impact on society, whether it be helping someone to improve their life or just by creating joy, evoking pride or inspiring exploration.

We feel (and hope that all the guests would agree) that at the first BritCham Academy seminar we have gleaned great information on a very interesting topic. For that we would like to say many thanks to Edgars! And another big thank you goes to SemaraH Hotel Metropole for hosing us! 

The next BritCham Academy morning seminar will take place on 9 November at Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel. We will announce the topic soon. 

Health Insurance For BritCham Members Only

As we have informed our members last week we will start using a new health insurance plan with the insurance company IF starting from 4 November .

Those BritCham members who are interested in joining our health insurance plan, please contact Santa to find out more by the end of the business day today. 

Please note that you can join this plan only now before it becomes active.

COBCOE Survey: Have Your Say On Brexit

Tell us how Brexit could affect you. The Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe is one of the business organisations being consulted by the UK Government for Brexit negotiations. In order to ensure that the views of Europe wide business are represented, establish the needs of business and influence the outcome from the bottom up, they have released a survey to assess the level of engagement in international trade between companies in Europe before and after the Referendum.

The results of this survey will support COBCOE Brexit Ambition project which aims to carry on making Europe work for business. It's a simple and considered survey and is available in 8 languages

The survey is available here. 

It is open until Monday 21 November. 

British Womenswear Brand Phase Eight Opens First Store in Latvia at Riga Plaza

British brand Phase Eight are delighted to announce the opening of its new store in Riga Plaza this October. This will be the contemporary and stylish womenswear brand’s first stand-alone store in Latvia following the launch of a successful concession in Debenhams Spice Mall last year.

Kelly Meade, PR and Retail Marketing Manager at Phase Eight says ‘We are delighted to open our first store in Latvia within the prestigious shopping destination of Riga Plaza and hope that women fall in love with our new season collections. We hope that our store will offer a new and exciting shopping destination for women looking for stylish and contemporary designs that make them look and feel amazing’.

Phase Eight Riga Plaza will open 14th October 2016.

Read the full article here.

For more information please contact:
ZANE ZVIRBULE
PHASE EIGHT Head of Marketing
Zane.zvirbule@dbhbaltics.com
+371 268 75 619

New Vacancy at the British Embassy in Riga

The British Embassy in Latvia is part of a world-wide network of 230 Diplomatic Posts, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is now looking for a Senior Trade Adviser based in Riga.

The main purpose of this job is to assist British companies to develop internationally and to win business deals in Latvia. The Senior Trade Adviser provides assistance to UK-based companies looking to export goods and services to Latvia. The successful candidate will also promote export opportunities identified in the country among suitable UK businesses, especially focusing on Infrastructure sector and opportunities presented by Rail Baltica project.

This role will appeal to an individual with strong communication and interpersonal skills, a collaborative work ethic, a focus on relationship development, with an ability to work independently as well as to motivate colleagues and partners, and a willingness to flex to meet new requirements.

Application deadline is 3 November 2016.

More information here.

Miss Saigon: The 25th Anniversary Performance

The legendary Miss Saigon, in cinemas for one night only - on 26 October 18:30 at Kino Citadele. This spectacular, sell-out 25th Anniversary Gala Performance of the global stage sensation also features appearances by the original cast including Jonathan Pryce and Lea Salonga. This acclaimed new production was described as “the most thrilling, soaring and emotionally stirring musical with magnificent performances” by the Daily Telegraph and “the greatest musical of all time” by the Daily Mail. The epic love story tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with American GI Chris – but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon.

Find out more here.

Member to Member Offers

Member to Member Offer

Did you know that Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies offers BritCham Members a regular offer?

The Baltic Journal of Economics and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor is free to BritCham members.

You can download the journal here.

If you have any questions on the Report and its findings, please contact the research leader Marija Krumina marija@biceps.org.

View the offer here.

Check Out Current Member-to-Member Offers, Use Them Actively & Add Your Offer.

Gallery of Past Events

BritCham Platinum Members

How to Publish Information in BritCham Friday News?

Would you like to share information with other members by publishing it in BritCham Friday News and/or on our website, facebook, or twitter?

You can do it by contacting Santa Rudzite by e-mail santa.rudzite@britcham.lv or by calling: (+371) 25 45 6000. Please point out when you would like the information to be published; however, if you wish the information to be published in the current week's Friday News, it needs to be sent in by Wednesday afternoon. Information received latter will be published in the next week’s Friday News.