Activities of the IBCC

Council Meetings:

To meet at least twice per year with an additional meeting in Israel in November and a joint meeting with the Israeli members in the UK normally in May or June. Governments to promote trade and commerce between Israel and Britain on a non-company-specific basis, focusing on sectors identified by UKTI as target areas, with the aspiration of using economic development as a vehicle to assist the peace process.’

Sectors of Concentration

Healthcare

This year Israel and the NHS share their 60th birthdays. In commemoration of this fact, the IBBC is organising two initiatives in the Healthcare sector. As is now tradition, the IBBC Healthcare Seminar, organised in conjunction with Nexus Structured Finance, the Israel Export Institute, Embassy of Israel and BDO Stoy Hayward. Israeli healthcare and medical devices companies are invited to visit London to participate in a series of high level meetings with Hospitals, Care trusts, Healthcare investors and the NHS. It is hoped that these meetings will give fruition to contracts and partnerships between British demand and Israeli supply. This year we are also very proud to be organising a special mission to Israel for Healthcare executives. In September, the IBBC will take 60 UK business personalities to Israel to view synergies which exist between the UK healthcare system and the companies in Israel that provide universal healthcare coverage for Israelis. The special mission, entitled ‘60 for 60’ will be the largest delegation of its kind to visit Israel in memory. The mission has been personally encouraged by Eli Yishai, Israeli Minister for Industry Trade and Labour.

Capital Markets

After the success of the Kivunim Conference on Capital Markets and Corporate Governance, plans are afoot to organise a second conference later this year. Identifying and highlighting areas where Israeli and British business can work together, the conference will provide key instructions for Israeli companies looking to succeed in their enterprises regarding the UK.

Information Technology

Council Members Toby Coppel, Simon Levene and Gary Shainberg are heading up a new initiative to identify and highlight areas in which UK telecoms, hardware, software and web-based established companies can help Israeli startups and early stage companies to find opportunities that they would not otherwise be able to benefit from. Working with advice from the California Israel Chamber of Commerce, the IBBC is working towards the first in a series of events in October or November 2008.

India

A lot of thought and effort is going into the planning of an initiative with the UK India Business council to form a tri-lateral trade programme of events to enhance and bring together the strengths of the business communities in the three different countries. A preliminary focus-group event is being planned for November 2008.