Wednesday 03, Jul 2024

CEO July Message

Mid-Year Break

As we move into the second half of the year, the Geelong Chamber of Commerce and team is taking a much-needed mid-year break to refresh. As businesses are focused on ending the FY23/24, commencing the new financial year and reporting, this is the perfect time for us to reduce the number of events and we encourage our members and the wider business community to take this opportunity to recharge and reflect on the first half of the year. This pause is vital for fostering creativity and ensuring that we are all refreshed and ready to tackle the exciting challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Our team’s work doesn’t stop, with most of our attention focused on the Geelong Small Business Festival for 2024 with a very rich program and new festival website design now launched! Find all the details here 

Strengthening International Relations

Our focus on international relations continues to grow stronger, particularly with our neighbors in Vietnam and Cambodia. This coming week, I will be leading a delegation to these countries to represent the Geelong region. The primary focus for our discussions in Cambodia will be on agriculture, education, textiles, and the clean economy. We aim to forge stronger economic and cultural ties, explore new business opportunities, and promote Geelong as a hub for innovation and growth.

Moreover, we are excited to announce that representatives from Vietnam will be returning to Geelong in the coming months. The Geelong Chamber will lead discussions during their visit, aiming to solidify partnerships and develop collaborative projects that benefit our members and the broader community.

Business Grant – Imminent Announcement!

We are thrilled to share a substantial business grant aimed at investing in our local business community. While the specific details of the grant are yet to be disclosed, this initiative represents a significant opportunity for growth and development within our region. The grant underscores Geelong Chamber’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Geelong. We look forward to sharing more information about this exciting opportunity within the next few days and I’m sure businesses will be very keen to get involved.

We appreciate your continued support and look forward to another productive month ahead. Should you have any questions or require further information on any of these updates, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

Warm regards,

Jeremy Crawford
CEO, Geelong Chamber of Commerce