As we kick off a new year, Inverness Chamber of Commerce reflects on 2024 – a year of remarkable achievements, growth, and collaboration. From record-breaking events to impactful partnerships, here’s a look at the highlights that defined our year.
Events: Fostering Connections and Celebrating Success
Our Events Team brought together over 2,000 people across more than 40 events, strengthening ties within the business community. This year saw the introduction of three innovative event series: Inside Stories – Behind the Scenes; Under 30s events; and The Knowledge Hour webinars
Two standout moments of the year were the Highland Business Dinner, where we welcomed political strategist and award-winning podcaster Alistair Campbell, and the dynamic Highland Business Week, which featured the Highland Spotlight B2B exhibition and the Highland Business Awards, and marked the 10th year of organising the event. These sell-out events inspired, connected, and celebrated businesses across the Highlands, showcasing their outstanding achievements.
Membership: Supporting a Thriving Community
Our membership grew with 44 new members from 15 diverse sectors, bringing the Chamber’s total membership to over 300. In 2024:
- We facilitated more than 210 business connections between member organisations.
- Met with over 140 members, reaffirming our commitment to their success.
- Introduced a membership fee freeze for 2025 to support businesses during challenging economic times.
International Trade: Expanding Global Opportunities
The Chamber’s International Trade Team had a busy year, organising trade missions to Canada and Ireland, which connected 16 Scottish businesses and facilitated over 70 valuable connections. Additionally:
- 38 businesses were supported in exporting to over 10 countries, including China, Japan, and South Africa.
- Over 900 export documents and 40 customs entries were processed, enabling seamless international trade.
Developing the Young Workforce: Inspiring the Next Generation
Through Developing the Young Workforce Inverness & Central Highland, we worked with over 270 employers to prepare young people for the world of work. Key highlights include:
- Engaging with over 14,000 young people across 14 schools.
- Welcoming 16 new employers to the Young Person’s Guarantee Pledge.
- Supporting nearly 700 young people furthest from positive destinations with targeted interventions.
Communications: Keeping Our Members Connected
This year, we launched The Pulse, our weekly news digest, delivering 47 editions to over 1,250 subscribers each week. Through our communication channels we also:
- Shared over 250 member stories through The Pulse, keeping our community informed.
- Spotlighted nine incredible businesses in our Member of the Week series.
- Invited 31 members to share their voice in our inbusiness magazine takeovers.
Advocacy: Representing Our Region
Inverness Chamber proudly represented the business community in key regional campaigns, advocating for:
- Progress on A9 dualling and rail improvements.
- Revisions to the proposed Visitor Levy in collaboration with the other three Highland Chambers of Commerce.
- Locating GB Energy in the Highlands and gaining Scottish national media profile around the strength and growth of our green energy sector.
We also strengthened ties with The Highland Council, meeting regularly with CEO Derek Brown to ensure members’ voices were heard. We’re excited to continue building that relationship and engagement between the Council and our membership in 2025.
Ahead of the UK General Election, Inverness Chamber held an Election Hustings (video on YouTube here) with the five candidates for the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency, which gave our business community the opportunity to ask the questions most important to them and the prosperity of the Highland economy. We also launched our ICC Manifesto, calling on the next UK Government to place the Highlands at the heart of the country’s renewable energy transition.
Earlier in the year, at the Chamber’s AGM we appointed three new Directors to our Board as we set our sights on the next 5 years of the Chamber’s strategic direction.
Colin Marr, CEO of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, reflected on the year:
“2024 has been a testament to the resilience, innovation, and collaboration that define our business community. From launching new initiatives, like The Pulse and The Knowledge Hour, to deepening our advocacy efforts through national and regional campaigning, we’ve worked tirelessly to support our members and amplify their successes.
“As we look ahead, we remain passionate about growing our network and tackling the challenges that lie ahead, ensuring the Highlands continue to thrive as a prosperous place to live, work, and do business.”
Looking Ahead
With a stronger network, we have a louder voice to champion successes and address regional challenges. Together, we can build a brighter, more prosperous future for the Highlands. Here’s to 2025!