THE north west is “on the cusp of something special” according to the new president of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce.
Aidan O’Kane, who is the Chamber's 79th president, has taken on the role in succession to Dawn McLaughlin.
A director at Northern Ireland’s largest IT company Allstate NI, he has also been one of the co-chairs of the Cross Border Workers Coalition since summer 2020.
In his address to the organisation's annual meeting in the Bishop’s Gate Hotel, he spoke of the economic recovery, rebuild and revitalisation required over the next 12 months, and the need for elected representatives to prioritise the north west ahead of next May’s Assembly election.
Aidan pledged to work unwaveringly for members and for businesses in the north west, and he praised his predecessor for her exceptionally hard work and for representing the Chamber's interests with distinction.
He added: “Recovery, rebuild and revitalisation are the watchwords for the next 12 months.
“It goes without saying that the pandemic has had a significant and severe impact on businesses and the economy, and while 2020 appeared bleak and unclear, the emergence and roll-out of the vaccines in 2021 has given us the opportunity to fully bounce back in 2022.
“Our region is on the cusp of something special. There’s an energy and optimism among colleagues, among key stakeholders, and among businesses to lift up the north west.
“We are fast approaching an Assembly election, and it’s crucial our local elected representatives, new ministers and the incoming Executive recognise this and commit to doing all they can to positively develop our region during the next mandate.”
Aidan will be supported in his role by Selina Horshi, managing director at the White Horse Hotel, who will be the Chamber’s vice-president for 2022.
Outgoing president Dawn McLaughlin, reflecting on her term, said: “Despite the challenges of both Brexit and Covid-19, this year has seen great successes, with high points being the sign-off of the City Deal, the long-awaited opening of the Graduate Entry Medical School at Magee and the announcement of the £70m health hub at Fort George. We have welcomed new companies to the north west and FDI is strengthening in our region.
“When things have been at their toughest, we have often been at our best, and the sense of community, camaraderie, and support among members has been genuinely inspiring to see.”
