Chamber boss sees focus beyond US market amid tariff uncertainty

Galway businesses are being urged to look beyond the US market amid tariff uncertainty, according to the new CEO of the Galway Chamber of Commerce, Karen Ronan.

And in an effort to tackle the challenge of rising tariffs on US exports, a series of high-level meetings are in the pipeline this autumn.

Delegates from International Chambers of Commerce are being invited to Galway to provide vital networking opportunities and discuss the opening of new markets.

This is a direct response to the immediate challenges faced by enterprises in the west in a bid to create new opportunities for those affected by rising costs.

“We want to bring in the French, German, the South African Chamber and others to talk to our members to find other markets out there that we can diversify to,” says Galway Chamber of Commerce CEO, Karen Ronan.

“We also want to tap into our Sister Cities, and this will be part of our autumn series of events.”

In line with this, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD will visit the Galway Chamber of Commerce on September 4th to hear about the concerns of local businesses.

For Karen, the role of the Galway Chamber is to provide a platform for connection and education, especially for small to medium sized businesses who may fall outside of the loop of Enterprise Ireland and the IDA.

“There are people who fall between the gaps,” she says.

“They may be small operators. Sometimes, it’s that one introduction to an overseas market that can make all the difference. We can make connections with international markets and hopefully alleviate an overreliance on the US market.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

Caption: Galway Chamber of Commerce CEO, Karen Ronan.

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