Londonderry Chamber elects new President

Philip is the senior partner at the respected local legal firm, Caldwell & Robinson. His position of Chamber President is for the usual two year term.

Philip said: “I am immensely honoured to take the position of President of the leading business representative body in Derry and the North West. I follow in some notable footsteps – not least the immediate past President, Padraig Canavan.

“Padraig is a greatly respected businessman, who has brought jobs and investment to Derry in his role as founder and chief executive of Singularity, which is now part of the global IT company Kofax. Padraig has been a very influential figure locally during his period as president, campaigning on behalf of local business, for the improvement of conditions in the local economy and for the substantial expansion of the university here.

“It will be a tough act to follow, but I promise that his enthusiasms are also my enthusiasms and are those pursued by the whole Chamber.

“We are on the cusp of a remarkable year and I am even more proud to be President of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce throughout its period as UK City of Culture. This offers the prospect of creating a step change in what Derry can achieve and in what we believe we can achieve.

“The task for all of us – those in business, those in politics and everyone in wider society – is to position Derry as a go-to city in which to do digital business, to conduct retail trade, to carry out any sort of commerce or manufacture, as a tourism destination and as a place to study and in which to live. If we can achieve this, then we will bring in an era of prosperity to Derry that the city desperately needs.”

Padraig Canavan said: “I know that I leave the Chamber of Commerce in excellent hands, with Philip as President and Sinead McLaughlin as CEO. These are demanding, but rewarding, roles as the Chamber continues to promote business and entrepreneurship as part of this community. Philip and I share a common aim – to see Derry-Londonderry prosper – and we agree on how this can best happen: the expansion of Magee and through the digital economy, culture and tourism. We believe it is the Chamber’s business to communicate how these opportunities can best be supported to government locally, regionally and bi-nationally.”