For the past 18 months well-known Aberdeen businesswoman Jeanette Forbes has been building links between the north-east and Pakistan.
She believes there is “huge scope” for businesses to work together and get deals done.
The owner of information technology company PCL Group, based in Golden Square is Scottish Chamber of Commerce Ambassador for Pakistan.
Her role has seen her make a number of visits to the country including Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
She believes there is opportunities for collaborations in a number of sectors including textiles, hospitality and oil and gas.
‘We have so much to offer and so do they’
Jeanette already had a good knowledge of Pakistan having visited friends there before.
After speaking with Liz Cameron, Scottish Chambers of Commerce chief executive, she decided to take up the ambassador role.
Jeanette said: “One of the things I noticed is they have masses of potential in things we could collaborate with. It’s huge.
“I kept thinking if only we could get these relationships built up.
“I’ve done my research on Pakistan to see what markets they have and where I think Scotland, in particular the north-east, can collaborate with them.
“I’ve been looking at these sectors. Tourism, food and drink, textiles and oil & gas.
“We have so much to offer and so do they. There’s a lot of potential.”
‘Huge scope’ for Aberdeen
Jeanette has visited Pakistan five times and works closely with The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
She believes the time is now for the north-east to strengthen these links or risk missing out.
“The landscape of opportunity is something we can use to grow our own economy.
I’m starting to see openings and opportunities. The world is getting smaller and we’ve got to stop looking in our normal places and start looking in places we wouldn’t normally.
“I think if we don’t build them soon then someone else will and we’ll lose out.
“There’s a huge scope to be for Aberdeen in particular”, she said.
Forging links with RGU
Jeanette, who also owns Aberdeen wine bar Grape and Grain, recently come back from a weeks visit with delgates from Robert Gordon University which included vice principal Lynn Kilbride and Elliot Pirie, associate dean of the School of Computing and Engineering Technology.
RGU is looking at working more closely with institutions for the benefit of staff and students in both countries.
Jeanette said: “I asked myself what’s the fundamental piece here that you need before you think about building on a commercial basis.
“It’s got to be education. Without a solid foundation we can’t build across the other sectors.
“Then we start looking at other areas we might be able to collaborate for business which is really important.”
Jeanette an ‘obvious choice’ for the role
Jeanette returns to Pakistan in a couple of weeks to attend a three-day textile exhibition with plans to explore some collaborations with the help of the FPCCI.
Liz said: “Scottish Chambers, through our chambers across Scotland, took the decision to expand the services we provided to the wider Scottish business community specifically to identify growth opportunities through exporting, importing, and supply chain alliances with other countries.
“This resulted in the creation of our SCC Ambassadors.
“With Jeanette’s cross sectoral expertise and reach out in Pakistan it became an obvious one for us.
“These connectors have proven to be invaluable at helping our businesses to connect and receive the support they need when they land.”
Conversation