7 September 2018

The First Minister has announced that the Scottish Government is teaming up with the leading business group the CBI, to boost Scotland’s exports.

CBI Scotland will mobilise its membership to help deliver 300 business peer-to-peer mentorships over the next three years to increase awareness of the benefit of exporting and help ramp-up overseas activity.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

Over the past year, our goods exports increased by 7% – the fastest rate of growth of any country in the UK. We are determined to work with business and business organisations to unlock more opportunities to increase exports.

CBI Scotland is an important voice for businesses across the country, and an important critical friend and partner to the Scottish Government – so its help is vital.

Together with our other partner organisations, we will work with CBI, whose membership includes some of Scotland’s most successful exporters, to play a key role in identifying export champions to work with our ambitious small and medium enterprises who are at the start of their export journey.

We hope to create 100 new business to business mentorships each year – helping new exporters learn from experienced ones. I also look forward to attending the international business conference on exporting, in November, to progress our work on this together”

The First Minister delivered the keynote address at CBI Scotland’s annual dinner in Glasgow. You can read a full transcript of Ms Sturgeon’s speech here

Listen to the First Minister addressing guests at the CBI Scotland dinner.

? @nicolasturgeon @ScotGovFM committing to work with @CBI_Scotland on boosting exports. 150 high growth companies will be supported to export more! Thanks! pic.twitter.com/r8Tw6bIhjB

— CBI (@CBItweets) September 6, 2018