Gareth Garvey
May 16th, 2019

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Over the last few weeks it has been interesting to discover how many Danish business people have strong loyalties to English football teams.

Business and football ties
The recent extraordinary games involving Liverpool and Tottenham have been a catalyst for positive conversation and a refreshing change from the Brexit discussion – even with people who would normally not support these two teams,

The unexpected outcomes, leading to two English teams qualifying for the Champions League final, has already generated a lot of discussion about leadership, inspiration, teamwork, diversity and taking opportunities.

There is no doubt there are some important business lessons to be found here. Business people keep telling me they need clarity in relation to Brexit, and while this is understandable, we must make sure we are not paralysed by the uncertainty and we remain alert to take opportunities as they arise.

It’s been an education
Over the same period, I was reminded of the strong links between Denmark and the UK in business education when I met a great group of people from the Møller Institute, a leadership development and conference centre at Churchill College at the University of Cambridge.

The centre was built with a donation from the AP Møller & Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation, designed by Henning Larsen and has a focus on developing leaders who make a positive difference.

BCCD and its predecessor organisations recognise the business benefits of international education and has a long history of working with top educational institutions and their students in both Denmark and the UK.

We will continue to do this and, in the autumn, we are planning an exciting leadership and market expansion trip to the UK that will combine education (London Business School), company visits and, subject to next season’s fixture list, the Premier League. Keep an eye on our website or contact me directly!

So much in common
These sporting and educational connections demonstrate how much the UK and Denmark have in common, strengthen our business connections, and help us to spot new business opportunities.

All of this give me confidence that, whatever the outcome of Brexit, Denmark and the UK will continue to be strong business partners and, although there will be plenty of challenges, there will be many great opportunities for companies that remain alert and ready to take them.