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Chamber announces new Survey sponsor

The Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce oil and gas survey which provides vital intelligence about the state of the industry has a new sponsor.

Bond Pearce, a leading legal firm in the energy sector with its Scottish office in Aberdeen, is to support the survey for the next two years.

Since the first was published in 2004 there have been 15 surveys highlighting developing trends within the industry to assist strategic planning in areas such as employment, skills, salaries and the fiscal regime. It is carried out on behalf of the Chamber by the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute and has become highly respected because of its independence and the quality and accuracy of the information it provides.

Chamber Chief executive Bob Collier said the bank of information built up over the lifespan of the surveys was a major benefit.

“The survey is shared widely with senior government at Holyrood and Westminster and is an important piece of research for them and with both the British and Scottish Chambers of Commerce and other industry bodies.

“It gives us an accurate picture of the trends and variances of the oil and gas industry in Scotland over the past several years and, very importantly, its impact and influence over the wider North-east economy.

“But over and above that the survey provides an opportunity to explore specific issues in more detail and over the years we have been able to identify trends in exporting, in business confidence, the labour market, foreign investment, interest in renewables and other forms of diversification and of course, more recently, the impact of the Chancellor’s “tax grab” budget. The current focus for concern to the energy industry and the wider business community is that of skills and there will be great advantage to working with the energy team at Bond Pearce on the next survey to identify some of the key issues and the impact they might potentially have on our economy.

Finlay Crossan, an Aberdeen-based Energy Partner at Bond Pearce, said: “Oil and gas is the cornerstone of North-east economy and is having a significant impact on the Scottish economy. It can sustain Aberdeen and its population into the future but we need research to anticipate emerging trends in order to properly develop and manage it.

“We want to be part of making Aberdeen a global centre of excellence in areas like skills, quality management, and training and need to ensure that the city and shire have the physical infrastructure and transport to support that development. The knowledge provided by the survey underpins all of this. It is useful to all companies, from major producers to small businesses, which is why we are investing in its future.

“Bond Pearce is embedded in the oil and gas industry. It’s what we do not just in the North Sea but internationally. We work with operators and contractors around the world, from innovative start-ups to majors, providing technical sector expertise on the full range of corporate services including property, employment and immigration.

“We are delighted to sponsor the oil and gas survey because it has earned the respect of the key players in the industry who provide the information which enables it to identify emerging trends so accurately.”

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