Andras House -Think International Trade

Andras House is a leading property development and hospitality company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Established in 1981, the company has an extensive portfolio of office, retail, hotel and leisure developments.

Chairman and Chief Executive, Lord Diljit Rana is convinced that the success of the business is tied to the economic prospects of the region, “The success of any business in Northern Ireland depends of course on the prevailing economic conditions. Given that our interests are in leisure and commercial property, it is in our interests to play an active role in the economic regeneration of the region, by engaging with the right people.”

Solution
Lord Rana has been involved with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce for 25 years and believes it is the right organisation to represent the interests of local business.

“The Chamber is different from other business organisations in that, whilst it is part of a national network, it is first and foremost focussed on the needs of the region. It understands local issues and opportunities and is able to represent the needs of all businesses effectively, whilst also providing practical support where needed.”

Outcome
Involvement with the Chamber has enabled Lord Rana to play an active role in efforts to transform the local economy. In particular, he has worked with the Chamber to organise a series of successful trade missions to India, designed to attract inward investment and trade, and change the image of the region.“

These days Indian businesses bring many millions of pounds into the economy every year. This opens up opportunities for international trade that simply were not there before and which benefit businesses of all shapes and sizes. It changes the perception of the area too, which has helped to drive huge growth in tourism.”

Lord Rana also believes that the Chamber plays a vital role in helping local businesses to grasp these opportunities, “In the case of Andras House, the Chamber has enabled us to engage with government on security issues in retail, with planners on property developments and co-ordinated public and private efforts to promote Northern Ireland as a tourist destination.”