On March 25, the High Commission for Grenada in collaboration with Think Events London hosted a Business Growth Summit on ‘Women Across Borders’ spotlighting growth, investment, and trade with a focus on empowering black women in business.
This event brought together CEOs, founders, investors, trade experts, women in business, entrepreneurs, and diplomats from across the globe to discuss the future of international business and the need for inclusive economic growth that provides greater access to women. The summit also celebrated the impact of women-led businesses in driving international trade, investment, and global collaboration with remarks from Shilpa Kaluti, Chief Financial Officer and Founder of Scrumconnect, a UK-based, high-growth technology consultancy, and Grace Thompson, the UK Public Affairs Lead for The Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT).
The keynote address, delivered by Her Excellency Rachér Croney, High Commissioner for Grenada to the United Kingdom, drew on her personal experience in commercial diplomacy to explore the role of trade and investment as transformative forces for gender equity and inclusive economic growth.
“When women come together, and when they do so across borders, nationalities, cultures, and disciplines, extraordinary things happen.”
Her Excellency the High Commissioner for Grenada in the United Kingdom
In her address, the High Commissioner reflected on the deep connection between trade and human potential, describing trade not merely as the movement of goods and capital, but as a bridge carrying knowledge, ambition, and possibility. Her Excellency further noted that we cannot look at trade without speaking about investment because they are deeply intertwined, each reinforcing and amplifying the other to form a power engine for economic growth, but growth must be inclusive.
She called on attendees to embrace inclusive economic models, noting that when women have equal access to markets, capital, and opportunities, businesses perform better, communities prosper, and economies grow stronger.
The keynote address also highlighted Grenada’s vibrant ecosystem of women entrepreneurs, and Government’s commitment to create an enabling environment for women-led enterprises, through training programmes, access to finance, and engagement with international platforms such as SheTrades and the GRIT initiative.
As a follow-up from this event High Commissioner Croney announced the Mission’s plans for a trade mission to Grenada – one that is designed to connect serious business leaders with on-the-ground partnerships and investment opportunities. The trade mission will open doors across key investment sectors including tourism and hospitality, agriculture and ago-processing, renewable energy, financial services including fintech, technology and digital services, and health and lifestyle industries. The High Commissioner extended a special welcome to women-led businesses, emphasising their unique mandate to hold the doors open for the next generation of women to follow.