Last Wednesday’s Annual General Meeting of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce formally adopted the report on the Chamber’s activities from May 2024 to June 2025, approved the financial statement for the financial year ending 31 December 2024 – which showed a profit after two years of losses – and elected members of the new executive board for the 2025-2028 term.
The AGM resolved that the composition of the Board shall be as follows:
Michał Obiegała, BP Poland, chairman of the board
Dariusz Kucharski, HSBC Poland, vice-chairman
Paweł Świętochowski, Castorama Poland, secretary to the board
Elżbieta Pełka, Pełka & Partners
Andrzej Pośniak, CMS
The BPCC’s mission, vision and strategic goals were defined in October 2024 and presented at the AGM. Mission: creating favourable conditions for two-way trade and investment between Poland and the UK. Vision: becoming one of the most influential and efficient organisations in Poland. Strategic Goals: being an efficient knowledge-sharing platform for members, being an active supporter of our members’ activities in front of external stakeholders, and strengthening the BPCC’s reputation as a valuable intermediary between private and public sectors, and growing the network.
The past year saw a significant change to the BPCC membership offer, which gives members in the small (enterprise) and medium-sized (business) classes the chance to upgrade to a higher service level regardless of employee numbers. In particular, this concerns improved access to events, communication channels and public-policy activities.
A highlight of the past year was the publication of a major report on the state of Polish-UK economic cooperation, which was launched at the Polish press agency PAP in February. The report attracted significant media coverage and highlighted the growth of Polish investment in the UK, as well as the continued success of UK businesses present in Poland as they re-invest and grow. The report demonstrates that trade between the two countries continues to flourish despite the UK’s departure from the single European market and Customs Union.
Noting the increased interest in Polish firms in the UK economy, the BPCC established a new programme aimed at supporting exporters and investors. This is the Expander Programme, delivered in partnership with the J. Dauman Group, which focuses on improving Polish businesses’ preparedness for the UK market through better analysis, research and strategy.
BPCC Events highlights
During the reporting period, the BPCC organised 74 of its own events and co-organised or supported 380 other meetings for its members and other stakeholders, including webinars and patronages.
Some of the high-profile events that have taken place since the previous AGM include:
- International Oktoberfest, Wrocław, 6 September 2024
- Doing Business in the UK, Rzeszów, 15-16 October
- HR Forum – How Will We Manage? Gdynia, 25 October
- International Speed Business Networking, Warsaw, 6 November
- Wrocław Agglomeration Real Estate Forum, 6 November 2024
- Patrick’s Day Business Mixer, Warsaw, 13 March,
- Seizing Opportunities in Poland: Stronger Ties, Smarter Investment, London, 15 April 2025
- Inter-Chamber Golf Tournament, Wrocław, 16 May 2025
BPCC Public Affairs highlights
From April 2024 to June 2025, the BPCC maintained a high-level dialogue with government stakeholders, strengthening its role as a trusted voice for British-Polish business interests.
2024
19 July – Meeting with Finance Minister Andrzej Domański, focused on fiscal policy and investor-related issues.
24 July – Expert seminar at the Ministry of Climate and Environment, looking at energy transition, sustainability, and regulatory challenges.
16 October – Round table with the British Chamber EU & Belgium, held at CMS offices ahead of Poland’s Presidency of the EU Council
21 October – Opening of Circular Week at the British Embassy, with BPCC members speaking on transport decarbonisation, especially for heavy goods vehicles
2025
21 March – Better Regulation Workshop (with British Embassy and Department for Business and Trade; 35 public officials from ministries participated to focus on how to evaluate legislation, regulatory impact assessment and green policy framework
1 April – meeting with the Polish-British Parliamentary Group at the British Embassy with 60 participants from politics and business; keynotes from Ambassador Anna Clunes, Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle (via video link) and Senator Marcin Bosacki.
BPCC communications & media highlights
The BPCC published five issues of Contact Magazine Online, focused on Real Estate & Construction (issue 63, May 2024); Finance & Financial Services (issue 64, June 2024); Digitalisation (issue 65, October 2024) Green Transformation (issue 66, December 2024); Human Resources (issue 67, March 2025). The five issues contained 20 interviews with members and over 100 articles from member firms.
Membership and finances
The current number of members is 264, compared to 271 in at the time of last year’s AGM. However, the increase in the number of Patrons from three to five, with Castorama, HSBC and PwC being joined by BAT Polska and InPost, has helped improve the chamber’s financial position, moving from a loss of 73,157 złotys in 2023-24 to a profit of 156,882 złotys in 2024-25. The balance sheet has also improved, from 305,272 złotys in 2023-34 to 635,368 złotys in 2024-25.
People
Paweł Siwecki stepped down from the role of Managing Director, and Marcin Cichy has held the position since May 2024. Marta Zawilska-Florczuk resigned from the role of the Public Affairs Manager at the end of January 2025; Magdalena Parol has filled that position from 1 June 2025. Oliwia Korpysz joined the BPCC as Events Specialist in January 2025. The executive team now stands at eight: Marcin Cichy, Dorota Kierbiedź, Ilona Chodorowska, Jakub Piegat, Michael Dembinski, Paulina Sierańska, Magdalena Parol and Oliwia Korpysz.
Administration and premises
The BPCC’s HQ remains on ulica Zielna 37 in Warsaw; our Wrocław branch office remains on ulica Strzegomska 142A
On behalf of the BPCC Board
Marcin Cichy, BPCC Managing Director
