News Release
Bank of England Governor Opens Agency for Wales
05 December 1996
The Governor of the Bank of England, Eddie George, will inaugurate the Bank's new Agency for Wales at a reception to be held in Cardiff on Friday 6 December. The reception, hosted by the Governor and the recently- appointed Agent for Wales, Sue Camper, will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cr John Phillips; the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Wales, Gwilym Jones MP, and business leaders in Wales.
By providing intelligence on regional developments in the economy, the Bank of England's Agencies play an important part in the process of shaping the Bank's monetary policy advice to the Chancellor. Each Agent keeps in close touch with local businessmen, labour leaders, trade and regional associations and from these contacts compiles regular reports on business conditions. Often the Agents pick up trends before they are reflected in national statistics and they shed light on what lies behind those statistics.
Sue Camper said:
"The establishment of an Agency for Wales recognises the growing significance of business activity in Wales to the UK economy as a whole, and will enable the Bank to enhance the level of economic intelligence it has about Wales.
This will be achieved by adding to the contact base already established by the Bank's Bristol and Liverpool Agencies, which have previously monitored developments in Wales, and will include those sectors of growing importance to the Welsh economy." "I am looking forward to the official opening," she added "The response already from the business community in Wales to the Bank's new presence here has been very encouraging."
Sue Camper will be assisted by two Deputy Agents, Chris Piper for South Wales, based in Cardiff, and Neil Ashbridge for North Wales working from the Liverpool Agency.
Notes to Editors
The reception will take place from 12 midday until 2.00 pm in the Whitehall Suite at The Park Hotel, Park Place, Cardiff CF1 3UD.
A photocall, including the Lord Mayor, the Under- Secretary, the Governor and Sue Camper, will take place in the reception area immediately outside the Whitehall Suite, from approximately 1.30 pm until 1.35 pm.
There will be a brief opportunity for questions and answers from approximately 2.00 pm until 2.05 pm.
1 Recognising the significance of their contribution, the Bank of England is expanding the number of regional agencies from 9 to 12 over the next few months. In addition to the new Agency for Wales, new agencies will be opened in Nottingham and Greater London.
The existing agencies are located in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Winchester and the South East.
2 Sue Camper, 43, has worked in the Bank since 1972. She has recently been the Chief Manager of the Bank's Reserves Management Unit which is responsible for managing the majority of the UK's $45 bn Foreign Currency reserves. She also served on the board of the European Investment Bank. Sue is a Chartered Engineer, Member of the British Computer Society and Associate of the Institute of Personnel and Development. Sue has connections with Wales, distantly through her own family and through her husband who was born in Cardiff. Sue has many interests and particularly enjoys walking and opera. She has for many years been a member of the Scout Association as a leader and management trainer. A photograph is available from the Bank's Press Office.
3 The Agency will be temporarily based at the Pierhead Building in Cardiff until its permanent offices are completed in the middle of next year at the Scott Harbour development in Capital Waterside, Cardiff Bay.
