The European Business Drink is an event held every two months in both Madrid and Barcelona by all the European chambers of commerce.
If I’ve sometimes mentioned the good networking you can do at a chamber of commerce, imagine bringing together all the European chambers of commerce in Madrid…
To attend this event you need to be a member of one of the European chambers of commerce in Madrid or Barcelona, such as:
- Germany: Cámara de Comercio Alemana para España (German Chamber of Commerce for Spain)
- Belgium Cámara de Comercio de Bélgica y Luxemburgo en España (Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Spain)
- Denmark: Cámara de Comercio Hispano-Danesa (Spanish-Danish Chamber of Commerce)
- Finland: Cámara de Comercio Hispano-Finlandesa (Spanish-Finnish Chamber of Commerce)
- France: Cámara Franco-Española de Comercio e Industria (French-Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Madrid – Valencia)
- Italy: Camera di Commercio italiana per la Spagna
- Luxembourg: Cámara de Comercio de Bélgica y Luxemburgo en España (Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Spain)
- Portugal: Cámara Hispano-Portuguesa de Comercio e Industria en España (Spanish-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Spain)
- United Kingdom: Cámara de Comercio Británica en España (British Chamber of Commerce in Spain)
- Sweden: Cámara de Comercio Hispano-Sueca (Spanish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce)
As I’ve been actively involved in some of the organising chambers for more than 5 years, I run into lots of people I know and I help newcomers find their feet.
For this event, as for most networking events, you need to go well stocked with business cards, and if you speak more than one language, all the better, as you’ll meet French, British, German, Portuguese, Swedish and Italian people, and speaking their language is a plus.
That said, I don’t recommend going in aggressive salesperson mode, knife between your teeth, handing out and collecting cards left, right and centre. Arrive, observe, chat, fit in and enjoy the event, and if you like it, come back, because there will be time to make and consolidate good professional contacts.
These events never have fewer than 100 participants and the level of the attendees is quite high: they are executives from multinational companies, and you can always count on the people in charge at the various chambers to introduce you to someone who might interest you.
It’s also increasingly common for sponsoring companies to lay on surprises, and you can enjoy a good wine, a good champagne or perhaps win a trip to Paris with Air France-KLM, you never know.
European Bz Drink at Regus Palacio de Miraflores
A few years ago I offered the courtyard of the Palacio de Miraflores as the venue for the European Business Drink; we had a Ribera del Duero wine and raffled off a trip and free office days, and it was a great success.
The next one is on Tuesday 12 January in Madrid, and I’ll be there as always.
Happy networking!!
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