Tuesday, November 13, 2012

British Ambassador Westmacott Whirlwind Chicago VIsit includes Tribeca Flashpoint Academy tour


 
British Ambassador Westmacott makes whirlwind Chicago visit

November 12, 2012


 
Sir Peter Westmacott made a flurry of appearances around Chicago over the weekend.

The British ambassador to the United States schmoozed with the mayor, attended a gala at the Art Institute of Chicago, did a little business and made time for a friend.

He and Mayor Rahm Emanuel talked Saturday about the Sister City relationship between Chicago and the industrial city of Birmingham, England, and Prime Minister David Cameron's recent interest in tech incubator 1871 in Chicago. The prime minister visited the entrepreneurial hotbed earlier this year.

“Our tech companies and startups may be built in Chicago, but their reach is global. By continuing to strengthen our international relationships, we are ensuring that Chicago remains the most strategically advantageous city in the world for both entrepreneurs and established businesses,” Mr. Emanuel said in a release about their meeting.

Mr. Westmacott joined officials from the Art Institute for the opening of the Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries, which features more than 500 pieces of Greek, Byzantine and Roman art. Part of the exhibition, which runs through Aug. 25, is devoted to late Roman and early Byzantine treasures from the British Museum.

Along with the Jaharises, attendees included John Calamos, founder of the asset management company bearing his name and chairman of the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago, and Archbishop Demetrios, who heads the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Earlier in the day, the British ambassador stopped by Tribeca Flashpoint for a private tour with Tribeca Flashpoint Academy CEO Howard Tullman. Mr. Westmacott and Mr. Tullman discussed how to bring Chicago entrepreneurial efforts to London.

The British official also visited with his friend Laurence Geller, the British native and hotelier who recently stepped down as head of Strategic Hotels.

Follow Shia on Twitter at @ShiaKapos.