Rick Dobkin – Shapiro Metals (USA)

One of my fondest memories is from my first BIR meeting in Beijing in 2006. I was excited to attend the Welcome Evening in the Forbidden City, with local food, dancers and music. At the time, few Americans attended BIR events, so it was great to have more senior attendees help with networking. That first meeting confirmed BIR’s importance to our business, even when international trade is muted. Making good contacts and good friends over the last 20 years has been one of the highlights of my career.