THE Changing Faces of Business, Local and Global, was presented by Digby Jones, director general of the CBI.
Mr Jones is a native of Alvechurch and has many friends in the village.
When asked why he had taken the job, he said he 'wanted to make a difference'.
He knew he had just five years to do that as there is no re-election to this post.
The CBI has thousands of members, ranging from two men and a dog to multi-nationals, and does research and publicity for them.
Mr Jones said one of the biggest dangers to democracy was apathy. In the elections for the Mayor of London and the US President, only about 40 per cent voted.
When an offer was made of either free additional training or funds, the French took the training and the British the money.
The English language is a huge asset to Britain, said Mr Jones. At present, there are more children learning it in China than in the rest of the world.
The next meeting on March 28 will be the AGM, which will be attended by Sir Patrick Lawrence, one of the two originators of the society, followed by a video of A Journey Down the River Arrow.
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