The negotiations with the EU should also not prevent business from building ties with other parts of the world. For example, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently forecasted that growth in Asia – despite the slowdown in China – will account for around two-thirds of global growth this year and next. Whether it is setting up operations in Asia or exporting goods and services to Latin America, emerging markets are only going to increase their share of the global economy in the years to come. Brave British businesses can take advantage of that if they want to.
Now is the time to look forward, not back.
Martin Gilbert is CEO of Aberdeen Asset Management.