The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) is a not-for-profit business organisation in Victoria, Australia. It informs and supports 47,000 members and clients across the state. Founded in 1851 with headquarters in Melbourne, the group is focused on providing policy leadership, information, representation, training and networking opportunities. The Victorian Chamber employs around 220 staff across its Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Wodonga and Traralgon offices.

History

The Victorian Chamber was founded as the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce in 1851. It was Victoria's first business organisation. The Chamber's members – bankers, accountants, financiers, merchants, importers, lawyers, ship owners and agents, manufacturers and stock, share and product brokers – sought to advance trade and commerce and make Melbourne one of the world's great free ports. It helped to establish the Melbourne Harbor Trust and Marine Board. In October 1986, the Chamber changed its name to the State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Victoria), which merged with the Victorian Employers' Federation to become the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) in 1991, serving Victoria's small and medium enterprises. In 2013, the Victorian Chamber re-established the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, which specifically caters for Victoria's leading corporations across all sectors of the economy. In November 2015, the Victorian Chamber underwent a rebrand and the name was changed to the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in line with rebrand of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In October 2018, VECCI lobbied to help local companies start exporting to overseas markets.

Key personnel

Quarterly publications