The club runs a series of events throughout the year, some in association with other business organisations such as UK Trade & Investment and Croydon Chamber of Commerce. Please find details of the most recent meetings below.
Unless otherwise stated further information on any of the topics covered is available from any member of the club's executive. Click here for contact details.
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November 26: Croydon Park Hotel
Brazil and South Africa
BRAZIL is a good place to do business, according to
Sir Peter Heap, who used to be our man in Sao Paulo.
He was the ideal opening speaker for a half-day event, run in association with UK Trade & Investment and Croydon Chamber of Commerce.
Sir Peter is both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his
subject – he is emeritus chairman of the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in Great
Britain and he has visited the country regularly in the years since he ceased
working there.
He made much of the fact that we under-estimate the size and
potential of Brazil as a trade partner, perhaps because we are far more
familiar with its North American neighbour, the United States.
And yet, Brazil has a larger land mass than the US, if you
exclude Alaska, and at least as complex an economy with plenty of chances to
exploit the latest technology.
“If anything we tend to feel we have an obligation to teach
the Brazilians how to do things,” he said. “In practice they are well aware of
their commercial potential and take more kindly to offers of partnership than
management.”
The country has vast resources of land – to expand its
agriculture without cutting down precious rain forest – and it is exploring for
oil in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, where it already has indications of
vast potential.
Brazil is virtually unaffected by the world recession as its
banking sector was strictly regulated long before the credit crunch. A
requirement to disclose dealings means it gave a wide berth to so-called ‘Ninja’
mortgages – no income, no job or assets – that crippled so many European banks.
The meeting also heard from Rob Cannavo of the South African High
Commission about the advantage of doing business there right now.
The republic has just emerged from recession in time to
capitalise on the boost to trade that will surely come from playing host to the
Football World Cup in 2010.
South Africa is the first African country to enjoy this
distinction and it has embarked on a stadium-building programme to provide
worthy venues across this vast country, including a re-built Soccer City in
Johannesburg and state-of-the-art arenas in Cape Town, Durban and Port
Elizabeth.
The South African government is also embarking on a
multi-million dollar investment programme in the country’s infrastructure,
including electricity generation, housing development and rail- and
road-building, for which it is seeking overseas expertise.
The final speaker was Nicholas Armour, UKTI international
director, who offered a lively and amusing overview of why this is a good time to
do business abroad and how those in his department could support would-be
overseas traders.
He said that for many businesses there was no option but to
explore emerging international markets as traditional ones disappeared in the
recession. But he was quick to reassure first-time overseas traders that UK
Trade & Investment was there with all the expertise needed to help.
“We’re so good at what we do, we actually charge for it,” he
quipped. “Although we’re subsidised by the tax-payer, so we’re also exceptional
value for money.”
Please visit www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk for more
details about doing business in Brazil, South Africa or anywhere else in the world.
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October 19 2009:
Jurys Inn, Croydon
West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda)
WEST AFRICA is an area of opportunity, according to Mike
Gavin, an international adviser for UK Trade & Investment.
Mr
Gavin has recently returned from leading a British trade mission to Nigeria and
Ghana.
He was in Croydon to talk to more than 40 would-be
exporters, at a meeting organised jointly by SLEC and the
Croydon Economic Development Company.
Mike told his audience about growth rates in excess of
25 per cent, in stark contrast to stagnation in the UK, adding that Lagos, the
Nigerian capital, is ‘one big buzz, 24/7’.
“Half the Nigerian population is under 18, they are eager to
share in the good things the world has to offer and the country has the money –
much of it from oil revenue – to make the people’s dreams come true.
“But they need others to provide the products and services –
and that’s where the opportunities arise.”
Lagos is similar in area to Greater London, but according to
Mike it only has one street that is lit after dark and most of its major
buildings have their own generators because power distribution is so poor.
But the Nigerian government is under pressure from its
people to embark on major improvement programmes, he said.
“The same is true for construction, education, water
provision and sanitation,” he added, “and there’s a huge hunger for technology
– everyone you see has a mobile phone and there are flat-screen televisions in
every bar and public place. I have no doubt Nigeria will succeed. I’ve never come
across such a bunch of entrepreneurs, so eager to do business.”
Ghana is less frenetic, according to Mike, but it shares
many of Nigeria’s economic advantages. Oil has yet to come out of the ground in
Ghana, but full-scale production is due in 2010.
Like Nigeria, Ghana has a young population. Mike says it
also has strong historical ties with the UK and likes doing business with the
British.
Mike addressed the risks of doing business in West
Africa – Nigeria in particular has a certain reputation, but he believes that
need not be a bar if traders take appropriate precautions.
“Many of our trade missioners were alarmed by the speed at
which some Nigerians wanted to close deals,” he said, “but it takes two to make
an agreement, so if you need more time to consider your options, take it. A real deal will still be there in a few days – if it isn’t
you may have saved yourself a major problem.”
The gathering also heard from Bryan Treherne, chairman of
SLEC, about opportunities in Uganda.
The main ones are in agricultural processing, education, oil
and gas, and power.
The Ugandan government has also embarked on a project to
link its people with 27 of its ministries via an Internet network, so there is
work for ICT consultants.
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September 14, 2009: Croydon Town Hall
Spain
and Portugal
A GOOD number of members turned out for the first meeting
after the summer break.
The allocated committee room in Croydon Town Hall had
standing room only to hear presentations about Spain and Portugal.
Monica Montero, a Spaniard from the industrial north of the
country, talked about the long and happy Anglo-Spanish trading association and
presented a raft of suggestions for areas of business that might prove
fruitful.
She reminded members that there is a substantial ex-patriot
British population, mostly retired people, enjoying the warmer climate that
Spain has to offer and that they are a lucrative market for British exporters.
As a native of the country Monica was also able to offer
some useful tips about Spanish customs
"Spain starts work early and
finishes late," she said, "with a two-hour break for lunch, from midday.
Little or no business is done in August as most
Spaniards are on the beach. Likewise the weeks either side of and between
Christmas and New Year - about a month in all - are holiday time in Spain."
In the absence of the indisposed Portugal speaker, Bryan
Treherne offered a few pointers about doing business with Britain’s oldest
European ally. He was assisted by Deva Ponnoosami, who has business interests
in Portugal and who pointed out the close and strengthening association between
Portugal and its former South American colony, Brazil.
Following a few house notices, the meeting continued with
refreshments and networking until 9 o’clock
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SLEC is sponsored by HSBC - the world's local bank
