LATVIA has taken the pain: now it’s looking forward to the
gain, which it’s inviting international traders from Britain to share.
According to Sanita Bankava (pictured), UK Trade & Investment’s senior
market adviser in Latvia, the prospects are good for those who are
prepared to
invest at this time.
The Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – are all
formerly part of the Soviet Union: Latvia gained independence in 1991
and
joined the European Union in 2004.
In the 16 years following independence, Latvia’s economy produced some of the best performances in the EU earning praise from the
International Monetary Fund.
It embraced market reforms,
welcomed foreign
investment and created the conditions in which domestic consumption
could grow
continuously.
It was badly hit by the international financial crisis of
2009, but received substantial help in the form of a €7 billion loan,
jointly funded
by the EU and the IMF.
Inflation and unemployment, both of which had been rising
sharply since the crisis, are now steady and, according to Sanita,
Latvia can
look forward to the prospect of slow but sustained growth.
She says there are particular opportunities in construction,
education
and information technology, where EU funds are available for appropriate
projects.
Sanita has worked for UK Trade & Investment in Riga, the
Latvian capital, for more than ten years. In that time she has helped
hundreds
of British companies to enter the Baltic market.
British businesses already in Latvia include BSW Timber, the
UK’s
largest saw-mill company with six mills in England, Scotland and Wales,
and one
near Riga. The mills have a combined capacity of more than one million
cubic
metres of timber a year, 120,000 cubic metres of that coming from Riga.
The company supplies timber to the construction, fencing,
gardening
and packaging sectors, among others. It has an annual turnover of £130m
and employs
more than 750 staff; 170 of them in Latvia.
For more details
about investing in Latvia or either of the other
Baltic States e-mail sanita.bankava@fco.gov.uk
or call +371 6777 4710.
New paragraph
The personal touch makes all the difference
INNOVATION
is the key to success in Singapore, according to Martyn Skinner, an expert on
trade in South East Asia.
Appropriate
then, that the September meeting of the South London Export Club, where
Martyn
was the principal speaker, should be a joint venture with Croydon Round
Table
of Inventors.
Martyn told the
meeting that in his experience Singaporean business was always looking
for the
latest development at the right price and was ready and able to pay for it.
He says: “Singapore
is about the size of the Isle of Man. It's a cosmopolitan country with a
business-friendly
government and an attachment to Britain.
“English is
the language of instruction for Singaporeans at all levels of education
from
primary to university, giving British firms an inbuilt advantage. It’s
an
easy place in which to do business, once you’ve established an
all-important
working relationship at both a personal and a corporate level. You need
to be
positive without over-selling yourself and friendly while maintaining
due
respect.
“Whatever
your business sector, Singaporeans want the best available and are quite
prepared to pay for it. As long as your products or services are
cost-effective
– the island’s economy is intensely competitive – and help to keep them
at the
forefront of their particular market they are happy to do business with
you.
“Think about
the country’s award-winning national airline, Singapore Airways. It uses
the
same aircraft as many of its competitors, but it distinguishes itself by
the
training of its staff and the standard of service it is therefore able
to
offer.”
Martyn
believes face-to-face meetings are vital to commercial success in
Singapore. He
thinks you need to visit customers at least twice a year to maintain
your
working relationships. But he has some advice to help you defray the
cost.
“Consider
Singapore as a springboard for the whole of South East Asia,” he says.
“The
market potential is as big as China’s, but you don’t have to cope with
the
rigidity of a huge beaurocracy. You can
make Singapore part of a four-centre business visit lasting a couple of
weeks.
Spend two or three days in each location and use the region’s network of
well-appointed
budget airlines to keep transfer costs to a minimum.”
Martyn Skinner spent 30 years working for Tate & Lyle
Group, latterly seeking investment opportunities in South East Asia,
China and
India.
Between 2000 and 2007 he was a British Government trade and
investment advisor covering Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam.
He
has worked with many firms in a wide range of sectors, providing
detailed
market guidance as well as advice on broader issues such as business
relationships and culture.
Since 2005 he has developed a consultancy specialising in South
East Asia. He continues to visit the region regularly.
The meeting
also heard from Eamonn Staunton who has worked for the
Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (formerly the Department of Trade & Industry)
since 1980.
Eamonn introduced club members to government initiatives
designed to ensure greater international success for United Kingdom
businesses,
particularly those involved with research and development.
Specifically, he explained the United Kingdom’s bilateral
trading relationship with Singapore and highlighted a range of services
that can
help overseas traders, including research tools and Singaporean market
contacts.
And he explained government keenness to encourage the best
overseas companies to look to this country as a global business
partner of
choice and a place to invest in knowledge-intensive industries.
In the past 20 years, Eamonn has held a series of senior positions
concentrating on international trade and investment.
Loaned to the
Foreign and Commonwealth
Office on three occasions, he has been posted to the United States
(1996), The Philippines
(2000/2004) and Malaysia (2005/2009); in each case to boost bilateral trade and
investment.
Eamonn is UK Trade & Investment's senior country
manager for Singapore. He does the same job for Brunei, Burma, Malaysia
and the
Philippines. He also oversees the work of the British-Asian Business
Councils
and is a life patron of the Singapore Business Group, which is based in
Britain
and active in London.
For more information about Singapore please click here
New paragraph
Kati likes the life and the language
SOUTH London is a friendly place to live and work.
So says Kati Lindemann, a 22-year-old from Germany,
who is the latest student from continental Europe to act as general
assistant
to club chairman Bryan Treherne.
Kati, whose family home is near
Leipzig in Saxony, has worked in England
before and plans to go on studying here in 2011.
She says: “I like the British approach to life. It’s
more relaxed than in Germany and I prefer it.”
During her five-month placement, Kati is staying in
Wallington with a south London family and when she isn’t working with
Bryan she
spends her spare time visiting central London.
“I love the long shopping hours in this country,” she
says with some relish. “In Germany there is still no Sunday opening and
shops
close earlier during the week too.”
Kati’s main area of study is
event management, but her
course includes international trade, which is how she comes to be
working with
Bryan. She has already arranged an additional year of studying: she will
be
based in the city of Durham for 12 months.
Kati is something of a linguist, having studied French
and Spanish, as well as English, at school and subsequently at college.
“I
prefer English,” Kati says. “I find it easier to work with than either
of the
other two because English is the universal language.”
She adds:
“I am looking forward to returning to
England next year and when I have finished my studies I am seriously
thinking
about finding a job here.”
New paragraph
Simone is top of the class
BANGLADESHIS are passionate about social and economic development
and determined to create their own distinct international identity.
So says Simone De-Gale, an architectural designer based in central
Croydon.
She is working with a charitable organisation to build a new
school in
Sylhet, the second largest city in Bangladesh.
Simone was the special guest at the July meeting of the South London Export Club, where she spoke about this project in particular and the country in general.
The school will ultimately expand to provide an education for 300
children of primary age.
The first phase will accommodate 100 in an
urban
scheme which will become a mixed use development.
SIMONE DE-GALE:planning a new school for young Bangladeshis.
The work is being commissioned by the Newham Welfare
Trust,
a charity based in east London that is raising the £50,000
needed to
make the plans a reality.
Ms De-Gale said: “I visited Sylhet in February and
carried
out site investigations from which I was able to prepare proposals for
building
elevations. I was also able to build a model of the proposed development
that
the Newham Welfare Trust could present to potential benefactors.
“The first phase will cost about £50,000: it
doesn’t sound much in terms of British building costs, but the money
will go a
long way in Bangladesh, using local labour and materials to provide a
quality
building at a reasonable price.”
The new school will be built in Sumanganj, a semi-rural
suburb
on the outskirts of Sylhet.
At the moment the trust is using temporary
accommodation to teach the children because the nearest school is ten
miles
away.
DESIGN CONCEPT: an impression of how the mixed-use development might look
Ms De-Gale said: “Without a proper school the children’s
horizons
are very limited. They would learn agricultural skills or housekeeping
from
family members, but the lack of any formal education would
severely
limit their prospects.”
The first phase of the building will include a series of
retail units, the income from which will contribute towards the running
costs
of the project. Residential accommodation above the shops is likely to
be used
to house school staff.
There is no requirement for planning permission in a British
sense, but there are formalities to be agreed with the local authorities
in
Bangladesh.
Work is expected to start early in 2011 and take about 18
months. Ms De-Gale will visit the site at the outset to brief the
builders and
again at crucial points during the construction.
For more information about Bangladesh please click here
New paragraph
Have you considered Croatia?
SOUTH London firms are missing a trick if they don’t
consider Croatia as a place in which to do business.
That’s the view of Natasha Kalauz, UK Trade and Investment’s
woman in Zagreb and herself a Croatian.
She reminded the March meeting of South London Export Club
that Croatia’s European Union entry is expected by January
1, 2012 at the latest and that British firms are not as prominent as
they might be in areas of trade where Britain is renowned for its expertise.
She says: “Croatia has traditionally done most of its
international business with Austria and Germany, but that is changing rapidly
as the country enthusiastically embraces its role as one of the newest members
of the EU.
“The country is developing its port structure to become a
major point of entry for goods from Asia and East Africa. Its position on the
Adriatic means it can cut as many as eight days off the journey to
NATASHA KALAUZ: 'Croatia needs engineering, logistics and security skills.' Picture by Gareth Curtis
central and
western Europe compared with sending cargo by sea around the Iberian Peninsula. So it needs engineering, logistics and security skills for
which Britain is famous.
“Croatia is also in the process of rebuilding its tourist
industry, based on a middle market model with new marinas, golf courses and luxury
hotels. It would benefit from the creative skills that the British could bring
to marketing a truly wonderful holiday destination.”
Ms Kalauz says there is also much work to be done in
upgrading infrastructure: roads and railways, water and waste treatment, as
well as the creation of renewable energy resources. And these are all areas in
which Britain excels.
“You will find a well-educated and skilled workforce with a
reputation for innovation,” she adds. “Croatia invented the GPS satellite and
the systems needed to pay parking charges by mobile phone. There are top-class software engineers ready to embark on
development projects for about one-third of what you would pay in Britain.”
She agrees that much of the money for larger projects is
coming from the EU and accessing it can be cumbersome, but this former Croatian
government officer and United Nations executive, says: “That’s why we’re here.
My team and I know the right buttons to press. All you need to do is ask us.”
For more information about Croatia please click here
New paragraph
More work on offer in paradise
PENT UP demand makes the Caribbean a good prospect for the
export of expertise in the form of joint ventures in construction, sales and
training.
A scarcity of tourists over the past 18 months has halted a significant
number of multi-million dollar projects, including in the Bahamas, Jamaica and
St Lucia.
Typical designs show houses and apartments set around an exclusive
hotel, a golf course and a marina; maybe even a casino.
The developments are funded
by the sale of the yet-to-be-built real estate, much of it as timeshares.
Now the world economy is starting to turn there will be a
need for builders, estate agents and those able to train the staff needed to
provide appropriate levels of pampering for European and North American guests.
Hadford T. Howell, our man in the Caribbean, says its always a good time to do business there and promised would-be international traders from south London a warm welcome in every respect, including the climate.
SEA VIEW: Here's a typical luxury leisure development - in Montego Bay, Jamaica
New paragraph
African trade prospects look better
SOUTH AFRICA beats Britain out of recession and it looks
less bruised than many of the world’s economies.
Its sound banking sector – rated 15th out of 134 countries
by the World Economic Forum – and a government pledge to spend $98 billion on
infrastructure over the next three years have shielded it from the worst of the
global economic storms.
Analysts believe the country’s economy will resume steady growth in 2010, helped by its hosting of the Football World Cup towards the end of the year.
This could be a good time to think about investing in this
promising market, which is increasingly seen by many as an economically and politically stable platform from which to launch operations in other African countries.
But be prepared to make a long-term commitment that includes
joint ventures with quality training for indigenous staff.
TOP MAN: South African president Jacob Zuma, elected in May 2009, who has set himself the task of creating additional jobs by investing substantially in his country's infrastructure.
New paragraph
Central Europe avoids a perfect
storm
ECONOMIC APOCALYPSE has so far been averted in central Europe.
Speculators who counted on contagion toppling countries like dominoes have
little to show for it, while those who bet the other way have made juicy gains.
Poland’s stock market is up by nearly 40 per cent since its
low in February 2009, while Hungary’s has risen by half.
So-called ‘scrapage’ schemes to boost car sales will add significantly to gross domestic product this financial year - an estimated one per cent in
Slovakia, and 0.5 per cent in the Czech Republic and Hungary.
The International Monetary Fund, the European Commission,
national governments and banks have been acting together and pre-emptively. In May last year the
IMF gave a $21 billion credit facility to Poland, the biggest and strongest
economy in the region.
FUTURE PERFECT: This is the courtyard of the University of Technology in Warsaw, Poland, where the nation's bright sparks receive their top flight education.
Manners maketh man (and woman)
THE ENGLISH are more polite and less arrogant than the
Dutch, according to Concheeta de Kromme.
The 17-year-old from Arnhem in Holland made her judgement
based on a number of visits to Britain, most recently a four-week work
experience placement.
Concheeta was assigned to Bryan Treherne, chairman of SLEC,
and his colleagues at UK Trade & Investment where, among other jobs, she
helped to prepare a presentation on Mexico for an export club
meeting.
Concheeta is a student at the Dutch city’s Titus College, which has close
ties with the Croydon business community.
Bryan was delighted with her positive attitude to the tasks
she was set and he was much impressed by her excellent command of English.
GOING DUTCH: Concheeta de Kromme prefers English manners to those of her fellow countrymen.
Mark squeezes into the British Library
SLEC MEMBER Mark Sheahan is the British Library’s first Inventor in Residence.
In his post Mark attempts to steer novice inventors around obstacles that litter the path between creating something and earning money from it.
Mark devised a new form of squeeze-to-open plastic container ten years ago that he has since sold successfully around the globe to firms making products ranging from snuff to sweets.
According to Mark, the first step to making money from your bright idea is to ensure it doesn’t exist already - an obvious consideration, but one that many people overlook, he insists.
Filing a patent application is the next step - Mark recommends employing a patent agent, despite a cost of £800 to £5,000. Once the patent is granted you can shout about your invention, but be careful how much detail you volunteer without a confidentiality agreement.
EASY SQUEEZY: Mark Sheahan with a selection of the simpler-to-open containers he invented.
New paragraph
SLEC is sponsored by HSBC - the world's local bank
According to Sanita Bankava (pictured), UK Trade & Investment’s senior
market adviser in Latvia, the prospects are good for those who are
prepared to
invest at this time.
Appropriate
then, that the September meeting of the South London Export Club, where
Martyn
was the principal speaker, should be a joint venture with Croydon Round
Table
of Inventors.
Eamonn introduced club members to government initiatives
designed to ensure greater international success for United Kingdom
businesses,
particularly those involved with research and development.
So says Kati Lindemann, a 22-year-old from Germany,
who is the latest student from continental Europe to act as general
assistant
to club chairman Bryan Treherne.
So says Simone De-Gale, an architectural designer based in central
Croydon.
The new school will be built in Sumanganj, a semi-rural
suburb
on the outskirts of Sylhet. 
She reminded the March meeting of South London Export Club
that Croatia’s European Union entry is expected by January
1, 2012 at the latest and that British firms are not as prominent as
they might be in areas of trade where Britain is renowned for its expertise.
PENT UP demand makes the Caribbean a good prospect for the
export of expertise in the form of joint ventures in construction, sales and
training.
SOUTH AFRICA beats Britain out of recession and it looks
less bruised than many of the world’s economies.
ECONOMIC APOCALYPSE has so far been averted in central Europe.
THE ENGLISH are more polite and less arrogant than the
Dutch, according to Concheeta de Kromme.
SLEC MEMBER Mark Sheahan is the British Library’s first Inventor in Residence.