Guest speakers from UKTI, China-Britain Business Council, Institute of Exports, Bristol China Partnerships and UWE addressed a sell-out conference on how to develop and grow business in China. The event, organised by the Institute of Directors (IoD), was hosted by HSBC and attended by more than 80 South West-based directors from a range of sectors and organisations.
The event also acted as a platform for the IoD and UKTI, the Government's export advice arm, to showcase its multi-partite trade mission opportunity to Bristol’s sister city of Guangzhou in October next year.
Richard Lowe, IoD Committee member leading the China Trade project, said: “This event highlighted a thirst for international trade information. The calibre of speakers, who have experienced the highs and lows of international trade, also added weight. Over the coming months we look forward to a programme of events that will reinforce our mission to Guangzhou to educate and guide the business community in the South West on the benefits and opportunities that lie in international trade with China.”
IoD Bristol chairman Tom McCarthy added: “The fact that this event was oversubscribed shows that South West businesses recognise the importance of developing new markets. We all know that the domestic market is tough but as the Prime Minister noted earlier this year, we are going to get out of this recession by trading our way out, by businesses deciding to create wealth and to go after new markets, to export.
“Export is not just for large organisations. SMEs must make the most of international markets. The IoD’s mission is to connect those business owners to experts who can make their ambitions come to reality.”
Mr McCarthy said the conference had helped to clarify uncertainties such as funding and culture for those thinking of expanding into China and there would now be a programme of educational events over the coming months for those who are serious about international expansion.
Alasdair Mcintyre, of Double Europe, a speaker at the event with successful links with the East, said: “I thought the calibre of attendees and speakers was great . . . I certainly got some valuable lessons on how we can take our business forward in China. I talked through the case study of Double Europe and our growth as a business, specifically in the Far East and I also went into detail about specific key lessons which we’ve learnt over the past two and a half years.
"As a business we’ve grown from a standing start in 2009 up to projected turnover of £2m in 2011, with 90% of business coming from global brands, and we are actively investing in our Chinese proposition, with our current stable of clients but also exploring Chinese brands exporting into the European retail markets.”
The conference marks the start of a campaign on international trade over the coming years, initially focused on China.
Pictured: (front l-r) Chen Wu (China Britain Business Council), Richard Lowe (IoD/HR Training & Solutions), Prof. Andrew Douglas (UWE), Tom McCarthy (IoD/Avondale Group), Edward Till (HSBC), Stephen Phillips (China Britain Business Council). (Back l-r) David Quarton (GL Garrad Hassan), Alasdair McIntyre (Double Europe), James Jordan (HSBC), Paul Hardman (IoD/Gregg Latchams), Diana Francombe (Bristol China Partnership).
