The ‘Seize the Export Opportunity’ conference, which is aimed at MSBs (Medium-Sized Businesses), will help them to assess their export capability and get started in international trade, or develop their existing export operations further.
Other keynote speakers will include former Lego® Director of Global Branding and Business Development, Christian Majgaard, and Sir Richard Olver, former Non-executive Chairman of BAE Systems PLC.
Thinley Topden, Acting Regional Director for UKTI said: “MSBs really punch above their weight when it comes to their contribution to the overall UK economy and employment figures. However, they have the potential to do so much more in international markets with the resources they have to develop new projects and pursue more growth opportunities.
“UKTI can provide the crucial support for these businesses through guidance from our dedicated Medium-sized business Trade Advisers on international strategy and routes to market, Intellectual property and international business culture as well as brokering new contacts and facilitating access to High Value Opportunities projects with the support of the British Embassies overseas.”
John Carroll, Head of International at Santander UK, the major sponsors of the conference added: “We are delighted to work with the UKTI in promoting the benefits of international trade, and see MSBs as crucial in driving growth in the UK’s international trading. Great businesses always have the potential to stretch far beyond their domestic market but expanding overseas can understandably appear to be a minefield.
“MSBs need to work out which countries they should be focusing on, and with which partners. They want to know how do they connect with them and ultimately how do they execute a deal and grow further. Santander has developed a strategy to support these businesses looking to expand abroad and provides business leaders with the information they need to make this leap of faith to the next level.”
Professor Joe Nellis, Director of Cranfield School of Management said: “The School of Management of Cranfield University is delighted to support this important UKTI conference. As the economy continues to rebalance in the wake of the global financial crisis, sustainability and growth of the export sector are critical to the future of the UK.”
Business leaders attending the event will gain insights from a variety of experienced exporters drawn from their successes and challenges in expanding through internationalisation and export.
They will hear from experts on specific topics around world economic trends, ethics and governance as well as cultural understanding and due diligence whether entering a new market or creating joint ventures. There also will be a range of breakout sessions to look at an industry or service with an export lens in more detail.
To register for the ‘Seizing the Export Opportunity’ conference please visit: www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/export
To find out more about UK Trade & Investment services in the East of England contact your local International Trade team:
Tel: 01707 398398
Email: info@uktieast.org.uk
Website: www.gov.uk/ukti
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