Britweek magazine 2013

45Years after

"to sir With Love!" the Legendary

Lulu is back to woo american audiences

Britain and Florida

Sunshine State!

Introducing an exciting new series of events in the

fLoridas t a n d a r d

v i s i t s M i a M i

Celebrating innovation and business between

Bid on incredible experiences with

Lennox Lewis and celebrity friends

MARCH 7-14, 2013

speciaL edition of

Can we help you transfer money to and from the USA? Yes We can!

2 | BritWeek visit MiaMi

3

Uk trade & investment - thank you

4

consular assistance - a helping hand - and interview with Louise proudlove

doing business in Brazil?

Southerncomforts

21

southern comforts - Business opportunities abound - by Ukti

Lulu comes back to america - 45 years after “to sir with Love”

8

24

con

ten

ts

10

BritWeek calendar - celebrating innovation and business between Britain and florida

C A L E N D A R

Dear Friends,

BritWeek visits Miami runs from the 7 - 14 March. the week-long celebration of British excel-lence includes a packed programme of signature events hosted at Miami’s most exclusive ven-ues. events will showcase British influence in business innovation, technology, trade, design, art, sport, architecture, music, fashion and culture; combining Great Britain’s modern excellence with Miami’s provocative and diverse environment.

BritWeek visits Miami is hosted by Uk trade & investment (Ukti), in conjunction with adoreum Miami and BritWeek in california.

the Uk and florida share a unique and special relationship. trade and investment is what drives it: 39000 floridians employed by over 300 companies contributing to two way trade worth $2 billion every year. Uk trade and investment plays a key role in developing new business and growing current business.

“Ukti is proud to be hosting the first ever ‘BritWeek’ outside of california.this is our opportunity to shine the spotlight on the unique commercial opportunities that exist in the state and its positioning as an unrivalled test-bed and springboard for Uk companies looking to launch new products and services in the americas. Moreover; showcase those Uk firms that are having a marked impact on the florida economy in areas ranging from space technologies, to the engineering design and envrionemntal consultancy work for major florida infrastructure proj-ects, through to tourist favourites such as LeGoLand florida. the Brits are here, and there’s more coming!” - Rebecca Mowat, Head of UKTI (Southeast USA) & BritWeek visits Miami Steering Committee

“i am delighted to be back in florida for the inaugural Uk / florida business innovation awards and BritWeek visits Miami. i say back because i had the privilege of living in florida in the 1990s when i worked for Barclays Bank” Danny Lopez, British Consul-General, New York and Director-General, UK Trade & Investment USA

British Consul General Kevin McGurgan, who will host vip events alongside city leaders, says, “i am delighted that Miami is the first east coast city to host BritWeek. Miami’s energy, sophisti-cation and style are a perfect fit for the best British brands, technology and design. More than 400,000 Brits visit Miami every year and this is our way of recognizing the Uk contribution to Miami and profiling the Uk as Miami’s go-to transatlantic partner.”

“We are excited that Miami is to be our first break out from california.” said BritWeek Chairman Bob Peirce. “Miami, like La, is fertile ground for Brits with cool new ideas, especially in design, technology and innovative businesses. it is a BritWeek kind of city, as the BritWeek visits Miami program will show.”


the service the British consulate provides is not something i have ever really thought about and yet, as an expat, the help they offer could, one day, prove invaluable.

t he Consulate offers assis-tance to British Nationals, all over the world, who find themselves in serious dis-tress and help them get the

support they need. It may be unpleasant to think about, but when you have been

a victim of a serious crime, where there has been a death or a hospitalization, or have somehow been sent to prison, it is crucial that you get the right help.

As Head of Consular Assistance, Louise Proudlove, based in London, is responsible for supporting the teams

a heLpinG hand...

who help British Nationals, both abroad and their families at home, as well as ensuring that they are focused on the right issues and are reaching as many people as possible. On her recent 3 day visit to the Miami Consulate, Louise hosted a reception event for British Nationals to come and learn more about the services they can provide.

Dean Churm, British Consul & Regional Operations Manager, says that the Miami consuls customers generally fall into 2 main categories: ‘Those who have never heard of the consuls services before and don’t realize what we can help with and those with high expecta-tions of what the consul can do to help them.’

For those who are unaware of the consuls services, outreach programs, volunteer networks and social media all help to promote their services.

In Florida, spreading the word about the services available for the elderly is particularly important, with many expats reaching retirement age. By partnering with Spanish Consul networks (who face a similar issue) the Consul can ensure that the people that need help the most, know that it is available to them.

Not only are there an estimated 400,000 expats living in Florida, there are also the hoards of tourists, scat-tered throughout the state. Combine this amount of people with the risk of a natural disaster hitting and the Consul

consULar assistance

BritWeek visit MiaMi | 5

needs to be sure that as many people as pos-sible know who to contact for help.

Those customers that come to the Consul with high expectations of the services that can be provided often utilize the open door policy and will go in to speak with someone. However, changes planned over the next 3 years will streamline this system. A new appointment service allows the customer to select the best time for them to visit and to make sure that the person they need to see will be available, ultimately meaning that they will get the help they need much quicker. Appointments can be made online or over the phone and by ‘using resources the best way we can, we are mak-ing the service better for the customer,’ Louise commented.

This appointment service is just one of the ways time is being spent more effectively.

Traditionally, the Consul has been heavily involved in smaller, day to day ‘emergencies’ such as the losing of one’s passport while on holiday, whilst still a very serious issue for the person who has lost their passport, this may be something that, in today’s digital age, can be solved by the individual online.

John Smith, Director Consular Services North America, comments that ‘things have changed a lot over the past few years. We ‘re not radically changing WHO we’re dealing with, only HOW we deal with them’ The average member of the travelling public under 30 will likely want the convenience of online access, but elderly customers may prefer face to face contact. Both options will be possible, but it’s about recognizing the people who need sup-port the most and directing them to the right person, through the quickest channel.

These changes in structure present a great opportunity to be at the forefront of consulate services, to ensure a more focused approach, so

that people can get the help they need.The best place to start is at http://ukinusa.

fco.gov.uk. So go online and have a look around. And

remember, customer feedback is always ap-preciated - after all, the changes are all about getting people the help they need in the best possible way.

sarahWiLkinsonoriginally fromGrimsby in Lincoln-shire, england, sarahcompleted a one yearprogram with Waltdisney World in 2004,where she met herhusband. they madethe permanent moveto the United states in2010. sarah gradu-ated from the open University, obtaining a Ba (hons) in hu-manities and Business studies as part of an open degree.sarah has spent thelast four years in retailmanagement andcustomer service andas such, is the liaisonfor overseas privateclients prior to theiraccount opening.sarah is also re-sponsible for office management and carries out a wide variety of tasks. these include, but are not limited to, accounting, audits, expenses and local administration. in addition to this, sarahprovides administra-tive support to the account Managementand Business devel-opment teams in the Us office.




it’s been quite a year to be British! Much like the tapes-try that was created at the olympics to showcase the ele-ments that comprise the essence of “Brit-ish”- ness , of what makes Great Britain Great; these very same elements have made BritWeek take california by storm… and now florida!

By Justine Assal

WeLcoMe Back toaMerica!


BritWeek is visiting Miami and when I first heard that Lulu would be performing, I couldn’t help but think of

what an amazing bird’s eye view she has had as part of British pop culture for almost 50 years. Best known in the U.S. for the timeless “To Sir with Love”, Lulu is also an accomplished singer, song writer, actress, and busi-ness woman. She has recorded with the likes of Elton John, Paul McCartney, Ronan Keating, Bobby Womack, Jim-my Hendrix, the list goes on to include the title song for James Bond’s “Man with a Golden Gun” to co-writing “I Don’t Wanna Fight” for Tina Turner. Her music and life is a thread of this British tapestry and a cool life it is!

I had specific questions about BritWeek but when you have a pop icon whose career has spanned so much modern history, there is so much more to talk about and so many things to discuss so that in the end, it is all interesting and thus the topics mean-dered as a delightful conversation with a bubbly and very down to earth Pop Icon – The Lovely Lulu!

You reached popularity with U.S. audiences in 1967 with “To Sir With Love” starring with Sidney Poitier and of course singing the cover song, but then interestingly did not perform much over the years in the U.S., why is that?My manager for 28 years was a well to do lady whose children were in school at the London Lycee. She would not have come to the US and in many ways,

she was responsible for keeping my life on track. I wouldn’t have gone without her. It wasn’t about the money for her, she was my manager because she loved it so we never explored doing anymore in the U.S.

What was the fame like in the early years and was there any difference when you connected with American audiences?

It was a whirlwind, a crazy time and very hard to take it seriously, I was so young and it didn’t feel real – like a dream -maybe there were missed opportunities in not taking advan-tage of the American fame but it was overwhelming. America has always felt comfortable to me though as I grew up with American music. My parents never listened to British music since most of it before the Beatles was rub-bish! So it was a good job that you were so close to your manager, as you could have lost your balance along the way. It’s interesting that now you are spending more time than ever in the US and even performed for the first time in New York City the other day.

That was a bit scary and I don’t know why I never did it before. I loved it though and could kiss the reporter who titled my review “Before Adele there was Lulu”. I wanted to keep it true though and that didn’t mean try-ing to pretend to be younger by having young singers on stage with me. I’m not that age anymore.

It seems an apt title as you were the

intervieW

The legendary LuLu comes back To woo U.s. aUdiences 45 years afTer “To sir wiTh love!”

Adele of your time! You are a big part of British pop culture and along with your contemporaries, you created a soundtrack for our lives. It’s not an easy feat to remain relevant, how have you managed this?

It’s all about the music, it always has been. Music is my first love and it’s what connects us all. It has the ability to take us make us laugh, cry, take you back in years. It has the ability to make governments communicate and it’s a great healer.

Do you visit the U.S. much now?A big part of staying relevant for so long, required me to really take care of myself. I started a skin care line a few years ago “Time Bomb” with John Freida’s (Lulu’s ex husband with whom she has a son) business partner. I am travelling quite a bit to Connecticut to launch the line on QVC and so fun-nily enough, now I am doing more in America than ever.

I enjoyed my chat with Lulu, she is down to earth, vibrant, and easy to talk and joke with. It’s disarming and easy to forget that she has been famous for almost 50 years. Welcome back to America Lulu, please visit more often this time around!


UKTI Business Innovation Recognition AwardsThursday, March 7th | 7 - 11pm | By Invitation OnlyFour Seasons Miami Beach | 1435 Brickell Ave | Miami, FL 33131

The inaugural BritWeek visits Miami will kick off with a black tie Innovation Awards and Gala Dinner in celebration of the UK and Florida’s influential economic and cultural rela-tionship.

Hosted by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the evening recognizes the most innovative British companies doing business in Florida; those US companies who have succeeded in growing their business in the UK; and leading individuals and organizations that have helped further the bilateral economic partnership.

The Innovation Awards will be presented before an audience of elite international com-mercial players, as well as the wider Florida business community. Categories include: design, technology, service provision, sustainability, marketing / communications and consumer brands. Kevin McGurgan OBE, HM Consul General, Miami, will formally an-nounce our charity partner for BritWeek visits Miami, in addition to presenting a “Special Recognition” Award.

Danny Lopez, Director-General UKTI USA will co-host the Gala with Actress Gabrielle Anwar. With keynote speaker: five-time Olympic medallist, broadcaster and author, John Naber; and entertainment provided by British artist Lulu.


four seasons

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

The prestigious Consul General’s Special Recognition Award will be presented to Frank DiBello, Presi-dent & CEO of Space Florida. DiBello is being recognized for his role in driving prosperity, commercial and research opportunities between the UK and Florida, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UKTI and Space Florida, which has lead to subsequent bilateral trade missions and the creation of high value jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Distinguished Award winners are:

The Consul General’s Special Recognition Award: Frank DiBello, Space Florida• Design Award: Arup• Technology Award: Cella Energy and MotionPoint• Marketing / Communications Award: Jacksonville Jaguars and Iris Worldwide• Service Provision Award: Brightstar Corporation and ABM Software• Sustainability Award: Jabil Circuit and The Everglades Foundation• Consumer Experience Award: Federici Brands and Merlin Entertainments (Legoland Florida)

Winners were chosen by a Judges’ Committee, which included Her Majesty’s British Consul General in Florida and UKTI’s senior trade and investment executives. The Gala is made possible by Award spon-sors including Greenberg Traurig, Edwards Financial, Nair & Co, Manchester Business School and the Miami Innovation Center, in addition to BritWeek visits Miami’s flagship sponsors CNBC and Moneycorp.


BritWeek visits Miami, in conjunction with Uk trade and investment and the British american Business council Miami present a half day business conference:

the conference will focus on the strategic relation-

ship between these economic powerhouses, and explore

Miami’s strategic location as an international business

center and gateway for Uk companies looking to do busi-

ness in Latin and south america; and to Latin american

companies eyeing Uk expansion and broader european

opportunities.

this conference will also shine the spotlight on Brazil,

as we celebrate the London 2012 olympics Legacy and

look ahead to rio 2016. Join guest speakers:

• Barry Johnson, president – Greater Miami cham-

ber of commerce

• sir alan collins, former Managing director –

London 2012 olympics Legacy & non-executive

chairman, nair & co. Ltd

• danny Lopez, director-General, Ukti Usa

alongside an expert panel of speakers from fti con-

sulting, Greenberg traurig, Lloyd’s of London Us, Willis

re inc and astraZeneca pLc. sessions will focus on key

themes, including:

• Miami as an international Gateway

• Life after London 2012 olympics: Looking ahead

to the 2014 fifa World cup 2016 rio olympics

• how to capitalize on the vast business opportuni-

ties afforded by global sporting events

• doing business in Brazil: managing opera-

tional, legal and insurance risk

this conference is a ‘must-attend’ for international

business professionals from sMes through to Mnes,

across multiple sectors. the conference will conclude with

a networking luncheon hosted by chamber of com-

merce partners and organized by the BaBc Miami.

Passing the Torch: How the Magic City is Lighting the Route for Business Opportunities from London 2012 to Rio 2016

08.30 – 12:30 networking Breakfast & conference sessions12:30 – 14:00 Luncheon

cost (including valet parking): $150 conference & Lunch | $50 Luncheon onlypre-registration recommended and available at www.babcmiami.com

UK / Miami / Brazil Business ConferenceFriday, March 8th | 8:30am - 2pmThe Intercontinental Hotel, 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL 33131


Passing the Torch: How the Magic City is Lighting the Route for Business Opportunities from London 2012 to Rio 2016

please join us for a high tea soiree at

coral GablesAs we salute all things Brit!Enjoy a sip of tea or toast with a glass of champagne as Neiman Mar-cus showcases the best of this sea-son’s British Fashion

neiMan MarcUsvillage of Merrick park | 390 san Lorenzo avenue | coral Gables

8am- 2:30pm


Join members of the British business community for an informal evening of networking and an

opportunity to be “shaken and stirred” by our special guest mixologist, kevin McGurgan oBe, hM

consul General, Miami.

SundownerS at the urban beach houSeMonday, March 11th | from 6 pm until...

1111 southwest 1st avenue | Miami fL 33130 | 305.677.8466

1111 southwest 1st avenue | Miami fL 33130 | 305.677.8466

Join members of the British business communi-ty for an informal evening of networking and an opportunity to be "shaken and stirred" by our special guest mixologist, kevin McGurgan oBe, hM consul General, Miami.

IncLudeS one weLcoMe "conSuL GeneraL'S" cocKtaIL and Free aPPetIZerS


Cruise Shipping Miami 2013

About CruiseBritain

cruiseBritain is a joint initiative between

industry, the passenger shipping association

and visitBritain. it is focused on promoting

cruise holidays as an integral part of the Brit-

ish leisure travel market. its membership-

based organisation includes the network of

British ports plus the service providers that

combine to provide a seamless visitor

experience.

cruiseBritain works to create an effec-

tive, consistent and visible cruise destination

brand for Britain whilst respecting regional

identities. it’s these regional identities that

help make Britain the world class cruise

destination that it is. through its members,

cruiseBritain brings together the cities and

countryside, culture and heritage, scenery

and activities that make a truly memorable

cruise itinerary.

By invitation only, or upon request. trade

contacts and interested parties please con-

tact [email protected]

cruiseBritain and Uk trade & investment

(Ukti) are joining forces to host a classic

British street party in celebration of the Uk

delegation to the cruise industry’s premier

global conference. held in the Miami Beach

convention center, this early evening event

is an opportunity to network with buyers,

itinerary planners, industry suppliers and

port directors, while enjoying street per-

fomers, musicians and British food and beers.


The Entrepreneur Organisation’s Miami UniversityWd555 | 555 Jefferson avenue | Miami Beach, fL 33139

Wednesday, March 13th | noon - 2 pm

note: double decker Bus tour included to the venue for eo delegates staying at the

fontainebleau hotel. double decker Bus tour leaves at 11 am, and the luncheon starts at noon.

Join Uk and florida technology executives for this networking luncheon

and informative panel discussion:

hosted by Uk trade & investment (Ukti), this event will take place prior to the official launch

of the 2013 entrepreneurs’ organization’s Miami University, 13 – 17 March.

hear from tech industry leaders as they discuss the

success-factors behind europe’s fastest growing

digital and creative cluster. Learn why venture-

backed, high-potential companies like airbnb,

Yammer and songkick, through to leading inter-

national technology firms including cisco, Google

and intel, have chosen to set up operations in Lon-

don’s tech city, and the opportunities that exist for

florida’s entrepreneurs, companies and investors.

discuss the challenges and rewards of the new

era of global entrepreneurship with those that are

erasing physical borders and taking new projects

worldwide from the start. the session will also

address the measures Uk Government has taken

to drive its innovation ecosystem and explore

what more can be done to foster relationships and

collaborations between the Uk and south florida’s

technology communities. finally, discussions sur-

rounding lessons learned from participants in all

forms of the above activities.

tech & digital companies: start-ups to Mnes

entrepreneurs

investors

economic development professionals

tech associations and accelerators

University tech transfer representatives

professional services firms

for more details please contact:

[email protected]

Who should attend?

The Changing Face of Global Entrepreneurship:Lessons learned from Tech City, London & Global Entrepreneurs


BritWeek visits Miami red carpet closing party

a celebration of the uKcreative Industriessoho Beach hoUse:4385 coLLins avenUe | MiaMi Beach, fL 33140thUrsdaY, March 14th | 8pM - MidniGht | BY invitation onLY

BritWeek visits Miami’s finale event will take

place poolside at soho Beach house on south

Beach. this invitation-only, British themed party

is a celebration of the Uk creative industries –

leading brands and companies representing

the worlds of music, fashion, design, new and

digital media, gaming, film / tv production, art

and more. BritWeek visits Miami will transform

soho Beach house’s palm covered tiki Bar into a

traditional British pub, welcome a Beatles tribute

band and offer British-themed food & cocktails.

attendees will include up to 400 vip taste-

makers including film and television personali-

ties, political and diplomatic leaders, media,

buyers, ceos of some of the top British busi-

nesses and brands in florida, and those floridian

companies helping shape the creative industries

landscape in the Uk.

CELEBRATING INNOVATION AND BUSINESS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND FLORIDA

Bid on incredible experiences with Lennox Lewis and celebrity friends online at www.HauteLiving.com

Proceeds support the Lennox Lewis Family Foundation.

MiamiMARCH 7 - 14, 2013www.BRITWEEK.org


BritWeek is a non-profit organization, started in Los Angeles in 2007 by Nigel Lythgoe and the then Consul General Bob Peirce, to highlight the creative fusion between the United Kingdom and California. BritWeek’s mission is to create greater awareness of the many ways in which Britain and California work closely together, and further build this relationship to advance business, the arts, and philanthropy in both of these thriving regions of the world.

Every spring BritWeek hosts a program of events that promotes British creativity, innovation and excellence across multiple categories including, film & television, music, art, fashion, design, retail, sport, philanthropy, business, and more. The events now take place throughout Greater Los Angeles, Or-ange County, San Francisco, and now Miami. They attract support from thousands of people, including international celebrities as well as business and po-litical leaders.

BritWeek’s philanthropic contributions have in-cluded fundraising for numerous charities, includ-ing Malaria No More, Save the Children, LA’s BEST and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and programs promoting children’s sports, children’s literacy and international professional internships.

ABOUTLOS ANGELES

CELEBRATING INNOVATION AND BUSINESS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND FLORIDA

Bid on incredible experiences with Lennox Lewis and celebrity friends online at www.HauteLiving.com

Proceeds support the Lennox Lewis Family Foundation.

MiamiMARCH 7 - 14, 2013www.BRITWEEK.org

of

Business opportunities abound in the USA’s southern states, as Lorraine Shah reports


i n terms of trade and investment, no other country is as valuable to the UK as the US. The largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, the US is the UK’s largest single export market, as well as its lead-

ing source of foreign direct investment. It is a pivotal bilateral relationship and one that will continue to be key to the UK’s economic fortunes.

The world’s third-biggest country both in terms of popula-tion and size, and with vast cultural differences across its 50 states, the US should ideally be treated as a series of regional markets with varying characteristics. Increasingly, UK compa-nies are being drawn to the southern part of the country, where there are lucrative opportunities in a wide range of sectors and where there is high demand for British goods and services.

texan trade Texas is a particularly attractive option for UK exporters. Home to three of America’s 10 most populous cities (Houston, Dallas and San Antonio), one of the country’s fastest-growing popula-tions and two of its 10 busiest airports, the Lone Star State is the second-largest economy in the US and the 15th largest in the world by GDP at £706.8bn (equivalent to Russia).

The UK has long enjoyed a very special relationship with Texas, with well-established business ties. Today, Britain is the largest foreign investor and employer in the state, with more than $20bn of investment supporting more than 68,000 jobs. In turn, Texan companies, including Apache, Conoco, Chevron and Marathon, have looked to the UK to expand their opera-tions.

Southerncomforts

Business opportunities abound in the USA’s southern states, as Lorraine Shah reports


Gray Hancock, head of trade and investment at UKTI Houston, says: “Texas dwarfs the other states in our region when it comes to trade with the UK. It is the numberone purchaser of UK products in the US, with total trade between Texas and the UK greater than between the UK and Russia.

“One of the top prospects is the energy sector. Houston is known as the energy capital of the world, and there is no short-age of potential customers for innovative UK firms operating in this market space. Other major sectors of opportunity include life sciences and healthcare, with Houston home to the world’s largest medical centre.”

UK Trade & Investment is very active in Texas, having primary responsibility for delivering two major annual trade events, South by Southwest (SXSW), a series of film, interactive and music festivals and conferences in Austin, and the Offshore Technology Conference, the world’s largest annual global oil and gas event, held in Houston each May. In 2011/2012, UK Trade & Investment Houston provided services to more than 600 UK companies – more than any other post in the US.

regional gateway Another southern US state with which

the UK enjoys a dynamic commercial relationship is Florida, with bilateral trade worth £2.6bn per annum. Boasting the 20th-largest economy in the world, Florida is currently home to 340 British-affiliated companies, helping to make the UK the largest foreign employer of Floridians.

Thanks to its strategic geographic location, Florida offers UK companies an ideal gateway to Latin America. This is particularly true of Miami, which is second only to New York as a US centre for inter-national banking and is therefore home to the regional banking operations of such British companies as HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Standard Chartered and Barclays.

Widely regarded as the ‘innovation hub of the Americas’, high tech-focused Florida offers excellent business oppor-tunities across a wide range of sectors. Key among these is aerospace, one of the leading sources of bilateral trade and investment between Florida and the UK and an area that remains a priority for the

fast facts: texas is home to the third-highest number of fortune 500

company hQs in the Us

in 2011, total trade between the Uk and texas was

£5.53bn

More than 975 houston companies report business or trade

ties to the Uk

there are more direct flights from florida airports toLa-

tin american and caribbean destinations than fromall

other Us cities combined

More than 300 financial institutions, including over 70 inter-

national banks, operate in florida

florida has the fourth-highest number of high-tech jobs

among Us states

every business in florida is within 90 miles of one of 14 deep-

water ports

Georgia ranks as the Usa’s number-one healthcare it

state by revenues, with more than $4bn generated by-

Georgian companies in 2011


state despite the end of NASA’s shuttle pro-gramme. In 2010, UK Trade & Investment signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Space Florida to promote commercial space opportunities between Florida and the UK. Other important sectors include clean technology, life sciences, IT, defence and security, and financial/professional services.

Rebecca Mowat, consul and head - trade and investment at UKTI Miami & Atlanta, says: “Convincing UK companies there’s more to Florida than sunshine and mouse ears can be challenging, but when they realise it’s an economic powerhouse equivalent to the Netherlands it certainly piques their interest. Miami is unrivalled in offering UK companies a marketing test bed for products and services targeting the highly influential and growing Hispanic consumer market, and a safe and familiar launchpad from which to enter the Latin and South American markets.”

Recent activity by UK firms in Florida includes Merlin Entertainment Group, which made a multi-million dollar invest-ment in LEGOLAND Florida, which opened last October; W S Atkins, which completed its acquisition of Tampa-based

engineering firm PBS&J; and Manchester University Business School, which has a campus in Miami.

free trade There has also been significant activity

in neighbouring Georgia, a state where UK Trade & Investment recently reestablished a presence and where some 565 British facilities currently operate. Leading UK companies based in Georgia include Inter-continental Hotels Group, Sage, AMEC, RBS, Reed Elsevier, Balfour Beatty, Grant Thornton, MEGGITT and JCB.

“Georgia and the wider Southeast re-gion is considered the ‘emerging economy’ within the US, but is often overlooked by UK firms,” states Mowat. “Metropolitan Atlanta is not only the number one in the US for healthcare IT, but is also considered a leading centre for financial services, security, mobile and digital technologies, bioscience, and supply chain and advanced manufacturing.

“UK firms that come to Georgia do well. Such businesses have included infra-red thermal imaging solutions provider Irisys, which has expanded its North American headquarters in Atlanta; finan-cial systems specialist Sword Apak, which has opened a new office in Alpharetta; and engineering company Firth Rixson, which has built a new manufacturing plant in Liberty County.”

Great events A raft of major initiatives are helping

to establish the UK as the international partner of choice in Texas and Florida. In November 2012, UK Trade & Invest-ment Houston delivered a series of events around the inaugural US Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, aiming to show-case the wide-ranging technological and creative expertise of the UK in motorsport and beyond.

They included an F1 Tech Rally and a Best of British reception, hosted by the British Ambassador and attended by some 300 local luminaries. “This was a great weekend for Britain in Texas,” says Han-cock, “with the British brand promoted heavily through an excellent combination of business and political events. Formula One proved to be an ideal stage to position the UK’s prosperity message and de-liver access at the highest levels in Texas. Feedback from participants was excellent and strong outcomes were achieved, with several exciting leads established.”

This month will see ‘BritWeek visits Miami’ in Florida – a series of high-profile events celebrating the UK/Florida trading relationship and British innovation in areas from technology through to the creative arts. “

‘BritWeek visits Miami’s’ mission is to create greater awareness of the many ways in which the UK and Florida work closely together,” says Mowat. “It aims to further build this relationship to advance business and cultural links between these two gate-way economies that play such a pivotal role in furthering international trade.” n


xxxxxxxx

Brazil is one of the four countries which, together with Russia, India and China, make up the so-called BRIC economies. The term was first used in 2001 by the investment bank Goldman Sachs which highlighted the huge potential of Brazil and recognised that, together with the other BRIC countries, it has the potential to be one of the most dominant economies in the world by 2050.

Researching the market

The UK enjoys a strong and historic trading relationship with Brazil, stretching back over 200 years. Today, Brazil remains the UK’s most important trading partner in Latin America,with bilateral trade almost reaching£5 billion in 2010. The UK is also one of the largest investors in Brazil. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that many UK

companies are not aware of the size and level of opportunity that exists in Brazil.

Until comparatively recently, Brazil’s broad industrial base supplied the domestic market. Although some of the larger multinationals such as GM, VW, Ericsson, Siemens and Fiat have been there for much longer, it was only at the beginning of the 1990s that Brazil’s economy began to liberalise and open up to significant foreign industrial trade and investment. Brazil has been an agricultural exporter for much longer, but it is only recently that it has begun exporting large amounts of industrial and manufactured goods.

Today, Brazil is asserting its presence on the world stage as an emerging power and is enjoying its first sustained period of export-led growth in 20 years. Consumers

and businesses have developed higher standards, both for quality and value for money and Brazil has a large, and prosperous middle class with an appetite for quality goods and services every bit as demanding as the consumer in London, Paris or New York. Against this background, Brazil has immense potential as a trade and investment partner, with huge opportunities for UK companies across a range of sectors.

Doing business in

Brazil?

Brazil is the world’s seventh largest economy and by

far the largest in South America.


What is the rightapproach to Brazil?

• Leave your preconceptions at home.

• It is all too easy to be dazzled or overawed by Brazil, but keep hold of your business sense as tightly as you would anywhere.

• Do your homework on the market and on potential partners.

• Patience is a virtue. Some things may take longer to set up than you expect (especially if they involve bureaucracy), so allow for this in your preparations.

• Take a long-term approach, but do not always stick too rigidly to your plans. Things often change rapidly and unexpectedly in Brazil. Brazilians are flexible, and famous for finding a way around problems.

• Obtaining good-quality independent legal and professional advice is essential.

• If your product is in danger of being copied or counterfeited, seek specialist legal advice on how best to protect your intellectual property rights.

• Do not forget to carry out due diligence.

• Consult UK Trade & Investment teams in Brazil and the UK whocan provide help in researching the Brazilian market

How UK Trade & Investment can help

Assistance with marketing and public relations: Preparation of a previsit press release and distribution to the general and specialist press, local websites and local contacts. Assistance in arranging interviews and press conferences. Suggestion of appropriate marketing outlets.

Assistance with preparation of promotional leaflets, where appropriate.

Follow-up monitoring of opportunities/leads: Alerting clients to relevant local opportunities, projects or tenders of which

staff become aware, for a period following a visit. The cost of UK Trade & Investment services depends on the time invested in research or spent undertaking these activities.

Details of the rates are available from www.ukti.gov.uk. In addition to this support, which is offered as our Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS).

Excerpts from UKTI’s Brazil Business Guide – Credit - Paul Lutchmanen, [email protected]


OCEAN, AIR AND INLAND TRANSPORTATION

your domestic global transportation provider

AND Guaranteed prices!WorldWide ShippingShort Transit Times

Monthly and Weekly Sailings

Container ServiceAll size’s containers for all commodities

Cars • Trucks • Buses • Boats • BoxesCrates • pallets Containers • heavy equipment • project Cargo ro/ro

FCl • lCl • Air Freight • imports and exports • loading Facilities

www.globalshippinggroup.comCENTRAL FLORIDA

4540 West colonial drive | suite b | orlando, fl. 32808P: 407-440-3840F: 321-250-8541

[email protected]

great service


OCEAN, AIR AND INLAND TRANSPORTATION

your domestic global transportation provider

AND Guaranteed prices!WorldWide ShippingShort Transit Times

Monthly and Weekly Sailings

Container ServiceAll size’s containers for all commodities

Cars • Trucks • Buses • Boats • BoxesCrates • pallets Containers • heavy equipment • project Cargo ro/ro

FCl • lCl • Air Freight • imports and exports • loading Facilities

www.globalshippinggroup.comCENTRAL FLORIDA

4540 West colonial drive | suite b | orlando, fl. 32808P: 407-440-3840F: 321-250-8541

[email protected]

great service


With low tax, less regulation and a talented workforce, the UK is one of the easiest places to start a business and access the European Union’s 500 million customers. No wonder more companies set up European Headquarters here than anywhere else. Find out more with UK Trade & Investment.

ukti.gov.uk/greatbritain

BUSINESSIS

Sir Richard BransonVirgin Group

Date post:	25-Mar-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	orb-international
View:	217 times
Download:	0 times

Britweek magazine 2013

Documents