1. GBP INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
An in-depth study for a machinery & engineering group (Construction Materials) covering markets in Asia, Africa and South America. Our key findings are critical to the German Machinery and Engineering sector as many of our research results will be applicable to most segments of the industryEnergy Auditing in the Middle East (Oil&Gas)
Selection, analysis, due diligence and of new agents across Asia for a machinery and engineering company.
A pulp and paper mill has given us an M&A mandate for the selection of and negotiation with European investors from the sustainable production of pulp and paper. Details to be seen here
A complete A-Z support for a new production facility for industrial solutions in Indonesia. Our focus and key finding: Human resources are the most critical strategic factor. Our GBP Headhunting services proved to be a major reason why the project is well on track
Various sourcing assignments in Vietnam, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, China and India for various customers (see our booklet on sample Asian vendors here)
2. Sustainability Audits and SDGs
More than 10 years ago GBP International already conducted Energy Audits and the present trend toward actions against climate change and the implementations of SDGs of the United Nations has motivated us to start a closer cooperation with www.bluenumber.org. In cooperation with Bluenumber we are now offering Sustainability Assessments, which cover a comprehensive portfolio of scorecards (in line with SDGs). We are hereby supporting companies, which commit to the SDGs and already today we see that public listed companies are required to include a report about their sustainability records on a compulsory basis. Check our press release here.
3. Human Rights in International Supply Chains
CONFERENCE IN MALAYSIA
On 14th November we were giving a keynote during a seminar in Kuala Lumpur on the importance of human rights records in the supply chains. The organising company was the think tank for the Malaysian government PEMANDU. We will work with PEMANDU in the global south and GBP INTERNATIONAL will connect with European companies in the West who do rely on cheap products and raw materials. However, we see more and more that consumers are driving the need to certify where and how the product are being produced and they will not accept unethical business practise in future.
4. ASIAN Insiders – A new marketing platform
Asian Insiders is a marketing platform of senior experts with physical presence and decades of experience in Asian markets from across the continent. By teaming up with Asian Insiders we are adding valuable expertise, insights and resources to our portfolio. We know many of the Asian Insiders from assignments we did with Finpro a few years back and this confirms again that you always meet twice in life. We are happy to be part of the team of professionals.
5. European School of Management & Technology (ESMT)
More than 25 CEOs and business owners from Asia came to Berlin in November and attended a oneweek program organised by the most respective private business school in Germany – ESMT. The program included seminars on top management topics, site visits to high end manufacturing companies and business match making meetings. GBP International was supporting the event and gave a presentation on the major differences in doing business in Asia compared to Europe. We are happy to share the
presentation if you send us a note. In conclusion the participants invited a delegation of German businesses to Asia and GBP in cooperation
with ESMT and the Business Network BWA (which is represented by GBP in Malaysia) will organise and prepare the program for early next year.
6. ADAM Global Network
GBP INTERNATIONAL is proud to be a new member of the prestigious ADAM Global Network. ADAM is a professional global network of business advisors, tax advisors, lawyers and entrepreneurs – originating from Dubai and London. Volker Friedrich has been appointed as Country Head for Germany and we are pleased to assist and support any foreign company, which is interested in doing business in and with German companies and entrepreneurs. For the latest figures of how the German economy is doing check out this link.
7. On the perception of Asia in Europe…
The continuation of the trade conflict between the USA and China seems to be “priced-in” in many aspects of the international supply chain. South East Asian countries seem to benefit from these uncertainties, and we see increased FDIs in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, whereas Chinas economy is a little less robust. However, make no mistake. China is a strong player now with an integrated economic system that will not budge to unreasonable or unbalanced demands from the USA. We feel that the resilience of Asia these days is underestimated. Nobody is waiting in Asia anymore for products, services and advice from the West. The countries and systems have emerged over the decades and are now self-confident and internationally at par with their former colonial masters. We recommend treating Asia as equal partners. We have to accept that they adhere to different beliefs, cultures and heritages. Asia is the continent, which has performed extremely well, and we see areas where it may be good to study how Asia solves problems. Let’s learn from each other and accept the fact that there is “more than one road leading to Rome”. A critical article (sorry in German only), which summarise the above, can be read here
8. Book of the month
Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Deep Fake News, Alexa and Siri and others dominate business headlines. While we all know that the digital revolution will continue, we feel checks and balances need to be in place as well. This is a book which shows that we can and need to be in control and that the Nine Giants in the industry are not to be seen as the new all mighty! This is a book for the X-mas holidays to enjoy. The Big Nine by Amy Webb.
With this newsletter we also wish to thank all friends, clients, partners and associates for another great year 2019 and we wish you a pleasant holiday season and a wonderful and successful year 2020.
Yours sincerely
On behalf of all of us at GBP INTERNATIONAL