china-britain december 2009.qxp 10/12/09 2:29 pm Page 9
member companies, which manufactures them beyond the metropolitan areas of
Which of the services that CBBC
pollution control equipment, that they were Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. This report
provides do you expect to expand over
contacted by a Chinese company which had not only introduced greater scope of
the next decade?
found them by searching on the Internet. opportunity for companies that had not
Contact was established, and now, with the entered the China market, but also encour-
I want to build on the matchmaking service.
help of CBBC’s Shenyang office, the two aged those companies already in China to
Our China offices will look for opportunities
companies have established a joint venture to broaden their China businesses. CBBC has
and feed them back to us. Working in conjunc-
manufacture the equipment in China. disseminated the findings in very successful
tion with UKTI, we can match them with British
That is only one story, but it does show how roadshows.
companies. British companies can expand
quickly business can progress where the A second important development has been
and export; Chinese companies can secure
commercial opportunities are strong. CBBC’s merger with the British Chamber of
access to technology. That will help them to
Commerce in Beijing [see page 19]. This
grow by supplying the local market. So I think
You have made huge efforts over provides UK companies with a central point of
this is an increasingly important area for us.
recent years to encourage Chinese advice in the capital, and a jumping off point
companies to invest in the UK and to other cities in China. It is a very beneficial
You list music, golf, chocolate and
list on the London Stock Exchange. arrangement.
paronomasia [puns] as your favourite
How has Chinese investment in the UK Now, coming on to the other services that
things to do. In which of your favourite
developed over that period? CBBC provides, one of the particular areas
activities do you indulge in China?
where we can help is, and increasingly will be,
Up until about two years ago, we had a steady in matchmaking. We have a unique network of
I have been lucky enough to have been in
stream of Chinese companies coming onto the offices. We are present in 11 cities in China
China to see and hear performances by the
AIM market. The AIM market is ideal for and have eight offices in the UK. We can help
Royal Ballet of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet,
the smaller entrepreneurially-based Chinese to identify companies in China where there
the London Symphony Orchestra and the City
companies who want to expand. That process are opportunities and then to bring them
of London Sinfonia, of which I am a director.
halted, in part because the authorities in together with the British companies in those
But I also really enjoy Chinese music and
China felt they were less able to monitor those sectors. Lord Davies, former chairman of
Peking Opera. I don’t speak or understand the
companies. However, I believe that we will see Standard Chartered Bank and now trade min-
language, but Chinese music doesn’t need
a return to that in due course as well as more ister, is very keen on this approach, as is
translation. I can enjoy it equally.
Chinese companies listing on the main board China’s ambassador, Mme Fu Ying. This is the
I love the food. One of the treats of going to
in London. We may also see secondary listings bringing together of British and Chinese entre-
China is the opportunity to taste authentic
on London, in the wake of primary listings in preneurial companies. That is the focus of the
Chinese cuisines in different cities and in dif-
Hong Kong. China Tomorrow programme, which we are
ferent parts of China. And, yes, I do like choco-
That is one element of inward investment. successfully promoting across the UK.
late and usually have some with me.
We welcome Chinese financial institutions Another service CBBC can provide is to help
Very occasionally, I have had the opportuni-
setting up their offices here in the UK. The follow up on behalf of UK companies after
ty to play golf while in China. I particularly
Bank of China has had an office here for more they have established good business con-
remember, while Lord Mayor, taking part in a
than 80 years. PICC has been here for many tacts. As we know, it is expensive for compa-
tournament organised by Rosenblatts in
years. The China Construction Bank and, most nies - especially small businesses - to get to
Shenzhen in which the vice-mayor, who was a
recently, China Merchants’ Bank have opened China and spend time there. We can assist
very good golfer, took part. I would like to play
up. That again is greatly to be welcomed. through our office network to pursue leads
more, now that more courses have opened,
We are keen for the China Investment and contacts and help our members to prose-
but I don’t usually have the time!
Corporation, the sovereign wealth fund, to cute their business.
open an office in London. Launchpad is another very successful
What is your personal plan for 2010?
More widely, as regards Chinese invest- service. That enables companies to test the
ment coming into the UK, we are well placed market, by having a desk and a CBBC project
I am very lucky to have a portfolio of activities,
to help Chinese companies who want to manager in one or more of our offices. This is
most of them China-focused. I anticipate a
establish themselves in Europe. The UK has very cost-effective and has proved to be
very busy year as chairman of CBBC. The
always welcomed inward investment. Think extremely valuable for our members over the
highlight will be Shanghai 2010, but there
back 30 years to when Japanese and Korean years. We are always looking to grow this
will be many other events around that.
investors set up factories in south Wales, service.
I have just been appointed as non-execu-
Northern Ireland and northeast England. It will
tive director of NYSE LIFFE (London
be the same for Chinese investors. Already, The British Business Awards were
International Financial Futures Exchange),
Chinese money is going into British financial presented in Beijing in November; this
which is working very closely with the
services companies. was their second year. What is your
commodity exchanges in Dalian and Shanghai.
view of the awards?
I continue to work with Marsh, helping
How is CBBC helping British compa-
Chinese companies set up in the UK.
nies to tackle the China market, not The awards are an immensely successful idea.
I am lucky now to be the Lord-Lieutenant of
just in the wake of the current econom- They are well run by the British Chamber of
Greater London, which involves me in certain
ic downturn but more generally? Commerce in Beijing and have gathered a lot
activities with members of our Royal family
of attention. It’s a great success and it’s really
when they make visits to London.
CBBC assists British companies in many ways. caught the imagination of British industry
I reflect on how lucky I have been to be first
I would highlight two developments in partic- and the British community, and I think will
introduced to China in 1979 and to have been
ular. The first is the Regional Cities Report, also help to attract and give encouragement
involved in the country ever since then. I want
which CBBC conducted in collaboration with to other companies into China.
others to have the same opportunity.
the Leeds University Business School on Next year, the presentation will take place
behalf of UKTI. This detailed the opportunities on 7th September, on the eve of the British
This is an edited transcript of Katie Poon’s
in seven key sectors, where the UK is particu- day at the Shanghai Expo. I shall be there, and
interview with Sir David Brewer, which can be
larly strong, in 35 cities across China - all of I’m looking forward to that.
viewed on the CBBC website (www.cbbc.org)
China-Britain Business Review December 2009/January 2010
9
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