Upcoming Special Business Events

March 2010

Export NZ - Wellington,  Networking Breakfast -  26 March

Trading with the Russian Bear – Wrestling match or love affair.

At this the fifth in our Export NZ Wellington series of Export Breakfasts on the theme of ‘Winning in Emerging Markets’, the focus is one of the four BRIC emerging economies earmarked for significant economic growth in the coming decades. Russia presents significant opportunities for innovative Kiwi exporters. Along with the opportunities, there are bear traps hidden in the thickets to catch the unwary.

Stuart Prior, in addition to being New Zealand’s Ambassador to Russia from 2003 to 2006, has over thirty years experience dealing with Russia. Now running a trade consultancy with bases in Moscow and Wellington, Stuart will provide insights from both the political and business perspectives, which, as in many emerging markets, have considerable overlap in the Russian context.

Martin Tate, who is NZ's Honorary Consul in Vladivostok, began working in Russia in the 1990s for the Dairy Board, subsequently developed trades in commodities to the Russian Far East, and more recently has switched attention to investing in agriculture and the food business. Today his farming operations have been joined by Hyundai in a unique NZ/Russia/Korea agriculture JV.

Laila Jansone played a pivotal role in the establishment of a strategic alliance between the Canterbury Rugby Football Union and the Krasnoyarsk Rugby Union in 2009 which led to a long term contract for placement of CRFU coaching staff and players in the Krasnij Yar Club, providing assistance with development of the Rugby Academy in Eastern part of Russia as well as delivering the training of Russian players and coaches in New Zealand at the CRFU International High Performance Unit.

The experiences of these three speakers are testimony that New Zealand goods and services, if marketed well and tailored for the particular market needs, can be very successfully traded in Russia, though it is not a market for the impatient nor the faint hearted. Currently recovering from a particularly severe downturn due to recent world economic events, Russia presents good long term growth prospects and niche opportunities for New Zealand firms.

Breakfast Details:
When: 7.15am to 9.00am, 26 March 2010
Where: WRCC, Level 28, The Majestic Centre, 100 Willis Street Wellington
Cost (inc GST): $35 (Export NZ, EMA Central and WRCC members)
$45 (non members)
Register by: 24 March 2010

To Register: Click here or visit www.wellingtonchamber.co.nz