Wednesday 10 November 2010
Hosted by: JETRO London
Organised by:
Business Group of the Japan Society & Asia-Pacific Technology Network
In Association with: Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in The United Kingdom
Chair
- Andrew Fraser CMG Senior Adviser Mitsubishi Corporation International (Europe) Plc former CEO, Invest UK
Speakers
- Sir Stephen Gomersall KCMG, Chief Executive in Europe, Hitachi
- "The current perspective"
- Louis Turner, Chief Executive, Asia-Pacific Technology Network
- "Lessons from the Past: Why have the Japanese invested in the UK?"
Panellists
- Katsuji Jibiki, Senior General Manager, HR, of Mitsubishi Electric, Europe
- Brian Long, Director, Business Growth, Think London
- Bob Sperl, Senior International Consultant, Towers Watson
As part of a study of the recent (post-1990) history of Japanese Investment in the UK, we ran a series of seminars throughout 2009 on investment by Japanese companies in various UK industrial sectors: automotive, financial services, pharmaceutical and the electronics industry. This forum will build on this extensive and wide-ranging research and discuss how the UK can best configure itself for future investment from Japan. The speakers and panellists will provide a cross-section of strategic and detailed views and experiences which will aim to highlight areas for improvement and emphasis. We anticipate good representation from UKTI and other related UK authorities so that the panel and audience can together discuss such key topics as regulatory and taxation challenges, skill levels, regional enticements, visas, education provision, welcome for families and communications.
Location: JETRO, Mid City Place, Holborn
Nearest tube station: Holborn
Timing: A sandwich lunch will be served from 12.00 pm and the lecture will start promptly at 12.30 pm. The forum should be concluded by 2.30pm
Pricing:
- £12 per head for members of the Japan Society, JCCI or APTN
- £18 per head for everyone else
To Register - please send your details (name, institutional affiliation, email address, phone number) to biz22@aptn.org
Sir Stephen Gomersall, KCMG
was educated at Forest School, Snaresbrook and Queens' College, Cambridge. After 14 years serving as a diplomat in Japan and as British ambassador, 1999-2004, he became Chief Executive of Hitachi Europe Ltd. at the age of 56. His previous roles have included Director of International Security at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the UK Mission to the United Nations and Head of Security Policy Department, FCO. He now works as Chief Executive (Europe) for Hitachi Global. Sir Stephen is a keen singer and longstanding member of a barbershop sextet which he co-founded. He is fond of composing humorous verse and songs, and paints art as a hobby citing Mondrian and his son Simon Gomersall amongst his influences. He is also an avid fan of Doncaster Rovers (Source Wikipedia)
Louis Turner
Louis Turner is the Chief Executive of the Asia-Pacific Technology Network, and has been monitoring the developments in the Asian corporate and technological sectors since his first visit to Japan in 1970. He followed this up by editing the The Rise of the Newly-Industrialising Economies in the late 1970s. (Starting with Invisible Empires in 1970, which was the first popular British book on the politics of multinational companies, he has written eleven books/monographs on topics such as a history of the international oil industry, the rise of the Newly industrializing Countries, Middle Eastern Industrialization, Industrial Collaboration with Japan and the coming of Global Competition. He is currently writing a history of Japan's post-1990 investment in the UK (financed by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation)
During a long career at Chatham House (formerly the Royal Institute of International Affairs), he developed the concept of annual conferences with Japan (the UK-Japan High Technology Industry Forums - 1986-2005), which, with Department of Trade help, developed into five annual Forums with Korea (2000-5) and three with China (2003-5). He developed the Asia-Pacific Technology Network in 1993, building on his UK-Japanese work. Currently the Network involves some 2,500 people interested in some part of Asian technology or corporate strategy.
Currently, he is Associate Fellow, Chatham House and a Visiting Fellow, Centre for International Business University of Leeds.