Greater Louisville Inc. – The Metro Chamber of Commerce (GLI) and the Kentucky World Trade Center (KWTC) have partnered to develop a new resource for regional companies and entrepreneurs interested in international business opportunities. The initiative, Global Business Strategies, will include a quarterly event series called Global Business Forums as well as several peer-based, geographically-focused Global Business Networks. Information on upcoming programs and other international business resources will be available on www.GreaterLouisville.com/global.
“Our members are continually challenging us to help them expand their market reach,” said Carlos Phillips, GLI’s Vice President of Member and Investor Development. “The Global Business Strategies program could literally open up a world of possibilities that some businesses may have never before considered.”
According to statistics cited by the KWTC, 96 percent of the world’s consumers and two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power now exist outside the United States. Additionally, trends indicate that demand in international markets is growing four percent faster than the U.S. domestic market.
“Global Business Strategies will offer our region’s small and mid-sized businesses exceptional access to the expertise and insight they need to begin or expand international sales efforts,” said Robert Brown, President of the Kentucky World Trade Center. “The process can be complex, but this program has been designed to demystify the details and make the concept of doing business internationally more approachable.”
Participants will find that the Global Business Strategies program makes it easier to access the in-depth trade counseling, market research and exporting, importing and foreign investment assistance available through the KWTC. In addition, the program offers a unique forum for bringing together professionals and other business leaders with an interest in gaining practical global business experience through networking, collaboration and sharing advice on best practices.
Each session of the Global Business Forum will feature a guest speaker from the regional business community. The first Global Business Forum, focused on the topic of exporting, is scheduled for Wednesday, February 13 from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Featured panelists will be Lynn Cooper, President and CEO or BFW, Inc. and Nigel Travis, President and CEO, Papa Johns International, Inc. Former Kentucky Governor and KWTC Chair/CEO Martha Layne Collins will serve as the event’s moderator.
The Global Business Forum event on February 13 is open to the public. Tickets are $30 for GLI members and $50 for guests. Tickets for the four-part 2008 Global Business Forum series are $110 for GLI members and $180 for guests. Registration is available by calling (502) 625-0085 or online at www.GreaterLouisville.com/events.
In spring 2008, membership will open for five initial Global Business Networks focusing on the targeted international markets of Europe, China, India, Russia and Latin America. These peer networks—available exclusively to GLI and KWTC members—will focus on the intricacies of doing business abroad in areas such as marketing, logistics, cross-cultural communication, negotiation protocols, and regulatory issues. Additional networks may be added in the future, depending upon need and interest.
