Programme

From export promotion to internationalization - The role of TPOs in the evolving global economy

3-5 November 2014
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Download programme in PDF (English)

The process of internationalization involves complex transactions that go beyond trade, to include inward and outward investment, joint ventures and other types of international cooperation.

TPOs are facing increasing demand from SMEs to support the internationalization of their businesses. The role of TPOs is evolving to incorporate investment activities. In this context, the 10th TPO Network World Conference and Awards focuses on the evolving role of TPOs through three key sub-themes: 1) expanding your client base, 2) improving TPO operations, and 3) reaching new markets.

Monday, 3 November 2014
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
Thursday, 6 November 2014

Monday, 3 November 2014

16:00-19:00

Registration

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18:00-19:00

Welcome reception

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Tuesday, 4 November

08:30-10:00
Official opening
Welcome speeches
- His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, Director General, Department of Economic Development Dubai
- His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, United Arab Emirates
- Ms. Arancha González, Executive Director, ITC
  Speech
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9:30-10:00

Coffee break

ITC Promotional booths open
10:00-12:00
Plenary 1: Linking trade development and investment promotion for greater effectiveness
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Links between investment promotion and trade development are explored, including how TPOs can promote investment to boost value-added exports. Recent trends, benefits and challenges related to the merging of investment and trade promotion agencies will also be discussed.

Mr. Alexander Mora, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, opens this session with an overview of how Costa Rica has been successful in advancing its economy, by combining and coordinating trade and investment policy objectives. He explains how, though Costa Rica operates trade and investment promotion separately, the two responsible organizations have managed to maintain a close and constructive coordination.
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Keynote speaker
- Mr. Alexander Mora, Minister of Foreign Trade, Costa Rica
  Presentation
Speakers
- Mr. Bruce Gosper, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Trade Commission (AUSTRADE)
- Mr. José Prunello, Chief, Trade Support Institution Strengthening Section, ITC
  Presentation
Panellists
- Mr. Jalil Bulatov, Managing Director, National Export and Investment Agency (KAZNEX –INVEST) Kazakhstan
- Mr. Daniel Kung, Chief Executive Officer, Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE)
- Mr. Senen Perlada, Director, Export Marketing Bureau, Philippines
Moderator
- Dr. Ashraf Mahate, Senior Manager, Export Market Intelligence, Dubai Exports, United Arab Emirates
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12:00-13:00

Lunch

ITC Promotional booths open
13:30-15:30
BREAKOUT SESSION 1

Track 1: Expanding your client base
Economic empowerment of women through trade: The role of TPOs
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TPOs can help connect women business owners to government and corporate buyers. Public procurement accounts for over 30% of GDP in developing countries, and some 10-15% in developed countries. Women-owned businesses have been largely excluded from this sizeable market, due to lack of information on bids, understanding of procedures and ability to meet requirements. ITC has new, practical research and networks that can help connect women-owned businesses to public procurement markets.
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Speaker
- Dr. Wong Lai Sum, Chief Executive Director, Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE)
Panellists
- Ms. Elodie Journet, Trade commissioner, AUSTRADE
- Ms Zahra Maafiri, Director General, Maroc Export
- Ms. Virginia Littlejohn, CEO, Quantum Leaps
- Ms. Hana Uraidi, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO)
Moderator
- Ms. Vanessa Erogbogbo, Programme Officer, Woman and Trade Programme, ITC
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Track 2: Improving your operations
Information and communications technologies for TPOs
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A portfolio of online service offerings increases the reach, credibility and visibility of TPOs. It also helps internal efficiency, especially through customer relationship management tools. FINPRO shares how its customer relationship management tool is used to segment its client base, deliver services to clients and measure impact. The University of Puerto Rico presents research on 17 Spanish-speaking TPOs of Latin America and the Caribbean on using the Internet to deliver services.
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Speakers
- Mr. Markus Suomi, Chief Executive Officer, FINPRO
  Presentation
- Ms. Maria Amador-Dumois, Professor Associate, University of Puerto Rico
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Panellists
- Mr. Sami Ahmed, Executive Director, Bangladesh Association of Software & Information Services
- Dr. Elias Micha, Regional Director, CONACYT, Mexico
- Dr. Christoph Peter, Head of Export Development, S-GE
- Mr. Andrés Reid, Plan C-Kickstarter Crowdfunding, ProChile
Moderator
- Mr. Martin Labbe, Senior Officer, Institutional Development, ITC
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Track 3: Reaching new markets
Diversifying exports towards emerging markets
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TPOs should consider diversification to emerging markets a strategic priority. A focus on investment, the services sector and value chains are key to success. The use of Trade in Value Added (TiVA) information is an important tool in selecting the most promising sectors and markets. PROCOMER shares its experience in transforming its economy to become the top high-tech exporter in Latin America.
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Speakers
- Mr. Alban Sanchez, Acting Chief Executive Office, Foreign Trade Corporation Of Costa Rica (PROCOMER)
  Presentation
- Mr. Hubert Escaith, Chief Statistician, World Trade Organization
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Panellists
- Mr. Dev Chamroo, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Mauritius
- Mr. Francisco Javier Garzón, Chief Executive Officer, ICEX, Spain
- Mr. Robert Scott, Vice President of Trade and Business Development, jamaica Promotions Corporations (JAMPRO)
Moderator
- Mr. José Prunello, Chief, Trade Support Institution Strengthening, ITC
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15:30-16:00

Coffee break (networking)
ITC Promotional booths open
16:00-17:00
Plenary session 2:
The Gulf cooperation council and the Arab Region: At the crossroads between East and West
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This session will focus on the opportunities in exporting sectors, benefits of mutual cooperation and the future outlook of trade among the countries from the region. During the session, participants will also have the chance to understand national and cross-regional initiatives and alliances, thereby providing TPO resources for the benefit of the exporting sectors.
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Opening speech
- H.E Eng. Saed Al Awadi, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Exports
Speakers
- Mr. Mahmood Al Bastaki, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Trade, United Arab Emirates
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- Mr. Abdulla Bin Damithan, Director Commercial Department , DP World
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Panellists
- Mr. Syed Habib Ahmed, General Manager Trade cooperation & Promotion Program, Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)
- Mr. Hassan Khalifa Al Mansoori, Executive Director, Qatar Development Bank (TASDEER)
- Mr. Abdulla Bin Damithan, Director Commercial Department , DP World
Moderator
- Ms. Arancha González, Executive Director, ITC
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17:00-17:30
11th TPO Network World Conference – Presentations by Prospective Hosts
Presentation of bids to host the 2016 TPO Network World Conference and Awards (and secret ballot)

Bids presented by
- Ms. Zahra Maafiri, Managing Director, Maroc-Exports
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- Ms. Jacqueline Mneney Maleko, Director General, Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade)
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- Mr. Robert Scott, Vice President, Export and Market Development, JAMPRO
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19:30-22:00

2014 TPO Network Awards

Gala dinner and presentation ceremony

The 2014 TPO Network Awards winners are announced and the awards presented during the gala dinner. Evening entertainment follows.

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Wednesday, 5 November 2014

8:30-10:00
Plenary session 3 – Nine months after Bali: what implications for TPOs?
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The session will explore the TPO’s role in facilitating the business voice when advocating for trade facilitation reforms. TPOs can advocate for a broader trade facilitation reform agenda – beyond customs and logistics, to encompass other non-tariff measures. They also have an important role to assist enterprises to comply with simplified trade facilitation measures.
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Speaker
- Mr. William Gain, Senior Economist, Global ICT Department of the World Bank Group
  Presentation
Panellists
- His Excellency Juma Al Kait, Under Secretary, Ministry of Economy in UAE
- Ms. Shaista Asif, Chief Executive Officer, UTrade
- Mr. Maxwell Okusi, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Export Promotion Council
- Mr. Won Sok Yun, Executive Vice President for Business Information & Trade, KOTRA, Korea
Moderator
- Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, ITC
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10:00-10:15

Official conference photograph
10:15-10:45

Coffee break

ITC Promotional booths open
10:45-12:00
Presentations by TPO Network Awards 2014 Winners – Plenary session
The 2014 TPO Network Awards winners present their cases and discuss their award-winning export development service and the good practices used to achieve a positive impact.

Speakers
- Mr. Devendranath Chamroo, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Mauritius
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- Mr. Hiroshi Wago, Director, Japan Trade Office, ProExport Colombia
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- Ms. Simone Gailiunaite, Head of Human Resources, Enterprise Lithuania
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- Mr. Francisco Javier Garzón, Managing Director, ICEX-Spain
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Moderator
- Ms. Aicha Pouye, Director, Division of Business and Institutional Support, ITC
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12:00-12:15
The Regional Trade Promotion Organizations Network
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TPOs work with other organizations to facilitate the internationalization of SMEs. The President of the Regional Trade Promotion Network will discuss the complementarities between its network and national TPOs and how they may collaborate to enhance support for SMEs.
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Speaker
- Pierre-Jean Baillot, Deputy Executive Director ERAI, France
  Presentation
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12:15-13:45

Lunch

ITC Promotional booths open
13:45-15:30
BREAKOUT SESSION 2

Track 1: Expanding your client base
New toolkits for growing services exports
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TPOs can help the services sector grow by addressing specific needs related to investment, digital infrastructure, and innovation and new funding and business advocacy models. In this session, the Fung Global Institute shares its research results on the critical value-added role of services for international business. The City of Buenos Aires discusses its experience in developing local services talent, incubating innovation and tapping into supportive regulatory and quality assurance institutions.
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Speakers
- Mr. Patrick Low, Vice President of Research, Fung Global Institute
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- Mr. Marcos Amadeo, Director General, Ministry of Economic Development, City of Buenos Aires
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Panellists
- Mr. Perry Fung, Regional Director, Middle East & Africa, Hong Kong TDC
- Mr. Bas Pulles, Director International Programs, Netherlands Enterprise Agency
- Ms. Hana Uraidi, Acting Chief Executive Officer, JEDCO
- Mr. Abdulla Bin Damithan, Director Commercial Department , DP World
Moderator
- Ms. Jane Drake-Brockman, Senior Officer, Trade in Services, ITC
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Track 2: Improving your organization
Branding for TPOs
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This session covers different approaches to TPO branding for its country as well as for its own operations. Branding is a powerful tool to promote trade and investment. The world’s top 100 brands have increased by 66% in value in the past six years – and 20 of them are from BRIC countries. Yet SMEs in developing countries have a long way to go. Less than 10% of value creation in primary goods is going to countries of origin. This gives TPOs great opportunities to capture more market share for their companies using powerful branding tools and techniques.
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Speaker
- Mr. Alvaro Silva-Santisteban, Director, Trade, Tourism and Investment Office of Peru – UAE
Panellists
- Mr. Mohammed Al Kamali, Director of Export Markets Development, Dubai Exports
- Mr. Karl Hartleb, Deputy Executive Director, Advantage Austria
- Ms. Rita Menon, Chief Executive Officer and Chair, India Trade Promotion Organization
- Ms. Helen Rankin, Business Development Manager, Cheil MENA
Moderator
- Ms. Geraldine Goh, Chief, Communications and Events, ITC
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Track 3: Reaching new markets
Supporting SME integration into global value chains
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SMEs seek institutional support in order to connect to global markets and to defend their interests. TPOs have a changing role in a trade landscape dominated by regional and global value chains.
During this session, WTO and ITC launch a joint report, SME Competitiveness and Aid for Trade: Connecting Developing Country SMEs to Global Value ChainsThe World Bank then addresses global value chain analysis, focusing on FDI attracting foreign direct investment and export promotion for competitiveness diagnostics.
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SME Competitiveness and Aid for Trade

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Speakers
- Mr. José Guilherme Reis, Program Leader, Trade and Competitiveness, World Bank (Turkey Country Office)
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- Mr. Michael Roberts, Aid-for-Trade coordinator, Development Division, World Trade Organization (WTO)
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Panellists
- Ms. Elena Achar Samra, Head, Export Promotion, ProMexico
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- Mr. Do Kim Lang, Deputy Director General, Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade)
- Mr. Dick de Man, Deputy Managing Director, Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI)
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- Ms. Jacqueline Mneney Maleko, Director General, TanTrade
Moderator
- Ms. Marion Jansen, Chief Economist, ITC
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15:30-16:00

Coffee break (networking)
ITC Promotional booths open
Closing session
A summary of the conference conclusions and the announcement of the host for the 2016 TPO Network World Conference and Awards

Speakers
- Eng. Saed Al Awadi, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Exports, United Arab Emirates
- Ms. Arancha González, Executive Director, ITC
PhotosPhotosVideo News: Closing ceremony News: Announcement of 2016 event

Thursday, 6 November

Post-conference activities

8:45-13:00

Port visit to DP World
15:30-21:00

Desert safari and dinner