ITRA Global News

Two World-Class Panels Featured at ITRA Global “Doing Business in the Americas” Symposium in London

October 22, 2012

ITRA Global organized two outstanding panel discussions for “Doing Business in the Americas,” a premier all-day Symposium held on 12 September, 2012 at the Park Plaza Victoria London in England.

The invited audience included top executives from European companies, in addition to ITRA Global clients. Topics covered ranged from state and regional incentives to site selection factors and other key issues essential to successful business expansion throughout North America and Latin America.

Debra Stracke Anderson, Chairman of the Symposium Committee and President and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based ITRA Global / Sloan Street Advisors, says the event was a tremendous resource for company executives who must navigate a significantly changed global marketplace.

”The Symposium provided attendees with crucial information about changes in business expansion logistics and site selection factors in the United States, Canada and Latin America brought about by the challenging economy of recent years,” Anderson explains.

The distinguished Corporate Guest Panel was comprised of high profile executives who shared case studies and experiences relevant to today’s business expansion in the Americas, including property availability, build-to-suit, leasing versus owning, and more. The Symposium represented a unique opportunity for the executives on the panel to share their unique perspectives with attendees from Europe and around the world.

Anderson, who also is Chairman Emeritus of ITRA Global, moderated the Corporate Guest Panel discussion that included executives from the following companies:

• Mars Incorporated: Mr. Mark Broadhurst, Director, Public Affairs and Government Relations

• Mozilla Corporation: Mr. James Cook, Chief Financial Officer

• Skanska Commercial Development USA: Mr. Mats Johansson, President

• Whirlpool: Mr. Lee Utke, Senior Director, Global Corporate Real Estate

• ITRA Global / Pollina Corporate Real Estate, Inc.: Ronald R. Pollina, Ph.D., President ; Author of the 2012 “Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States”

The Economic Development Guest Panel, which was moderated by ITRA Global Chairman Emeritus and President and CEO of Chicago-based ITRA Global / Pollina Corporate Real Estate, Dr. Ronald Pollina, included top officials from the following government agencies in the Americas:

• Missouri, USA: Mr. Christopher Chung, CEO, The Missouri Partnership

• Pennsylvania, USA: Mr. Richard Kilner, Managing Director, European Investment Office

• Utah, USA: Mr. Franz Kolb, Director - Europe, Middle East, Africa, and India, Governor's Office of Economic Development

• Ontario, Canada: Mr. Jean-Noel Mermet, International Business Development Representative, Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation

• Sao Paulo, Brazil: Mr. Sergio Rodrigues Costa, Director, Investe São Paulo

• Colombia: Mr. Juan Guillermo Perez, Director London Office, Proexport Colombia

• Mexico: His Excellency José Neif Jury Fabre, Trade Commissioner, ProMéxico

“The Economic Development Guest Panel covered such matters as transportation, labor, taxation, business-friendly culture, and many other regional factors company executives must consider when expanding to the Americas,” says Pollina.

Structured as a moderated forum, guests had the opportunity to ask questions during the panel discussions, networking sessions, and on a one-on-one basis with Economic Development officials and ITRA Global Site Selection experts. Also included in the day’s schedule were a networking luncheon and a cocktail reception to conclude the event.

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