MEETING WITH IBB, FCO AND THE NORTH OF ENGLAND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THE LATTERS' PROPOSED OFFICE IN HONG KONG.
Present: Mr S Charik, IBB Chairman
Mr G Willaims, IBB
Mr A Golding, IBB Mr A Robinson, NEDC
Mr C Fraser, NEDC
Mr C E Leeks,FCO
Mrs D Roberts, IBB
The meeting had been called to explore the NEDCS' intended operations in Hong Kong (HK) and form an opinion on their proposal before reporting back to senior management.
PAST ACTIVITIES.
1 Mr Robinson and Mr Fraser gave a summary of NEDCs' past activities and succesess in the far east. They have been active for 10 years in Japan and 5 in HK, initially with visits from the UK and then via a local agent of Dodwells in Japan and for the past 3 years, a part time office in HK. The office in HK has been run by Mr Bill Welton from his office of Cheviot Management Consultants at Aberdeen. He has been clearly seen to be a NEDC representative with business cards so delineated, a placard outside the office and all mail addressed to NEDC in HK directed to the office.
2 NEDC have so far attracted to the North East 1 company from Singapore, 8 from Japan and 3 from HK. Mr Fraser thought it significant that those from HK had been brought in since the part time office had been established.
3 NEDC said, and they were not contradicted, that they have a record in HK of responsible action, had kept a low profile and maintained good relations with the HK Government. The companies attracted to the North East had opened branches in the UK to beat quota restrictions rather than as a way of opting out of HK.
4 To complete the picture of current operations in HK Mr Fraser explained that NEDC also promote exports from the North East to the far east.
THE NEW OFFICE
5 As justification for a full time office Mr Fraser explained that NEDC wanted to maintain and expand their presence in the far east and it was both inefficient and difficult to do this by visits alone. The Irish Development Agency had an office in HK and there was a danger of losing projects to Ireland if the UK was not similarly represented. With a full time office in HK the NEDC would be better placed to target and serve the far east market, for the North East obviously but also promoting the UK generally.
6 HK has been chosen as the base for reasons of cost and communications. The work of Cheviot Management will be discontinued and the replacement office, a modest affair, run from an appartment with Mr Fraser himself, who is already very well known in HK, as the full time representative. There should not therefore be any great stir at this change and it is quite probable that NEDCS' profile will be lowered not raised.
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