Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary and Invest Hong Kong Director General to Visit Israel
Paul Chan, Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary (equivalent to the Minister of the Finance) and Stephen Phillips, the Director General of Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) will make a visit to Israel in early September joined by a delegation of government officials, local business people and investors. While in the country, Mr. Chan will deliver the keynote address at the 6th Annual China Business Summit and at the DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival, one of Israel’s major innovation events. He will also visit with local companies interested in exploring opportunities in Hong Kong and China. The business delegation including HK’s Trade Development Council (HKTDC), HK’s Trade & Industry Department (TID) and various companies and investors from Hong Kong will visit various Israeli accelerators and companies as well as hold business matchmaking sessions to develop further business ties between the two locations. EDI is involved in planning selected aspects of the visit as part of the company’s responsibilities as the Israel representative of InvestHK.
Five State Marketing Trip Completed
The last week of June saw EDI, along with five colleagues from the International Business Group (IBG) travel to five U.S. states to market the groups’ export and investment promotion activities. IBG is composed of 22 companies servicing 60 markets across the globe. States included in this visit were Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. Meetings were held with state Departments of Commerce, Chambers of Commerce and World Trade Centers. EDI’s CEO Sherwin Pomerantz, who organized the visit, was joined by colleagues from Korea, India, Mexico, South Africa and the U.S. EDI is a founding member of IBG.
Special Event: Dealing with the New US-Israel Defense Pact
On Monday, July 2nd EDI, in cooperation with BDO Ziv Haft and Fox Rothschild, hosted a seminar for Israeli defense sub-contractors on how to deal with the regulations attendant to the new US-Israel Defense Pact. Regulations that will come into play over the next few years will change the qualification requirements for local companies who provide manufacturing capability to major Israeli defense suppliers. The session, at BDO’s Tel Aviv headquarters covered the legal, financial and operational issues related to the agreement. Close to 100 company representatives were present at the event.
EDI Hosts Ukrainian Trade Mission
As authorized consultant in Israel to Ukraine Government’s Export Promotion Office, EDI hosting a trade mission from the Ukraine to Israel in July. 13 companies representing the IT and Furniture sectors were in Israel for three days to meet Israeli companies interested in doing business and exploring relationships with the Ukrainian firms. EDI handled all of the arrangements for B2B meetings and other aspects of the visit.
University of Illinois Mission to Israel
Mid-July saw EDI hosting a delegation from the University of Illinois looking to bolster cooperation between the agri-tech sectors in both locations. 15 representatives from the University were in Israel for this purpose and met with various entities active in Israel’s well-respected agritech sector. Simultaneously, representatives of the University’s technical colleges met with their counterparts in Israel to discuss future academic and industrial cooperation. EDI was responsible for arranging a number of meetings for the group in its role representing the interests of the University in Israel.
German Games Mission to Israel
In early September, 10 German companies with innovative technologies in the games sector will visit Israel to meet with potential joint venture partners. The recruitment in Germany is being handled by IBG partner AHP International of Berlin, while EDI is organizing the meeting schedule in Israel.