The importance of the management consulting industry to the Caribbean was laid clear by Chief Operating Officer, Anthony Bradshaw who stated that “Globally the management consulting industry is one of the fastest growing sectors and in a 2010 study commission by the Agency, the global market for consulting services was expected to reach US350 billion” and thus is a priority sector for the Agency.
“Management consulting can be considered to be high value added industry with a heavy export orientation, which has the potential to make a significant contribution to address [the] needs of the Regional market, which provides many opportunities for our service providers” expressed Senator The Hon. Vasant Bharath, Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment for Trinidad & Tobago.
At the opening ceremony dignitaries expressed their gratitude toward Caribbean Export for taking the initiative to organise such an important meeting of management consultants as it is viewed as “part of a wider Aid for Trade programme to assist the private sector in the Caribbean to take advantage of the CARIFORUM – EU Economic Partnership Agreement” according to Mrs. Daniela Tramacere, Chargee d’Affaires, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. Tramacere also encouraged Caribbean management consultants to take advantage of the opportunities published on the Europeaid webpage in view of the EU being the biggest development cooperation donor in the world.This 5th Management Consulting Symposium under the theme Strategic Alliances for Development the symposium is set to engage regional and international experts to bring renewed focus to establishing strategic alliances and generating opportunities for CARIFORUM management consulting firms to exploit the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and those in the emerging markets. This key topic for discussion by a forum of over 75 CARIFORUM Management Consultants will focus on the strategy required for increasing scope, export competitiveness and economies of scale.
A major activity on the 3 day agenda is the series of business to business matchmaking sessions with EU consulting firms facilitated by Caribbean Export in order to generate business and thus increase the penetration of the EU market by CARIFORUM firms. This was a highly successful facet of the 4th meeting with a number of consulting firm reporting positive partnerships and successful bids as a result. “Our firm has been able to partner with seven (7) of the CARIFORUM consultants/consulting firm present at the Symposium on proposals, three of which were successful bids.” – Pernille Fischer Boulter, CITP, Kisserup International Trade Roots Inc. & Kisserup Europe.
Thus, management consulting can provide many opportunities for cooperation between consulting firms in CARIFORUM, Europe and Globally. “The German Government supports this cooperation as it is a centrepiece for the EPA between CARIFORUM and the EU. Trade and development are two sides of the same coin, and strengthening business cooperation can make a substantial contribution to a better future for the Caribbean” stated Ullrich Kinne, Charge d’Affaires, of the German Embassy in Port of Spain.
In addition Dr. Engels stressed the importance for consultants possessing the Certified Management Consulting designation as it is “clearly understood by service consumers as a mark of quality and will certainly support increased services exports.” Moreover it is “is helpful for accessing any EU market for consulting services.”
President of the Caribbean Institute of Certified Management Consultants Dr. Vasantha Chase presented four newly certified management consultants at the opening; Carol-Ann Ferdinand, Sucilla Buchoon-Harrikissoon, Ian Downes (Trinidad & Tobago) and Ronnie Antonius (Suriname).
The 5th Management Consulting Symposium is consistent with Caribbean Export’s overall strategy for priority niche sector development under the 10th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP), pursuant to maximizing the benefits of the provisions of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
For more information about the Management Consulting Symposium contact Markson Gill, Operations Officer, Caribbean Export at mgill@carib-export.com
About Caribbean Export
Caribbean Export is the regional export development and trade and investment promotion organisation of the Forum of Caribbean States (CARIFORUM) currently executing the Regional Private Sector Programme (RPSDP) funded by the European Union under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF). Caribbean Export’s mission is to increase the competitiveness of Caribbean countries by providing quality export development and trade and investment promotion services through effective programme execution and strategic alliances.
More information about Caribbean Export can be found at www.carib-export.com. Contact: JoEllen Laryea, PR and Communications, Caribbean Export Development Agency, Tel: +1(246) 436-0578, Fax: +1(246) 436-9999, Email: jlaryea@carib-export.com
