Download Facing the Challenge of the US Market

Facing the Challenge of the US Market
Arranged by DI-International Business Network in
Collaboration with Danish-American Business Forum
and the American Chamber of Commerce in Denmark
The US market has always induced an ambiguous feeling within the managements of Danish companies. On one hand, the market is the single largest market in the world with a
population of close to 300 million people including a purchasing power among the highest
ranking in the world. US alone constitutes a market larger than Germany, UK, France, Italy,
Sweden, Norway combined, which traditionally are top importers of Danish goods and services.
On the other hand, only a very few Danish companies have enjoyed significant success on
the US market and stories in the Danish press including absurd lawsuits have deterred many
Danish executives from even considering the US as a focus area. This is in spite of the fact
that the same Danish companies have achieved great success on foreign markets in Europe
and Asia.
With the objective of providing Danish companies with a better understanding of what it
takes to be successful in the US market, Industriens Realkreditfond have generously supported a project carried by Confederation of Danish Industries (Dansk Industri). By applying
a practical approach, the project has focused on colleting information and testing novel
business models for Danish companies via surveys and 3 pilot project companies that underwent a structured effort to prepare them for the US market.
The outcome is a handbook that includes a set of clear recommendations for Danish companies that are either considering entering the US market or in the early stages of doing it.
DIBD believes that it can enhance success for especially small and medium-sized businesses.
Participate in the conference and get an introduction to the US and how you can increase
your chances of success on the US market.
Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 10.00-13.30
Confederation of Danish Industries
Facing the Challenge of the US Market
Mr Stephen Brugger is Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce
in Denmark which represents the interests of more than 270 American and international companies operating in Denmark and Danish companies operating in the US.
Mr Brugger also sits on the executive committee of the European Council of the
American Chambers of Commerce, an organization that consists of American chambers in more than 35 nations in Europe and Eurasia. He holds extensive knowledge of
the US market and the challenges that face companies when entering the US. Mr
Brugger will present the participating companies his American perspective on how to
do business in the US.
As Regional Manager in DI International Business Development, Mr Lars Tejlgård
has been closely involved in working with the 3 Danish pilot project companies from
the office in New York City. Mr Tejlgård will share the experiences and conclusions of
the IRF supported project related to overcoming the challenges when entering the
US market and thus the conclusions and recommendations of the handbook.
Kontrapunkt A/S is a company developing branding strategies and corporate identities to clients world-wide. However, to serve multinational clients in the US, Kontrapunkt has been forced to consider its presence on the market. Strategic Director, Mr
Rasmus Bech enrolled Kontrapunkt as a pilot project and Mr Bech will share the experiences gathered and Kontrapunkt's newly developed strategies for the US.
The Managing Director of stove manufacturer Morsø Jernstøberi A/S, Mr Peter Jessen, have been deeply involved in the company's activities in the US for the past 15
years. As a pilot project, Morsø Jernstøberi has now restructured its presence on the
US market from having a distributor to establishing its own subsidiary and warehouse in Tennessee. Mr Jessen will share his experiences of working in the US, especially when selling to US consumers through a US distributor.
The seminar includes a presentation by Mr Ole Søgaard Andersen, Senior Vice
President Global Sales & Marketing at Danisco A/S. Danisco has been operating on
the US market for more than 25 years, both with production and sales. The company's current extensive activities in North America put Mr Søgaard Andersen in an
excellent position to provide valuable input on doing business in the US.
Since 2001, Mrs Suzanne Kürstein is the Executive Director of Danish-American
Business Forum which is a unique, non-profit, membership based network- and interest organization. Currently, approximately 90% of the 139 members have US subsidiaries. The Forum focuses on the challenges faced by Danish companies when entering and operating on the US market. By facilitating exchange of information and
contacts among high-level business people, academics, and politicians, the Forum
works to increase the members’ business opportunities in the US. Suzanne Kürstein
will talk about the importance of networking in the US.
Registration with Dorte Burin Møller no later than Friday, December 1st, 2006.
Programme
09.30
Registration with Breakfast & Coffee
10.00
Welcome
Mr Jørgen K. Hansen, Deputy Director General, DI
10.10
Business in the US - An American Perspective
Mr Stephen Brugger, Executive Director, AmCham Denmark
10.30
Facing the US Challenge - What Works and What Doesn't
Mr Lars Tejlgård, Regional Manager, DI International Business Development (DIBD)
11.00
Business Case I: Kontrapunkt A/S
Developing a US Strategy - When Your Clients Are Multinational Companies with a
Strong US Presence
Mr Rasmus Bech, Strategic Director
11.30
Coffee Break + Networking
11.50
Business Case II: Morsø Jernstøberi A/S
Selling to the US Consumer - From a US Distributor to a Sales Subsidiary
Mr Peter Jessen, Managing Director
12.20
Business Case III: Danisco A/S
Selling in the US - Strategic Considerations and Experiences
Mr Ole Søgaard Andersen, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Marketing
12.50
The Importance of Network When Doing Business in the US
Mrs Suzanne Kürstein, Executive Director, Danish-American Business Forum
13.10
Panel Discussion
(With the Speakers)
13.30
Sandwiches + Networking
14.30
End of the Seminar
DI-International Business Network
Registration Form: Facing the Challenge of the US Market
Confederation of Danish Industries • Thursday, December 7, 2006 10.00-13.30
Name:
_______
Title:_____
Company:
Address:
ZIP/city:
__________
Telephone:
E-mail:
I would like to participate in the US seminar
Please indicate
The company is a member of DI-International Business Network, Danish-American Business
Forum or AmCham Denmark (free admission)
○
The company is not a member of DI-IBN, Danish-American Business Forum or AmCham (participation fee DKK 500 excl. tax )
○
Date:
Signature:
For further information please contact Berit Frederiksen, Market Development Consultant
Tel: +45 3377 3634 • Email: [email protected]
Registration no later than Friday, December 1st, 2006 with Dorte Burin Møller
Dansk Industri • H. C. Andersens Boulevard 18 • DK-1787 København V