ALKHOBAR, 7 September 2006 — In a sign that the summer break is over, in the Eastern Province from Sept. 9 to 11, the British Trade Office, Alkhobar, will be hosting a trade mission from the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce (CWCC). After concluding its business activities in Saudi Arabia, the mission will move on to two days of meetings in Bahrain.
According to Terry Evans, head of the British Trade Office, Alkhobar, ten companies, all new to the Saudi market, will be participating in this trade mission and, in a nod to the changing corporate environment in the Kingdom, three businesswomen will be representing their companies in the delegation. For specifics on the members of the delegation see http://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/saudibahrain2006.htm.
The trade mission will be led by Mark Eaton, director, Trade Liaison Office, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. Eaton has worked in international trade for twenty years and has been a leader of more than 30 trade missions.
“These market visits differ from the traditional trade missions in the way that the participants are all either new to exporting or new to the chosen market,” Eaton explained. “We have specifically targeted Saudi Arabia and Bahrain because of the great trading opportunities these markets hold particularly for ‘Women in Business.’ In addition to the direct activities of this Trade Mission, I also plan to liaise with trade associations in both countries to discuss future cooperation.”
The UK trade mission will be met by representatives of the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), with both organizations making presentations on the benefits of, and mechanisms for, doing business in the Kingdom. Representatives of Saudi firms have also been invited to meet the Trade Mission and there has been high interest among Saudi businesswomen to have talks with Dr. Mah Hussain-Gambles, managing director of Saaf UK Ltd., one of the companies in the UK delegation.
Saaf UK is marketing a product line, “Saaf Pure Skincare,” which is the West’s first Halal and Organic certified skin care range. All the Saaf products are formulated by Dr. Hussain-Gambles, a Homeopath with years of experience in the pharmaceuticals industry. She pointed out that many of the skin care products for sale in Muslim nations, even quite expensive products, have questionable origins.
“In skin care products, swine-based and synthetic chemicals can be used for entirely mercenary reasons,” Dr. Hussain-Gambles said. “The simple fact is that they are cheaper than organic and natural alternatives. You can’t make assumptions about all products, but I have come across well known brands which use, for example, elastin and other ingredients in anti-wrinkle creams, and sometimes, even for me as a chemist, it is difficult to know the origin of these ingredients. To be safe, it is better to buy from ethical companies. Please take a look at our website, www.saaf.co.uk, for information on hidden animal ingredients in skincare products.”
Another woman hoping to sign services contracts with companies in the Kingdom is Funmi Ade, Lead Consultant - Trainer, Beulah Consultancy. Her firm offers consultancies with the goal of enabling organizations in the private and public sector to improve performance, achieve goals and develop enhanced competitive advantages through people and processes. In addition, the company provides accredited and non- accredited workplace skill development courses.
“The target market for Beulah Consultancy is primarily women between 16 and 25 years of age,” Ade said. “In order to make contact, I am looking to enter into discussions with agencies and institutions who deal with this target market, while also meeting individual women to gain an insight into their business needs and methods of operating, so I can help with filling any gaps in the market.”
Beulah Consultancy is not the only company in this UK trade mission offering a variety of training courses. Professional Vocational Training Ltd., represented by its CEO Helen Greaves, was formed in 2002 to deliver flexible work-based learning, made up of internationally recognized and accredited qualifications. Greaves believes that companies in Saudi Arabia will easily see the value of her company’s offering.
“Professional Vocational Training has made a commitment to e-learning and we deliver our programs via e-mentoring,” said Greaves. “This has huge benefits for learners in that they are able to complete the work in a time frame best suited to their needs. Employers have also found benefits with this style of learning as staff skills are enhanced with minimal disruption to the functioning of the workplace. Our service is particularly well suited to the Saudi business environment due to cultural sensitivities regarding the venues where women work and train. We look forward to demonstrating how technology combined with top quality instructors and materials will meet the needs of this market.”