Investing in Macedonia Series
 
Seoul Agenda: 2nd July 2014
Printable agenda 
08:15 - 09:00Registration and Refreshments
09:00 - 09:10Opening Remarks from the Chair
Courtney Fingar, Editor-in-Chief, fDi Magazine, Financial Times Group

09:10 - 09:40Keynote Government Address: Macedonia as an Investment Location
  • Introducing Macedonia
  • Macedonia’s political, economic, financial and business climate
  • Why foreign businesses invest there
Nikola Gruevski, Prime Minister, Republic of Macedonia

09:40 - 10:40Panel Discussion: Turning Investment Opportunities into Realities
  • What are the main opportunities for foreign direct investors in Macedonia? 
  • What are its advantages and disadvantages as a business location? 
  • What official incentives are available – grants, loans, favourable tax arrangements? 
  • How do you deal with the practicalities of setting up business there? 
  • What difficulties can be encountered, and how are they overcome? 
  • What is the long-term business outlook for the country? 
Zoran Stavreski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Republic of Macedonia

George Perry, automotive industry executive consultant and former CEO, Yazaki North America

Irsat Kanca, Managing Partner, Weibo Group

MODERATOR: Courtney Fingar, Editor-in-Chief, fDi Magazine, Financial Times Group

10:40 - 11:15Refreshments
11:15 - 11:45Presentation: The New Business Haven in South-East Europe
  • Why Macedonia? Ideal location, excellent infrastructure, competitive workforce, investment incentives, investor-friendly government
  • Location: good geographical location, political and economic stability
  • Infrastructure: first rate provision of transport, telecommunications, energy
  • Labour market: highly educated and skilled but relatively low cost
  • Investment incentives: unbeatable fiscal benefits, government support, free zones
  • Specific opportunities: manufacturing, electrical engineering, automotive, real estate, agriculture, food processing, tourism, IT services, business process outsourcing and more

Viktor Mizo, Chief Executive Officer, Free Zones Authority, Republic of Macedonia

11:45 - 12:15On-stage interview: Investment Case Study - KEMET Corporation
KEMET Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of capacitors and other electronic components to equipment manufacturers and electronic distributors around the world. Headquartered in Simpsonville, South Carolina, USA, it has 23 production facilities in North America, Europe and Asia, and employs 10,420 people worldwide. In 2012 it opened a new €15m plant in Skopje, Macedonia. Key questions to be answered in this on-stage interview will be: 
  • What does KEMET’s new facility in Skopje manufacture and whom does it supply? 
  • Why was Macedonia chosen as an investment location? 
  • What has been your experience of investing in Macedonia, and what advice would you give to Asian companies thinking of investing there? 
  • Knowing what you know now, would you have approached this project any differently? 

Frank Brandenberg, Chairman and Director, KEMET Corporation 

INTERVIEWER: Courtney Fingar, Editor-in-Chief, fDi Magazine, Financial Times Group

12:15 - 12:25Final Q&A and Closing Remarks
Courtney Fingar, Editor-in-Chief, fDi Magazine, Financial Times Group

12:25 - 13:30Networking buffet lunch
13:30Lunch and event end