An intensive training programme, offering six optional one-day courses, is available over the three days prior to the Convention. This will enable you to make full use of your time in Cape Town, and will ensure you gain maximum benefit from attending.
These expert-led training courses are designed to provide training in areas that are essential to your zones’ development and prosperity. They are led by international experts who have been selected for the depth of their knowledge and experience in the world of free zones.
Book a single course, or the combination of courses, that best suits your needs.
Tuesday 26 October
To promote your zones you must first understand what international investors are looking for and how you can fulfil their needs. Attend this course to gain a better understanding of investors’ priorities, strategic zone management, public policy advocacy and how to attract FDI.
Course topics include: The macro-economic framework – the link between fighting poverty and gaining foreign direct investment; Public policy advocacy – how political decision making is done and how to influence it; Strategic free zone management – how to determine your goals, create a strategy, gauge priorities, plan, define resources, and create an action plan; Skills – the development necessary to achieve your goals; and FDI – how it can be attracted. Throughout the course the investor view will be highlighted, to underline the importance of each topic to investors when they decide to invest in a free zone.
Course led by Expert Trainers from International Location Consultants
The explosion in global outsourcing provides fantastic opportunities to free zones. Find out what’s happening in cross-border activity and how you can maximise the possibilities this offers to your zones.
Interactive sessions and case studies will teach from the perspective of practical experience, bringing participants a wealth of practical knowledge gained in the growing world of BPO, off-shoring and outsourcing. The course approaches outsourcing from the dual-perspective of companies involved on both sides of global outsourcing – service provision and service selection. Find out about performance measurement, service level agreements, selection criteria, what differentiates the winners from the losers, the opportunities offered, and what potential the future holds for this dynamic sector.
Course led by Hans Vermij, Senior Consultant at Buck Consultants International, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Wednesday 27 October
Retaining investors is crucial to your zones’ long-term success. Learn how to develop and deliver the first-class service and quality aftercare that will ensure you retain your valued investors.
From a wealth of experience gained over many years of advising free zones, the trainers will explain the steps you must take to retain foreign direct investment, what factors drive an investor’s decision to relocate, how to assist in retaining FDI, how to benchmark your offering; the importance of building your image; and how you can benefit by developing co-operative relationships with other zones.
Course led by Expert Trainers from International Location Consultants
Free zones need strong foundations on which to build success. Discover how to develop operating guidelines that ensure a properly functioning infrastructure that will be attractive to investors.
This course is led by Jim O’Gara, a free zone expert with many years’ experience of providing zones, countries and businesses with specialized advisory services. As a specialist in location-based development initiatives, including Special Economic Zones, Free Zones, Industrial and Technology Parks, and integrated Regional Development programmes, Jim will bring a wealth of practical experience to the course, and show how strong operating policies and institutional frameworks should be developed to prepare your zone for success.
Course leader: Jim O’Gara, Senior Vice President of The Services Group, Arlington, USA
Thursday 28 October
Without effective marketing, no-one will know you are there! Discover how to develop successful marketing and communication strategies that will enhance your zones’ visibility and prosperity.
To market effectively and gain the competitive edge, you must design and implement a detailed marketing strategy which extends theory into a fully integrated and sustained effort. This course will teach you about modern marketing techniques, and how best to utilise all the tools and media available. The intensive and highly interactive course has zone investors’ and users’ needs at its core. It delivers advice and guidance gained over many years and will show you how to plan, develop and implement strong marketing and communication strategies that will lead to real and lasting success for your zones.
Course leader: Hans Vermij, Senior Consultant at Buck Consultants International, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
In today’s world the focus of global supply chain management will be security and its effect on supply chain velocity. The difference between successful on-time delivery of goods, and delays or failure of delivery, can be the lack of (or perceived lack of) security in your zone. Proper physical and procedural security can enhance the worth of your zone project and expedite the movement of goods from your zone.
Free zones should develop and implement a comprehensive plan to enhance security procedures throughout their operations. This one-day seminar, designed for zone operators, administrators and users, will provide a framework for zones to use in developing, enhancing and maintaining effective security processes in the zone and throughout the global supply chain.
Course leader: Randy Campbell, President and CEO of Campbell Trade Group, Inc. USA
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Zone operators, directors and managers; government officials responsible for their country’s investment policy; ministries of finance and economy; promotion operators; marketing strategists; operations directors and commercial zone operators.
Contact info@freezones.org or call the training office direct on +44 1538 724088 if you would like more information on any of the courses.
Karen Oram
, WFZC Courses & Training Director