New Markets 2017: TECH/DIGITAL

Registration and coffee/tea

WELCOME: Ken Miles, Worldwide Chair, Alliott Group

KEYNOTE: Nikita Fahrenholz, CEO, Book a Tiger.  
Lessons Learned From Building Two Companies in the International Market Place.   Nikita will tell the story about how he and the two other founders built up the uber successful online food delivery service Delivery Hero from scratch into an international platform that connects to 200,000+ restaurants in over 30 markets. He will also share his experiences in building Book A Tiger and his vision to disrupt the facility management sector globally using a technology platform. Nikita will let you into his way of thinking and strategic approaches to product innovation, internationalization and scaling up a business. 

CASE STUDY #1: Tim Dearden, Chief Strategy Officer, Vena Solutions.  

Entering New Markets: the Nuts and Bolts 'Under the Hood' Approach. Entering new markets:  an extension of your business or a minefield that could drain your time and resources? Tim will explain that it depends on your product, your perspective... and you.  While Tim will talk you through why going into new markets may not be as daunting as you think, he will also provide a checklist of practicals  you must consider before accessing a new market, including the approach, legal and support considerations, through to the impact on your global franchise.  This presentation will help you to ensure that entering a new market is a rewarding exercise.  

CASE STUDY #2: Dr John Tinsley, CEO/Co-Founder, Iconic Translation Machines.  
Chasing Opportunities in the Face of Challenges.   Exporting is a challenge for companies of all shapes and sizes - these challenges are particularly acute for young companies operating with limited resources. John will explain how they addressed these particular obstacles in the context of what is a relatively complex direct B2B sales process and how they try to strike the right balance between remote business development, travel and associated costs, and staffing, all with the ultimate goal of getting in front of potential buyers in our key markets. 

Break with coffee and pastries

CASE STUDY #3: Spencer Altman, Head of Global Customer Success, Webtrekk GmbH.  
Going International Organically: A Berlin Startup Story.   Webtrekk was founded in 2004 in Berlin by current CEO (Christian Sauer) and CTO (Norman Wahnschaff) and now now has customers in 25+ countries and offices in five countries. On its path to internationalisation, Webtrekk experimented with various methods – use of retainers with specialist third party resellers, use of partner agencies and direct sales. Some methods worked, some very well, but there have also been lessons along the way. Spencer Altman, Head of Customer Success, started at Webtrekk in 2009 to help deal with the world “outside of DACH” (Germany, Austria & Switzerland), and will tell you Webtrekk’s story.

UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL TAX
Tamás Kulcsár, International Tax Expert, International Monetary Fund & IBFD. 
Taxman and IP-man: Best Buddies or Worst Enemies?  Regardless of whether a three-strong start-up or a multimillion dollar multinational, tech firms better be ready for the taxman! There has been a significant shift in the focus of governments towards tech companies, the challenges their disruptive business models and product portfolios create for the tax system and potential solutions for how to tax them. Transfer pricing and international tax issues should not be taken lightly by companies that develop software, technology and or any other IP.  Being in control of fiscal obligations is as crucial as dealing with any commercial issue. This session will explain the main tax concepts tech firms should be aware of, the basic transfer pricing and international tax rules surrounding them, the potential risks introduced by recent legislative changes and how to control them.

MASTERING BUSINESS CULTURE
Heike Saxe-Taylor, Consultant, Farnham Castle Intercultural Training.  German Business Culture: Beware of Differences When Doing Business With the UK & USA.  Heike will explore fundamental aspects of effective global business relationships and answer the questions: How are Germans perceived around the world? And what does this mean for successful working relationships, particularly with companies in the UK and U.S.? Heike will identify the cultural differences and similarities affecting the way people work in Germany, the UK and the U.S. and will explain why the way we communicate can often send out the wrong message. She will offer simple strategies on how to communicate more effectively, build rapport quickly and develop tolerance and emotional resilience when working with UK and U.S. partners.

IT BEST PRACTICE
Sven Weizenegger.  
Getting Your IT Setup Right Before You Go Big.  More info to follow soon...

Conference ends with complimentary buffet lunch in The Gallery and informal networking opportunities.