Caribbean Export Development Agency’s (Caribbean Export) London Engage initiative is poised to take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London from August 4 – 10, 2012.
Hasan DeFour. Photo courtesy gottempo.com
During this period, Caribbean Export will stage several events, which showcase the diverse creativity and investment potential of the region. These events include an architecture exhibition at Westminster University; a fashion show featuring footage from Caribbean Fashion Week 2012 in Jamaica; a documentary, Built to Last, which focuses on fifty years of regional sporting excellence; a cuisine and hospitality suite with some of the most decorated Caribbean and UK chefs including Hasan DeFour, Barrington Douglas, Omar Robertson and Jacqui Tyson-Niederhauser; a series of business seminars moderated by Britain’s leading business figures including Levi Roots, premiership football agent Sky Andrew and publicist to Usain Bolt Carole Beckford; as well as a musical showcase hosted by Trevor Nelson.
The exciting and innovative Break Point competition is also scheduled as a part of London activities and will see 12 entrepreneurs from across CARIFORUM pitch to a stellar panel of investors including former ‘Dragon’ Doug Richards, Keynes Emeruwa from Real Angels Global Solutions, Jonathan Pfahl of Rockstar Mentoring & Investors, and Alexander Amosu for investment in their business.
Caribbean Export continues to place strong emphasis on driving regional growth by embracing new emerging sectors and encouraging the transition from reliance on traditional areas of focus. Through London Engage, the Agency intends to begin to debunk some of the myths associated with the Caribbean Brand. It recognizes that what is often seen as sun, sea and sand is an untapped wealth of opportunities spanning the music, architecture, fashion, cuisine, and sporting industries. The industries are all ripe for investment by individuals who recognise the potential financial returns that the unique Caribbean brand now presents, and the need to begin viewing the region as an emerging market for serious investment.
“The Caribbean’s creative industries are possibly the most significant identifier of the region’s brand and potential on the world stage. If we are to become less susceptible to the economic shocks of the West, we must begin to play to our strengths and start to really explore the possibilities our creative industries have for taking real Caribbean excellence to the world”, commented Executive Director Pamela Coke Hamilton.
“We see our engagement of London, as a fantastic opportunity to really put on show some of the many commercially viable business entities and opportunities, which the Caribbean has to offer. It will be the place where Brand Caribbean is seen as realistic alternatives to traditional investment instruments,” Coke Hamilton concluded.
London Engage activities are funded by the European Union’s 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP), with support from the African Caribbean and Pacific Business Climate (ACP BizClim), UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).
For additional information about London Engage please visit our website at www.carib-export.com.
Grosvenor House
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