Seminar on “How to Conduct Business in Today’s Environment”

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry, will conduct a Seminar on “How to Conduct Business in Today’s Environment” on September 6, 2007 at the Longdon Room, Hotel Taj Samudra.
Today’s global economic environment poses many challenges for business to succeed. There are many policy changes, both local and international which affect business.

There is the push for liberalization and globalization with the new focus on social responsibility, and the emphasis for green products, rapid development in new technology calling for business innovation, and e-Commerce, among others, all requiring serious consideration in business planning and execution. One must adopt financial strategies to cope with today’s credit risks management. The seminar discusses some pitfalls and potential land mines in today’s business environment. The stakes are indeed high. While there are challenges there are also new opportunities for business. The speakers will take up practical approaches to deal with both challenges and opportunities.

The speakers include an academician who keeps up with today’s challenges and a business entrepreneur who also plans to offer joint venture opportunities during his presentation. They will both interact with participants on the topics to be discussed to give the seminar a practical and innovative approach in facing the challenges and to succeed in today’s business environment.

Mr. Leoncio Cubillas, Jr., is a consultant and trainer from the University of the Philippines, a renowned state university in the Philippines. He specializes in Entrepreneurship Development and Planning, Production, Marketing, Entrepreneurial Finance, Feasibility Studies, and Technology Assessment, among others. He has participated in seminars on Entrepreneurship for Planning and Development in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Peshawar, Pakistan; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is a consultant of the World Bank, Swiss Development Agency for Cooperation and also faculty affiliate of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. He is a UP Graduate major in Master of Technology Management with field of study at the Asian Institute of Management; the Korea International Cooperation, Department of Industrial Promotion of Bangkok with advanced Training in Management at the Research Institute of Management Science, Hague, Netherlands.

Mr. Gonzalo Catan, Jr., is not only a successful businessman but also an inventor. He has accumulated a lot of awards. He is a B.S. in Agriculture with major in Entomology and Minors in Chemistry and Plant Pathology. He is a practical lecturer in the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the University of the Philippines during their caravan road-show for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises. He has written books for small and medium enterprises and has several companies to his credit. He has faced many challenges in creating businesses and coped with them to finally succeed. He helped others in seeking opportunities and advised them on how to succeed.

The Seminar will also feature a successful Sri Lankan entrepreneur, Lalith Kahatapitiya, Chairman of KIK Group of Companies, who will address participants on “The changing Policies at home that can offset Business and how local Businesses are coping with these Policies.”