GNBCC part of NLinBusiness.com - Exchange Days 2024

20-09-2024

GNBCC part of NLinBusiness.com - Exchange Days 2024

GNBCC has been accepted as new Members of NLinBusiness Network since the end of August (click here to read more on it)  and was invited to partake in the Exchange Days 2024 which took place in the Netherlands from September 9th until September 13th 

GNBCC’s GM, Tjalling Wiarda, travelled to the Netherlands and was welcomed by 14 colleagues from all different places ranging from Europe (UK, France & Belgium) to South America (Brazil, Panama, Chili and Mexico), the Far East (China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia) and Africa and the Middle East ( Kenya and Dubai) . They  all came together to work on the joint strategy under the leadership of the NL in Business network .

This network support Dutch companies in doing business outside the Netherlands; it has been set up by MKB Nederland  and VNO-NCW – they represent 95% of all companies/employers in the Netherlands ranging from multinationals to the SME’s.

On Tuesday September 10th , the International Business Day took place in Haarlem in a former jailhouse (‘Koepelgevangenis Haarlem’) ; hereby a lot of companies with an interest of doing business outside the Netherlands were invited . As GNBCC we had several discussions with interested parties ao some GNBCC Members from The Netherlands such as Royal Smilde as well as Sensys Gatso Group. Tjalling had the help of GNBCC’s project manager Jemima Botchey -who is staying in the Netherlands for  the setup of GNBCC’s Diaspora Desk. GNBCC”s GM did a separate presentation during a joint function with the Kenya and Dubai chamber concerning investment in Ghana.

On Wednesday we had a large meeting / session with the RvO – Netherlands Enterprise Agency and with VNO-NCW – the main employers federation of the Netherlands discussing doing business in our countries . On Thursday the whole group moved to Eindhoven where we did ‘scalping the future’ by visiting Brainport Eindhoven ( see here) a huge complex of learning and innovative start-ups with a follow up visit to the Sioux Technologies company (see here) .  In the evening we went to the PSV Eindhoven Stadium, home of PSV football club  (see here). Here we met quite a number of companies and entrepreneurs which were part of the PSV Business Club ; we were placed behind tables with our country flags to meet with companies who wanted to know more of doing business in any of the participating countries.

On Friday we closed of the whole trip with a visit to the most innovative and important company of the Netherlands and maybe the World: ASML in Veldhoven (see here). ASML is the world's supplier to the semiconductor industry and as such of geopolitical importance working with USA, China and Taiwan and being the leading company in the World. As of 2023 ASML is the largest supplier for the semiconductor industry and the sole supplier in the world of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) photolithography machines that are required to manufacture the most advanced chips. As of March 2024, ASML was the most highly valued European tech company, with a market capitalization of about US$397 billion. Not everybody can visit the factory due to risks of espionage but we could and it was impressive ! Anyway back in Ghana again !

Tjalling Wiarda

GNBCC | News