Are you an Indian company looking to go global? London could be your ideal destination
This article has been sponsored by the organisers of London Catalyst for Growth
Today’s new-age companies believe in a ‘Day One Global’ philosophy as more and more of them look at solving global problems that come with scale, sophistication and a potentially ‘more-ready’ market. While there are many companies that began their operations with India serving as the test bed for their products or services, they are now looking to build strategic vantage points across geographies. The objectives for expansion range from creating a truly global organisation with a multi-cultural talent base to taking advantage of lower taxes and the ease of doing business.
If you are such a company, London should be on your list of international destinations. The capital of the United Kingdom is Europe’s fastest growing tech cluster and is at the forefront of attracting high-growth, technology companies from across the globe.
London also boasts of world-class technical expertise, creative talent and investors working together, and more importantly, it has a business-friendly tax environment with a corporation tax rate that is one of the lowest in the world. The city offers other inherent natural advantages such as the English language and a time zone that allows businesses to seamlessly trade with India, Europe, Africa, and America. In short, London offers a variety of advantageous levers for harnessing growth in the international arena.
London Catalyst for Growth (LCFG)
Helping Indian companies keen on establishing their international presence is the London Catalyst for Growth (LCFG), a joint initiative of a number of leading organisations based in UK – London & Partners – the official promotional company for London; UKTI – a UK Government department, Kingston Smith – a London based full services chartered accounting firm, Penningtons Manches – a leading law firm, and Trade Horizons – a specialist market entry company. It aims to provide a platform for Indian companies looking at organic and inorganic expansion, Mergers & Acquisition(M&A), capital raising and listing in London. As industry experts, they provide the necessary advice, information, and handholding to enable businesses to leapfrog into global markets.
This year, they will be hosting the 4th annual edition of the London: Catalyst for Growth Seminar series at Pune, Chennai, and Bangalore from March 8 -11. The seminar brings together key business sector experts from the UK, who will share their thoughts, experiences and examples of how companies can create a truly successful international organisation by establishing their presence in London.
If you are a startup, tech company, or any organisation ready to go global, all you have to do is register at www.londoncatalyst.in. (No cost involved).
Don’t miss this opportunity. Register today.
“The workshops will also help to explore how and why London is a strategic location for internationally focussed Indian firms, best practices for market entry and nuances of doing business in Europe. One of the main focus points will be how London can act as a base for international expansion, with experts taking on areas such as structuring, taxation, and immigration,” says Gautam Sehgal, Chief Representative India, London and Partners International.
The previous editions of the seminar have seen some tremendous response with participation from over 500 companies. Speakers from companies such as Dexler, IMI Mobile and Knowcross have shared first-hand experiences of setting up successful operations in London, and also talked about areas such as fundraising, business development, talent acquisition, and leveraging London as a strategic location to create a global organisation. Vipul Mehrotra, Vice President, Finance – Dexler, who attended the previous editions of the seminar says, “We found the workshops exhaustive and informative. It helped us fast track our expansion plans into Europe.”
Chandru Iyer, International BD Director, Kingston Smith and an integral part of the Catalyst series since its inception, says “Into its 4th year now, the London Catalyst for growth seminar series has been able to successfully showcase how London can act as the perfect launch pad for the global aspirations of Indian businesses. The fact that many Indian companies have been able to leverage to their advantage, the advice and guidance provided by the panellists at these seminars, and set up their presence in London, bears testimony to that.”
Talking about the growth in the Indian startup ecosystem and its connect to London, Gautam says, “In the last few years, a record number of Indian companies have attracted venture capital reflecting the excitement in the ecosystem. With the London Catalyst series, we are now looking to reach out to these fast-growing startups and next-generation companies who are looking to make a mark in the global arena. With unrivalled access to international markets, talent, and key decision makers, London is becoming a natural magnet for Indian startups looking to go international”
So if you are a startup, tech company, or any organisation ready to go global, all you have to do is register at www.londoncatalyst.in. (No cost involved).