UKIBC appoints Managing Director and Board Members for its India operations

The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) has marked a major milestone in the creation of a pan-India network of UK India Business Centres that was announced by Prime Minister David Cameron during his visit to India in February by appointing an MD, nominating two new India Board Members, and starting the fitting out process of its Gurgaon office.

Richard McCallum, Co-Founder and Director, Flying Fox, India’s first zipline tour company, has been appointed as the India-based Managing Director of UKIBC India Pvt Limited, responsible for the roll-out of the Business Centres and services in India. He will join the team in August.

A puja took place on Monday 3rd June 2013, marking the commencement of the fit-out of the first Business Centre in Gurgaon by Pacific Interiors which have been chosen as property partners for the entire network. The formal opening will take place in September 2013. The centre comprising 7,200 sq ft is located in Infinity Towers, Cyber City and will act as the “hub” within the important North Central economic region in India. A 600 sq ft “spoke” in Connaught Place, Central Delhi is currently being completed. The Business Centres are designed to transform the quantity and quality of support available to British businesses, especially SMEs, seeking to enter or expand in India.

The Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, Chair of the UKIBC, chaired the first meeting of the newly enlarged Board of UK India Business Council India (Pvt) Ltd in Gurgaon on Monday 3rd June 2013. She welcomed two new members to the Board – Kalyan Bose, President of the British Business Group (BBG) in Delhi and Vandana Poria Chair of the BBG Pune. The Board meeting was observed by the UK High Commissioner, Sir James Bevan KCMG, and by the Head of the UKTI in India, Barry Lowen. The Board’s changing composition reflects the increasing operations in India and the involvement of a broader range of Indian-based stakeholders, including importantly the British Business Groups (BBG).

The UKIBC Chair, the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, said: “These three announcements mark a major milestone in the new approach to business support announced recently by Prime Minister David Cameron and Trade Minister Lord Green. I am delighted that Richard McCallum has agreed to join us to lead this effort in India. Together with our Group CEO, Richard Heald, he will lead a step-change in the support available to British businesses wanting to enter or expand in India. I am also delighted to welcome the nominees of the BBG in India – Kalyan Bose and Vandana Poria – to the UKIBC India Board. They bring tremendous knowledge of India and of the UK India business relationship. And, with their BBG colleagues, we will help to mobilise business to support other businesses to succeed in India.” Further appointments to the Board will be announced in due course.

Richard Heald Group CEO of UKIBC stated, “We intend to create something very relevant and very special in India. I am delighted that Dickie McCallum has agreed to join us and very much look forward to working with him. The role which he will play will be critical in achieving our high ambitions for UK trade and businesses in India. Dickie brings a rare combination of practical experience of running an SME for seven years in India together with proven success of working within a large international company. We are looking forward to him deploying this expertise in recruiting and leading a team with strong Indian sectoral and commercial experience. Under his leadership, this team will work with and build on the existing strong UKIBC, UKTI and BBG platforms, and create a significantly higher level of UK-India business engagement, providing UK businesses the additional support they need to succeed in India.”

Richard McCallum, said, “I am delighted to join the UKIBC to lead the expansion of its India operations. The opportunities for mutually advantageous trade flows between India and the UK are immense. Our Centres will provide practical and useful support to enable businesses to take advantage of these opportunities. I look forward to working closely with UKTI and BBGs across India as part of this exciting new initiative”

The Business Centre in Gurgaon will not only be the first of six Business Centres to be rolled out across India, but also be globally the first opening of the new style business-led business centres that the UK Government is backing in 20 priority trade markets. The UKIBC has been working with Paul Dass and the Pacific Business Centres on the launch of this initiative and the result has been the remarkable pace in set-up enabling India to be global leader in this way.

Ms Hewitt added, “The response we have received to this initiative from the business communities in the UK and India has been tremendous – companies, big and small, want to be involved, both to receive support from those more experienced and to provide it. There’s a real buzz generating and we are, of course, keen for ever more businesses to participate.”

The Business Centre in Gurgaon will be formally open towards the end of Q3 2013.

According to Richard Heald, “We have an ambitious but realistic timetable for the opening of the Centre and the roll out of our range of services. We are able to move so quickly and be confident of the highest quality of facilities because we have found a unique facilities partner, Pacific Interiors. This partner has helped us secure the use of the premises, they provide design and build services for interiors, and they also deliver on-going facilities management services. This turnkey solution has enabled the UKIBC to move forward quickly and with confidence.”

British High Commissioner in India, Sir James Bevan KCMG, welcomed the announcements: “The UK and Indian Prime Ministers remain committed to doubling trade and investment between India and the UK by 2015. We are on track to achieve this, but there is no room for complacency. This new network of UK-India business centres will prove the perfect complement to the work of our own UK Trade & Investment team across India.”

Paul Dass, Chairman and CEO of Pacific Business Centres Pvt Ltd said “We are delighted to be UKIBC’s Indian property partners and proud to be playing a key role in creating this fantastic platform that will help British businesses access India. India is sometimes a complicated market to enter. UK companies need support, mentoring and networking within a friendly and welcoming environment. It has long been my vision to provide this environment.”

ENDS
For more information or to arrange interviews with Richard Heald, CEO or Patricia Hewitt, Chair please contact either Ishara Callan or Adam Pollard at ishara.callan@ukibc.com or adam.pollard@ukibc.com on 020 7592 3045

Notes to Editors:
The British Prime Minister last year announced an initiative to strengthen business support in key markets, including India. Earlier this year, Lord Green announced UK Government support for a business-led, pan-India network, led by the UK-India Business Council, with support from India-based British business groups.

The first of the new UK-India Business Council Centres is scheduled to open in September in Gurgaon. It will provide a range of accredited support services for UK business from the Centre, including: market research and advice on what works in India; training and mentoring; incubation and facilities services such as hot desking and meeting rooms; delegations and individual market visits; sector-specific policy groups for members; and networking and other events to help build the knowledge and networks businesses need to thrive in India.
The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) is the premier business-led organisation promoting bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. Its mission is to facilitate an increase in trade between the UK and India through business to business dialogue. UKIBC plays an influential role in creating and sustaining an environment in which free-trade and investment flourishes. Through the facilitation of partnerships, and with an extensive network of influential corporate and individual members, UKIBC provides the resource, knowledge and infrastructure support vital for UK companies to make the most of emerging opportunities in India. For further information please visit www.UKIBC.com

Richard McCallum is currently Director and Co-founder, Flying Fox, India- India’s first zipline tour company. He has been there for over five years. Before joining the Flying Fox, Richard was manager, Delhi and North India for Cathay Pacific Airways. A graduate of History (BA) from the Durham University, he went on to study International relations at the University of Cambridge.

The India Board Members are Patricia Hewitt, Chair, UKIBC, Kalyan Bose, President, BBG, Vandana Poria, Chair, BBG Pune, Alpesh Patel, founding Principal of Praefinium Partners Ltd, Mukesh Rajani, Partner, PwC, Philip Bouverat, Director of Major Accounts, JCB, Anthony Good, Global Chairman of Cox & Kings and Richard Heald, CEO, UKIBC

BBG: British Business Group is a forum for British and Indian companies and individuals to meet, exchange ideas and network in friendly and informal surroundings

UKTI: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI): UKTI is the government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. It also help overseas companies bring their high quality investment to the UK’s economy – acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business. UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world