OUTREACH

On January 29, 2009, Invest in Greece Agency organised, in close cooperation with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), an investment seminar at JETRO London Centre in the UK.

The seminar, focusing mainly on the energy and technology sectors, promoted the advantages of Greece as a business and investment location and highlighted specific investment opportunities to Japanese companies that operate in the UK.

Mr. Masahiko Toyoda, Chairman and Managing Director of Tosoh-Hellas, the Greek branch of the Japanese Tosoh Corporation, made a presentation of Tosoh’s experience in the Greek market. Tosoh Hellas, a manufacturing company with a long presence in Greece, is located in the Industrial Area of Sindos at Thessaloniki, producing electrolytic manganese dioxide for batteries.

Mr. Toyoda noted that Greece is a strong business hub offering access to the EU, Russia and other former East European bloc countries and has a stable macroeconomic environment as a member of the Eurozone. He said that Greece offers a skilled and well-educated labour force at competitive rates and strongly supports foreign investment.

Mr. Toyoda stressed the advantages of setting up a business in Greek Industrial Areas and underlined the well-developed infrastructure facilities at the Port of Thessaloniki. 

There was a demonstrated interest by the Japanese attendees in producing energy from renewable energy sources, due to Greece’s high feed-in tariffs and the available investment incentive schemes, in establishing pharma business in Greece, and in exploiting the country’s research potential.

Please visit the Invest in Greece website calendar for a comprehensive listing of events, both in Greece and worldwide.