September 2003

2003 OWIT Program/Speaker Committee Session/Panel Storyboards

Conference Theme:
The theme for the 2003 Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) conference is Innovation: Your Competitive Trade Advantage in the Global Marketplace.

Facilitating trade and international investment is perhaps the most important thing we can do to foster innovation in our respective regions. A recent study by Statistics Canada, entitled Multinationals and the Canadian Innovation Process stated that export-oriented companies pursue R & D and innovation more actively than companies focused solely on their domestic market.

From September 10-12, 2003, delegates from around the world will be gathering in Calgary to explore the integral link between innovation and international trade. Conference sessions will highlight a range of approaches being implemented by both the private and public sectors with respect to fostering innovation.
Whether it be through utilizing leading edge sales and marketing techniques, facilitating market access, revising government policy, developing export financing tools, amending the tax or regulatory system, creating a better learning system, or increasing the capacity for regions to compete for investment and skilled workers, innovation drives creative and effective results.

Join us for the 2003 OWIT conference. It will be a great opportunity to establish new international business contacts, explore how innovation can become your own competitive trade advantage and have some fun.

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Specific Conference Sessions:
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2003

OWIT President's Welcome Dinner:
Storyline:
The OWIT President's Welcome Dinner will officially welcome all delegates to the 2003 OWIT conference, and will involve a formal program including a guest speaker.

Opening Plenary Session - Breakfast
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Title: The importance of branding in international markets.
Storyline: In a fiercely competitive global marketplace, a widely recognized and respected brand name is perhaps the most valuable asset a company can possess. A strong brand name has a direct correlation to a company's share price and value. Companies like Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, McDonald's and Gillette are among the world's best known companies because their products are recognised by consumers across the globe. The quality, stability and consistent investment in their brands has made these companies hugely successful.
This session will focus on the importance of branding in international markets.

Concurrent Sessions Block A:

Title: Regional Trading Blocs: Free Trade in the Americas.
Storyline:The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is a project that came into being at the first Summit of the Americas held in Miami in 1994. Thirty-four democratic countries rallied around a common goal and agreed to begin talks aimed at creating a free trade area. This area comprises more than 830 million inhabitants, representing one seventh of the world's population, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $19.7 trillion. With negotiations scheduled to conclude by January 2005, the FTAA will greatly expand this emerging hemispheric market. Free Trade in the region will make this trading bloc one of the largest in the world. Now with only two years before the FTAA goes into force, what are some of the important issues we should be aware of? This session provides an overview of the FTAA as a regional trading bloc-in particular panelists will speak to current and future trade policy, legal, and business challenges/opportunities that will result.

Title: Developing trade policies that foster innovation
Storyline: Trade and innovation are integrally related. Take away international trade, and the incentive to innovate is vastly reduced, especially in a smaller economies. Facilitating trade and international investment is perhaps the most important thing a government can do to foster innovation. It can mean the difference between success and failure in the global economy. Businesses have long recognized this importance; however, increasingly governments and public research institutes are developing new policy tools to stimulate innovation in their respective regions. This session will overview some unique approaches that are being taken in various regions throughout the world to foster a climate of innovation and prosperity.

Concurrent Sessions Block B:

Title: Regional Trading Blocs: Asia-Pacific a Wealth of Opportunity
Storyline: By the end of the century, the Asia-Pacific region could represent 60% of the world's population, 50% of global production and 40% of total consumption.The Asia-Pacific region contains many of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Annual growth has averaged 7% in recent years - twice the rate for North America. Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are among the top 25 most promising markets in the Asia-Pacific region. This session provides a perspective on
Asia-Pacific as a regional trading bloc- in particular panelists will speak to current and future trade policy, legal, and business challenges and opportunities.

Title: Trade Financing: Innovative Approaches to Finance your International Expansion
Storyline: Identifying and securing appropriate financing for your international trade expansion efforts are extremely important activities. Increasingly, those involved in the financial services sector are developing more innovative and responsive financing tools for businesses. The goal of this session is to provide some examples of innovative ways companies are financing their international expansion activities.

Chatelaine/OWIT Woman of Influence Luncheon
Storyline: Chatelaine magazine and The Powerpoint Group organize Women Of Influence luncheons across the country. We are partnering with them on the Calgary session this month.
Beverly Thomson, Co-anchor of Global Television's flagship 5:30 newscast, is one of Canada's most respected personalities. Her passion for news and current events made her career choice easy. Beverly spent years as a broadcast journalist in radio and television, both as a reporter and anchor. She is passionate about the role media has in our society as we deal with complex issues ranging from SARS to Mad Cow disease to the war in the Middle East. She believes that her role as a broadcaster carries with it a responsibility to give back to the community. She has publicly announced her battle with breast cancer and became spokesperson for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in Ontario. Join Beverly as she engages us with her triumphs in the newsroom and her belief that when adversity strikes, strike back!

Concurrent Sessions block C:

Title: Mitigating risk in today’s global environment. (MK)
Storyline: Assessment of corporate risk is one of the key factors in determining the viability of an overseas project. Whether you are completing an initial risk analysis prior to entering a new market, or whether you are managing your company’s ongoing international operations, it is extremely important to mitigate your risk in a proactive, timely manner. This session will outline some innovative, flexible measures companies are adopting to mitigate their present and future security risks to staff, their families, company assets and international operations.

Title: Making the Sale: Innovative ways to make the sale (Lisa)
Storyline: Selling your products and services in the international marketplace can be an extremely costly activity. However, there are a number innovative ways to generate sales abroad.This session aims to profile some innovative companies that are seeing great success in making the sale.

Concurrent Sessions block D:

Title: Regional Trading Blocs: Discovering trade opportunities in emerging market areas
Storyline: So where can we find new emerging markets for our goods and services? Increasingly, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean are emerging as more formidable players on the international stage. Many private and public initiatives are focusing their efforts on capacity-building, strengthening enterprise competitiveness and developing trade promotion strategies. The focus of this session is to show how some of these emerging market areas are creating a more competitive environment, while fostering innovation, competition and capacity-building.

Title: Trade Logistics - Innovative ways to get your product to market (MK)
Storyline: Getting your product in to a foreign country can be a formidable challenge for any business, large or small. Cargo security and handling have received increased attention, with government and industry seeking further enhancements in this area. These enhancements can be seen as opportunities or threats to the smooth flow of goods and services. This session aims to profile innovative companies that are mastering the logistics equation, and identifies some interesting policy and business challenges as a result.

OWIT Chapter Building Seminar

Title: Virtual Trade Missions: Innovative Way to Trade without Travel
Storyline: Find out how your Chapter can open global doors and develop international trade opportunities for your members innovatively and cost-effectively by establishing a Virtual Trade Mission (VTM).

This session will detail how the VTM concept works, how to set one up, what resources are required, how to find funding and sponsors, and what the success factors are for maximizing participation.

The speakers will share the experiences and lessons learned from the Virtual Trade Mission launched this year between two OWIT chapters in Canada and Australia. Virtual Trade Missions can be an effective way to network OWIT chapters and members globally.

Join us as we explore some innovative ways to network and build OWIT chapters internationally.

Have fun and feel good. A fashion & beauty seminar for delegates
After a long day of conference sessions, come and have some fun. Spend some time with our fashion and beauty consultants. You'll leave refreshed.

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September 2003

Friday, September 12, 2003
Opening Plenary breakfast Title:
Bringing innovative design to a global marketplace.
Storyline: Design can be applied to almost everything a business does. You can design processes, experiences, products and/or physical space. Design firms and progressive companies rely on many of the same tools: rapid prototyping, observational research, creative thinking and multidisciplinary teams. Increasingly, companies are being driven by design. In a global marketplace, they see it as their competitive edge.

With almost 20 years in the design field, Deidre Hackman is currently the Women's Apparel Design Director for Nike Inc. Deidre will talk about how she uses design to create innovative products that will appeal to a global marketplace, and provide practical advice on how others can do the same.

Cultures, Customs & Trade: Shall I bow, smile or shake your hand?
Title: Cultures, customs & trade: Shall I bow, smile or shake your hand?
Storyline: Doing business locally can be challenging enough in a marketplace with fierce competition and decreasing margins.

Add a layer of mystery around doing business in a global arena, and you have the difficulty of bridging the communication gap of culture and customs. Find out how informal factors influence business negotiations, the myths of doing business in the Middle East, the difference in negotiating styles, and what you can do to make your transactions as smooth as possible with your international partners.
This session is for anyone who has ever wondered about the do's and don'ts in global business etiquette.

Concurrent Sessions block E:
Title: Regional Trading Blocs: The European Union
Storyline: Growing from six Member States in 1952 to 15 by 1995, today the European Union embraces more than 370 million people.
Though rich in diversity, EU Member States share certain common values. By entering into the formal partnership, the EU aims to promote democracy, peace, prosperity and a fairer distribution of wealth. Currently the EU has 15 Member States and it is preparing for the accession of 13 eastern and southern European countries. With a strengthened economy, common currency, and expanded membership, the EU is changing the face of Europe. With this new environment comes some very interesting challenges and opportunities for those involved in international trade.

This session will look at some of the challenges, trends and opportunities that are emerging in the EU.
Title: Innovation in the Energy Industry
Storyline: One of the most important commodities that makes us globally interdependent is evidenced through the recent cause and effect relationships directly related to the energy industry. How do international companies manage all the factors within their organization to ensure the most effective strategy for dealing in a commodity-based industry?
What are the creative ways stakeholder expectations are managed to ensure successful completion of a billion dollar energy project? What are the challenges negotiating in an international arena, and how do you prepare your own employees to recognize, accept and embrace change in an extremely volatile market? Find out the answers to these questions and more as some of the most powerful women in the North American energy industry discuss key success factors you can integrate into your own organization.

OWIT Woman of the Year Luncheon
Storyline: This luncheon profiles a woman that has had a significant impact in the field of international trade. She has been nominated by a local OWIT chapter and approved by the OWIT board.

BDC Session "passport to global growth"
Storyline: Business Development Canada (BDC) is a gold sponsor of the conference. This session will be a condensed "Passport to Global Growth" seminar geared towards OWIT delegates. It will involve a client case study of a company that is developing export markets. The client will be a part of the session is Dolores Houghton, Vice-President of Fiberbuilt Manufacturing Inc. Fiberbuilt® is the only industrial custom brush manufacturer in western Canada, operating in Calgary since 1959. They specialize in designing, engineering and manufacturing brushes, and also have a warehouse in the U.S. where they assist other Canadian companies with their export business.
Facilitators: Connie Toft, Area Branch Manager, BDC and Barbara Beler, Area Manager Portfolio Development, BDC.
Connie Toft has been with the BDC for 9 years. She has worked in the Bank's eastern offices before coming to Calgary two years ago. She is a successful team leader who is dedicated to working with businesses in the community.
Barbara Beler graduated with an MBA in International Finance and worked in Asia and Europe as a financial management consultant and banker before joining BDC in 1995. Her current role at the Bank involves managing clients that have been issued loans in order to build and maintain strong long-term relationships.

Live From Cancun - Highlights from the WTO Ministerial
Storyline: At the same time as the conference, the WTO Ministerial Meeting is taking place in Cancun, Mexico. OWIT members in Geneva and Washington are trying to get some pre-tapes done by senior officials that will be attending. We are also attempting a live webcast- so either way, we would like to have some content broadcast to the conference delegates.
This content will be incorporated into the conference sessions in some way.

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2003 Ontario Global Traders Awards
Ontario's exporters are among the most innovative and entrepreneurial companies in the world. They drive the economy, and create many of the jobs that help maintain our quality of life. The Government of Ontario and our partners in trade want to acknowledge their achievements and their contribution to the province.
The Ontario Global Traders Awards, coordinated by Ontario Exports Inc., the government’s export development agency, recognize export success among the province’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in all industry sectors.

Now in its sixth year, the program has received over 1000 submissions from companies, business leaders and students across the province. The winners comprise a virtual showcase of the best of Ontario’s innovation expertise.

If your organization has used exporting to create new jobs or business opportunities, or you champion the cause of exporting, we encourage you to submit a nomination. Conversely, if you know of other companies or individuals that meet the eligibility criteria, consider nominating them.

Students with an exceptional track record in international trade are eligible in the student achievement category. As Minister of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation, I am asking for your assistance in identifying the province's export leaders, through the 2003 Ontario Global Traders Awards Nomination Guide.

Nominations can be submitted online, and forms are available at www.ontarioexportsinc.com, where you can also learn more about the program and read about past winners.
Deadline for nominations is November 3, 2003.

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Stories from Canada's most successful women shared by PROFIT publisher TORONTO, Ont.
Kerry Mitchell, the publisher of PROFIT magazine - serving fast-growth entrepreneurs - will reveal the secrets of some of Canada's Top 100 women business owners at the 2003 Annual BBQ of the Organization of Women In International Trade-Ontario (OWIT) this September 4, 2003.
The event is sponsored by Grant Thornton.

PROFIT's much-anticipated 2003 selection of Canada's Top 100 women business owners will appear in the October/November 2003 issue. As publisher, Kerry is well versed on the stories these women tell the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations that led them to their remarkable achievements. And the OWIT BBQ is the perfect venue for her to share the sometimes surprising, sometimes challenging, but always informative and inspiring, experiences of these women. The former Chief Operating Officer of InBusiness Media Network Inc, Kerry is known as an effective leader and innovator within the Canadian media industry. In her 20-year media career, she has managed some of Canada's best-known consumer media brands including Canadian Living, Style at Home and Equinox magazines in the role of a publisher. Her extensive experience has included international media development and negotiation of franchise sales and licensing agreements around the globe.

This event offers an abundance of opportunity to make new contacts with women involved in trade. It takes place from 5.30 - 8.30 p.m. at the Island Yacht Club in Toronto.
Registration fee is:$45 for members and $65 for non-members.

To register, call Pooja Shah at (416) 973-1909 or e-mail her at pooja.shah@ic.gc.ca

Membership in OWIT is open to professionals in business, academia and government involved in all aspects of international trade. The organization provides women with networking and educational opportunities in international trade, such as the opportunity to participate in trade missions.

Calgary, Alberta, will host the worldwide organization's Annual Conference this fall from September 10 - 12

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February 2003

Register Now! Trade Virtually with Australia!
There's still time to join other Canadian women entrepreneurs as they take part in a nine-month Virtual Trade Mission (VTM) with Australia.

Officially launched on February 6, 2003, the Canadian ­ Australian Businesswomen Connexions Virtual Trade Mission is spearheaded by the Ontario chapter of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) in collaboration with the Australian chapter.
Register now and become part of this historic and exciting Virtual Trade Mission specifically designed for women entrepreneurs.
Here's how it works:
Visit the dedicated Web site at
www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/missions/oltm/AusCan to register online
and complete your profile. After your registration and payment are received, your profile will be posted on the site and you will receive your password and access to other participant profiles ­ plus a host of tools, instructions and tips to help you initiate contacts and explore trade opportunities.
Registration includes two video conferences to get better acquainted with other participants, with the first one slated for June 12, 2003. The VTM will culminate in September 2003 with an actual trade mission to Canada by Australian businesswomen as part of the Global Banking Alliance for Women 3rd Annual Summit taking place from September 24-26 in Vancouver and from September 29-October 1 in Toronto. "The VTM is an excellent opportunity for women entrepreneurs to do business overseas without having to deal with the expense of travel," says Candice Rice, President of the Ontario chapter of OWIT.

Cost for participating in this first­ever Virtual Trade Mission for businesswomen in Canada and Australia is $50 for OWIT members ($75 for non-members).
There is no cost for RBC Royal Bank business clients and Westpac clients who wish to participate.
Sponsors include:
RBC Royal Bank, Industry Canada, Westpac Business Banking in Australia and Austrade. The VTM uses software developed by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade.

For more information, contact Candice Rice at 416-973-5157,
e-mail: rice.candice@ic.gc.ca or to register online,
visit www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/missions/oltm/AusCan

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Virtual Trade Mission Blasts Off!
January 28, 2003 February 6, 2003, marks the official launch of the first-ever Virtual Trade Mission (VTM) for women entrepreneurs in Canada and Australia, spearheaded by Women in International Trade-Toronto Chapter(OWIT-Toronto).
Guest speaker is Marianne Bertrand, President of Muttluks and winner of the 2002 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Innovation. Marianne will share her knowledge and insight about doing business in Australia.

The Launch program, sponsored by the law firm Cassels Brock & Blackwell, also includes a roundtable discussion led by:
Candice Rice, President, OWIT-Toronto;
Susan Baka, President, Bay Communications & Marketing Inc.; and
Jackie Draper of the International Trade Centre.

The VTM between Canada and Australia will connect women involved in international trade in both countries and allow them to explore business opportunities and exchange valuable information and best practices on-line. The VTM is sponsored by Industry Canada, RBC Royal Bank and Westpac Bank of Australia, and utilizes software developed by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade.
Here’s how it works:
Participants in the VTM will post their business profiles on a dedicated Web site, where instructions and tips will be provided on how to initiate contacts and create trade opportunities. Including at least two videoconferences to better acquaint mission participants, the VTM will culminate in October 2003 with a face-to-face trade mission to Canada (Vancouver and Toronto) by Australian and New Zealand businesswomen.
It is sponsored by the Global Banking Alliance for Women, of which RBC Royal Bank and Westpac are members.
VTM Launch
Cassels Brock & Blackwell
Suite 2100, Scotia Plaza
40 King Street West, Toronto
Date: February 6, 2003
Time: 8:00 ­ 10:00 am
Cost: $10 (OWIT-Toronto members); $15 (Non-members)
Registration: Patricia Cosgrove at: tel: 416-212-1030 or
e-mail: patricia.cosgrove@eoi.gov.on.ca

For more details on the VTM Launch or the Virtual Trade Mission itself,
please contact Candice Rice, President of OWIT-Toronto, at 416-973-5157
or e-mail: rice.candice@ic.gc.ca

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