A fifth Meet the Buyers event, organised by the BSIA with the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), IFSEC organiser United Business Media and the International Trade Promotion Centre, ran on Monday, May 16, on the first day of the IFSEC show.
Formatted as a ‘speed networking’ event, where brief ten-minute introductory meetings are arranged in advance, this year’s edition of the event welcomed security procurement specialists from countries including India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Dubai and Nigeria.
Over the years, Meet The Buyers has introduced UK businesses to over 1,200 overseas buyers and resulting in almost £10 million of predicted sales, the trade association reports.
Attending the event for a second year running, Jumade Adejola, from Nigerian company Surveillant Fire Limited, explained why, as a foreign company, this event is so beneficial: ‘My organisation has been dealing with UK companies for a number of years now, but being able to attend and be associated with Meet the Buyers puts us ahead of our competitors, as it proves we are serious about forging lasting links with UK businesses. We have seen a significant boost in sales last year following the event, and our relationships with UK companies have never been better, as being able to meet people face to face always allows for greater networking success.’
Wilf Butcher, Chief Executive Officer for the Association for Specialist Fire Protection, also spoke of the rare opportunity provided by the event: ‘The event does provide a unique opportunity to meet face to face with a number of commercial officers from across the world, all at the same time. There is real potential for companies to establish important business relationships as a result of this event, as long as attendees are well prepared and ready to seize the opportunities as they arise.’
‘I have been attending this event since 2007, and find it mutually beneficial for both Canadian and UK companies’, adds Bernardette Terry, Trade Officer at the British High Commission in Ottawa, ‘The event is particularly useful in making UK companies view Canada as a viable route to the North American market, and is also a great way to showcase UK technology and expertise’.
On the day, trade and investment officers from foreign embassies and consulates were also on hand to impart their knowledge and advice for those UK companies looking to break into overseas markets and expand their business.
If you’re exhibiting at IFSEC next year and want to get involved in Meet the Buyers, contact Caroline Strickley for more details, [email protected]
