A lively business forum looks set to kindle Irish interest in Asia, writes Clifford Coonanin Penang
WITH ITS palm trees, beautiful beaches and balmy climate, the tropical island of Penang in Malaysia feels a long way from the industrial estates and technology parks of Ireland.
Penang's bustling local economy also makes for a less recessionary atmosphere. Although Malaysia is being affected by the slowdown, there are still opportunities for investment in the region that make it worth examining for Irish companies.
It is because of Asia's economic dynamism that Irish engineers, restaurateurs, management consultants and scientists from all around the region have come to Malaysia for the second Asia-Pacific Ireland Business Forum.
More than 100 Irish businesspeople from Thailand, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Gulf states, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Australia are attending, and they include Irish entrepreneurs with a lot of experience in the region, including Liam Casey of PCH in Shenzhen and Liam O'Keefe from PCS in Thailand, while former tánaiste Dick Spring, chairman of Fexco and Altobridge, is addressing the gathering.
The expatriate Irish in Asia have been the poor relations of the diaspora. The continent was for too long viewed as being strange and just that bit too far away to be interesting as an export destination, or as a place to start a company or launch a career.
Big Irish players, such as Kerry Group, Smurfit and CRH, are active in the region and attention is slowly shifting eastwards. All told, there are 11 business groups from around the region attending the forum.
"You do see people coming out to Asia when things tighten at home. What we're seeing now is people coming out here looking for jobs. There are less and less coming out to teach English, and more and more coming out with multinational companies, many of them at very senior levels," said Peter Ryan, director of Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) and co-organiser of the forum.
Ryan is an old Asia hand, having lived in Korea and Singapore during his time as a diplomat before becoming director of ASEF.
The event is piggybacking on the Asian GAA Games being held at the weekend in the city and there is a social dimension to the forum. This is translating the bonhomie and craic into something more tangible about how Irish companies can co-operate in the region.
"The main benefit of this type of forum, for people already here, is as a networking event and to allow people to share experiences," said Brendan Lyons, president of Penang Medical College, a joint venture between the Penang government, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and UCD, which has graduated 462 medical students since it opened in 1996.
"The College of Surgeons is the first thing that Malaysians say when you mention you are from Ireland. It's the country's best brand here."
As a former ambassador who opened Ireland's missions in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, he has a lot of experience in the Asia-Pacific region.
"It will be tough here, like everywhere else. But there are opportunities here and there will continue to be opportunities here," said Lyons.
To give it a regional flavour, and make sure things are not solely Irish-focused, the event is being co-hosted by InvestPenang, the Malaysian-Irish Business Network, as well as Enterprise Ireland.
"The forum is a way to get to know more people. When Irish people get together, there's always business to be done between them," said Michael Garvey, Enterprise Ireland's director for the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] region.
The forum as a concept began when President Mary McAleese came to the Asian GAA Games in Phuket, Thailand, in 2002, accompanied by a large trade delegation.
"The business people were blown away by the gathering of people from the region, and we started thinking of ways to utilise the networks," said Ryan.
Attendees will be watching this year's event to see if the high ideals behind the forum translate into something meaningful.
"There are direct business to business deals which emerged from last year. People are starting to follow up hard, tangible business opportunities. We have engineers, professional services, people in education and pharmaceuticals. We're all doing similar things here; this is a way for us to interact," said Ryan.
EI's Garvey says there is still a lot of work to do to really increase understanding in Ireland of the opportunities that Asia offers.
"The awareness is not half enough. It's grown primarily because of China, and in a way there's been too much of a focus on China and we neglected other markets.
"I'd like to see more focus on ASEAN and I'd like to see that awareness growing," said Garvey.
"Only 10 per cent of our total exports come to Asia and given the likelihood of a serious recession, the more people from back home can do out here, the better. People had better get out here," said Garvey.
