You first visited Poland almost 20 years ago – how did you end up there, and how did you become involved with the British Polish Chamber of Commerce?
“I first came to Poland in 1990 as a young manager in the pharmaceutical industry. I wanted an excitingplace to go where the companywould give me real responsibility at an early stage in my career. My boss at that time was of Polish origin; he suggested that Poland would be a great place to have a look. I moved out to Poland to live in 1994 and stayed until 1997. Since that time I have moved around Central Europe but I really like Poland; my wife and kids are Polish - my son was born in the heartland of Solidarityand my daughter was born in Kraków. I first became involved with the British Polish Chamber of Commerce (BPCC) as a Patron company in Kraków. Then I decidedto leave the healthcare sector in 2005 to run the chamber. Since that time, British relations with Poland have boomed. We now have a membership base of over 500 companieswhich represent over 25% of the foreign direct investment in Poland since 1990.”
 
 
How have trade relations between Poland and the United Kingdom How have trade relations between Poland and the United Kingdom changed since Poland joined the EU in 2004?“Trade relations have developed strongly since Poland’s accession to Europe. There are a number of reasons for that; in terms of exports to the UK, there is a great “Polish market” there of 1.2 million people. Poland also has a heritage of high quality low cost manufacture. In terms of British exports to Poland, whilst slower than the other way they are growing strongly. Bilateral trade last year grew at 25%. For British companies however, Poland is still an unexploited opportunity. With the current economic downturn we are seeing more interest but there could be much more still.”

 
Poland appears to be faring comparativelybetter than some of itsneighbours during the current periodof economic downturn. Whatdo you suppose are the reasonsfor this?
“Poland often gets compared with its neighbours in the same basket of economies – a broad brush CEE approach. This risks missing the true picture, and I would recommend people to look at the economy as a single opportunity based on its inherent benefits. In Poland the fundamentals are strong. With a population of 38m people, Poland is the largest single opportunity in CEE. With one of the lowest GDP’s per capita it has the highest potential to grow. The banking system is robust compared with what weare seeing in other established markets. The country will also benefit from EU funds over the next 5 years. I would urge people to visit Poland and come and have a look. I am constantly amazed by visitors who come and are completely shocked by what they see!”
 
Many people in the United Kingdom may be familiar with cities such as Warsaw, Kraków and Gdańsk, however what opportunities for business and investment exist in other parts of Poland?
“Poland will be one of the few growth economies in Europe this year. I don’t believe that many people are aware of Warsaw, Kraków and Gdańsk so there is a lot of potential to promote their benefits; however you are right that the country has huge regional potential. We are seeing new regional markets opening up. Looking at the business sector Rzeszów and the eastern part of Poland, they are taking on an increasing importance – aerospace and food production. These markets also have a strong tradition in exports to the East. The whole of the A4 corridor going West to the German border is Poland’s industrial heartland and there is significant opportunity here. Go to Łódź, close to the geographic centre of continental Europe and we find white goods, IT production and logistics. Moving away from business and focusing on tourism Poland is a veritable tourist Mecca. Where else in the world can you take a scheduled steam train and also drive it? You can have dinner down a salt mine and see bison in a forest. I would seriously encourage anyone to take a look.”
 
Are there any challenges that Poland currently faces in terms of attracting foreign investment or trade partners?
“Poland has been relatively successful over the last 10 years at attracting foreign direct investment. This however has been based on low cost manufacturing to a large extent. Poland has much more to offer than that. With a young, highly educated and skilled population Poland has high potential to add value in terms of innovation and development. This needs promotion,partnerships and a sector focus. The bottom line on this is market oriented promotion – and lots of it.”
We can really shorten the time you need to get to know the market;
speed up your company’s growth and enable your company to develop quickly.
“There are many similarities between the two countries, yet at the same time many differences.British business tends to work on a handshake however it is the letter of the law not the spirit of the law which works in Poland. The market is easy once you understandit. I would recommendBritish companies to learn a bitof Polish, treat the Poles as equalpartners and get to know them. Once accepted, the door is open to a great business relationship. It’s probably also worthwhile to work with people who really know the market well – this can shortcircuit any pitfalls or get throughsome of the market specific bureaucracyfast.”
 
Which industry sectors offer the most potential for British businesses that are either looking to export to, or operate in Poland?
“Here I would go for food and beverage; outsourcing or servicesector; hospitality and complex manufacturing. Poland is in an ideal location for British businessto establish an EU and Eastern focused manufacturing base. The domestic market has high potential and the country is increasinglya viable option for materialssourcing – culturally and geographically closer than China or India. So far the penetration of British retail products in Poland is poor to say the least. There’s lots of potential.”
 
What advice would you give to British businesses that are considering opportunities in Poland?
“Get on the next plane and come and take a look. Learn how to say “dzień dobry” and a few more words so you can make friends with the Poles. Come to the BPCC for a market briefing. We have been in Poland for 18 years and have a staff of native English speakers blended with experienced Polish staff, which provides a unique insight into doing business in Poland. We will point you in the right direction and can assist with anything from setting up a company to hiring acar and getting to that remotelocation where you want to start building a factory. We’ve also got a superb line up of business services so you can run your business remotely from the UK if you don’t want to live permanently in Poland.”
 
What are the main benefits of becoming a member of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce?
“I think one of the great things about the BPCC is its networking capability. Many of our members have been with us for 18 years. We are a truly international chamberand have both large corporatesand also micro enterprises as our members. We can help  you  make the initial business decision to come here. We can also introduce you to a base of potential partners and customers. We can really shorten the time you need to get toknow the market; speed up yourcompany’s growth and enable your company to develop quickly. You can also take the time to relax and enjoy yourself at one of our renowned events such as International Oktoberfest on 22nd September in Wrocław or the BPCC 17th Annual Ball taking place on 17th October in Warsaw, or come and find out about exporting your food and drink produce to Poland at the British Polish Agrifood Forum coming up in November in Warsaw.”
Further InformationFor more informationon theBritish Polish Chamber of Commerce,visit www.bpcc.org.pl
 
 
 
 

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