Business First December 2017 December BF Digital | Page 12

Invest NI to build on export growth in Greater China
with new office
nvest Northern Ireland has announced
that it has opened a new office in Hong
Kong in a drive to increase exports to
Hong Kong and the Southern China region.
Making the announcement during an Invest
NI trade mission to China, Mark Ennis,
Chairman of Invest NI said: “Hong Kong and
Southern China offer tremendous
opportunities for ambitious Northern Ireland
companies to export here.
“The appetite for Northern Ireland goods is
increasing. The latest figures from HMRC
show that in 2016/17 NI manufacturing
exports to Hong Kong and China increased to
more than £218million. Companies including
B/E Aerospace, Tayto, Datum Tool Design
and Andor Technology are successfully
driving export growth in the region.
“The opening of this new office in Hong
Kong will help us support companies to build
on these successes and ensure we continue to
offer a first class service to Northern Ireland
companies.”
Jennifer Liu will be based in the British
Consulate General and will work on building
exports and relationships in Hong Kong and
across the region of Southern China.
“I am delighted to welcome Jennifer Liu to
the team who has spent the last seven years
I
Invest NI Chairman Mark Ennis (right) is pictured in Hong Kong with Andrew Heyn, British Consul
General, and Jennifer Liu, Invest NI.
working in Hong Kong and previously
worked in China,” continued Mark.
“Jennifer will support Northern Ireland
companies to increase export sales by
providing in­market advice and mentoring.
She will also help companies to identify new
partners, build relationships in this market
and overcome some of the cultural challenges
associated with exporting here.
“This announcement comes at a time when
we are proactively building on relations here
and follows the welcome news that export
licences have been granted for four Northern
Ireland sites to export pork to China.”
Genesis dominates PANIs with 22 awards including
the coveted Grand Prix Award
elfast based agency Genesis dominated
the Publicity Awards of Northern
Ireland (PANI) 2017, winning 22
awards, including the Grand Prix for the
HSENI Farm Safety campaign.
The PANIs celebrate the remarkable
successes in the development and
implementation of creative, innovative and
impactful advertising campaigns over the
past 3 years. Unsurprisingly they are hotly
contested by NI’s advertising and marketing
agencies. With 22 awards across multiple
categories and clients, Genesis won more
than twice as many as any other agency.
Commenting on the agency’s success,
Stephen Bogan, Managing Director of Genesis
said; ‘Creatively awarded campaigns are
important because, according to research by
the IPA and Thinkbox, they are up to 11 times
more effective. That means creative
advertising works so much harder for clients
and delivers an increased return on
investment. So, it should be a commercial
imperative to aim for this calibre of creative
work every time.’
Commenting on the calibre of entries, Chair of
2017 PANI Awards judging panel Billy
Mawhinney, Creative Director WJPM, London
noted: ‘We can safely say that the standard of
B
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work and creativity within the industry in
Northern Ireland has risen over the past few
years. So much so that some of the work that
took home this year’s top prizes in their
respective categories could compete at
advertising industry awards ceremonies
globally. We would like to explicitly commend
Genesis for their work and impressive award
entries.’
Genesis, celebrating 25 years in business this
year, have now won 40 awards within the past 3
years, including Media Agency of the Year (NI) 3
years running; Marketing Agency of the year
(Drum Network Award) and CIM Marketing
Agency of the year. They work with leading
private and public sector organisations across
the UK and Republic of Ireland.