Dutch organisations in Poznań and Warsaw - Netherlands

Transcription

No. 38 Spring 2012
The Netherlands-Polish
Chamber of Commerce
Dutch organisations
in Poznań and Warsaw
become one
Member Survey:
Getting better all the time
Face to Face with
Rienk Dijkstra
Advertisement
Bulletin Spring 2012
4
Word of the chairman
5
Calendar
6
Interview
Poznań joins the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce
8
Chamber activities
What has the Chamber recently
been up to?
11 Report
NPCC writes open letter to the Dutch government
12 Report
Career tracker
18 New members
20 Interview
department of the Netherlands Embassy in Warsaw
22 Member survey
Column
Remco van der Kroft
26 News from our members
28 Interview
30 Hedro Farms: “In a year from now we will know whether
we will still be farming here in Poland or not.”
Getting better all the time
24 12
Anneke Adema, head of the economic Interview with Coen Meijer:”The new organisation
combines the best of both worlds; An existing
network in Poznań and an inspiring concept
coming from Warsaw.”
Dutch farmers in Dire Straits
16 6
Face to Face with Rienk Dijkstra
Columns
Remy Vermunt
Michał Szymański
28
Rienk Dijkstra: Polish authorities are not keen on
allowing foreign drivers on the Polish market.
issue 38
Bulletin
3
Netherlands - Polish
Chamber
Chamber of Commerce
calendar
May 8
Dear members and friends of the Chamber,
Spring has come and the Chamber is bursting with new energy. In the last few months, we have
brought the Poznań Business Club and the Chamber together. I am happy to report that this has now
been finalised. Through this combination, the Chamber will spread its wings beyond Warsaw, and
at the same time the Chamber will provide the necessary support and continuity for entrepreneurial
clubs like the Business Club Poznań. We welcome the Business Club and its new board of the
Chamber in Poznań, and we look forward to solid and active co-operation. Good progress is being
made in Wroclaw as well, where business men are also putting their heads together.
You may wonder what’s happening in Warsaw, then? The last few months have seen some strain
placed on the relationships between the Netherlands and Poland. Although the business contacts
are as good as ever, the initiative of a Dutch political party to set up a website for complaints about
employees from Central and Eastern Europe caused a lot of stir in the Netherlands and also received
attention here in Poland. Therefore the Chamber felt it necessary to send a letter to the Dutch Minister
of Economic Affairs to express its concerns and to defend the business interests: initiatives like these
do not help the growing business ties between the Netherlands and Poland. To my Polish friends and
business partners, I find myself more and more having to explain the political arena in the Netherlands,
rather than the well known business acumen of the Dutch.
Location: Hotel Hilton, Grzybowska 63,
Warsaw 18.30 – 21.00.
Sponsored by Energy Match
Organised by: The Netherlands - Polish Chamber of
Commerce
_________________________________
May 10
May 12
_________________________________
May 17
May 17
Geert Embrechts,
Chairman of the Netherlands - Polish Chamber of Commerce
May 18
and relevant information about the chamber and on bilateral
business relations and activities between the Netherlands and
Poland. Go to our website www.nlchamber.com.pl to find previous
issues of our bulletin. Please email any of your comments to
Bulletin
Conference and discussion for all international farmers in Poland. ‘How to
cope with the new 30% regulations’.
Location: ul. Sowia 6c
62-080 Tarnowo Podgórne (Poznań) 10.30 – 14.30.
Sponsored by: Zeelandia
Commerce and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands.
Last but not least, I would like to offer a word of thanks to Jasper Buter, who joined our board a few
months ago. He has received a new assignment in the Netherlands and cannot combine this with
his seat on the board. We will certainly miss his entrepreneurial enthusiasm and his great ideas. At
the same time, we welcome two new board members: Peter Heere from Grupa Żywiec, and Peter
van Ooijen from ING Życie. Their official appointment is subject to approval by the General Members
Meeting that will take place in June.
The Netherlands - Polish Chamber of Commerce
Elro van den Burg
Oorsprong Media
Michał Szymański
Remy Vermunt
Remco van der Kroft
Elro van den Burg
_________________________________
June 05
Dutch Business Drink in Warsaw and
Annual members meeting
Location: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
ul. Kawalerii 10, Warsaw 17.00 – 21.00.
Sponsored by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands.
Commerce.
June 09/13/17
First business drink of the Netherlands Polish Chamber of Commerce in Wrocław
Hol van de Leeuw
Location: Warsaw, Poznań, Wrocław, Cracow
More info: www.holvandeleeuw.pl
Organized by; The Netherlands - Polish Chamber of
Commerce in Warsaw, Wrocław, Cracow and Poznań,
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
punt.nl and Poolshoogte.
_________________________________
What else is coming up? A busy season: there is the Orange week, with many activities organised by
the Dutch Embassy, then Euro 2012, where the Dutch will be gathering in several locations in Poland
to cheer on their team. We will also organise a General Members’ Meeting, where we would like to
hear from you what can be done better. Zapraszam!
Chamber of Commerce. It aims to provide a selection of important
issue 38
Queensday celebration in Poznań
Location: Restaurant Oaza
ul. Koszalińska 15, Poznań. 12.00 – 20.00
register at: queensdaypoznan@nlchamber.com.pl
Commerce in Poznań
Publisher:
Managing Editor: Concept and production:
Columnists: Photos: Advertisement management:
Dutch Business Drink in Poznań
Location: To be announced on our website
Commerce in Poznań.
_________________________________ _________________________________
The government has recently announced its plans to privatise state-owned assets. So far, only five
per cent of privatised assets have been bought by foreign investors, and there should be more
opportunities for Dutch companies. An article in this magazine provides more details. Important
prerequisites for more foreign investment are the investment climate and investment protection.
The investment climate in Poland is improving, as confirmed by recent surveys. On the investment
protection side, Poland’s accession to the EU has brought tremendous progress, but some concerns
remain. As an example, changes in lease laws will affect the investments of many foreign farmers. The
Chamber has launched an initiative to bring this to the attention of the various policy makers.
Bulletin is the quarterly magazine of the Netherlands - Polish
4
Dutch Business mixer in Gdańsk
May 29
Location: Dom Holenderski, Długi Targ 33/34 Gdańsk
18.30 – 21.00. (Only for registered guests)
Organised by: The Embassy of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, The Netherlands - Polish Chamber
of Commerce and the Consulate in Gdańsk of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands.
_________________________________
July and August
Dutch Zomercafé in Warsaw
Location: To be announced
In cooperation with the Dutch Association
Poolshoogte we are organising a summerpub in Warsaw for those who stay in Poland during
summertime.
_________________________________
September 4
Dutch Business drink in Warsaw
Warsaw 18.30 – 21.00.
Sponsored by Van Ameyde
Location: Art Hotel, ul kielbasnicza 20
Wrocław, 18.00 – 20.00
Commerce in Wrocław
Commerce.
_________________________________ _________________________________
office@nlchamber.com.pl.
Dutch Business Drink in Warsaw
Conference on how to make use of
Polish fundings.
September 28 or 29
Location PAIZ: ul Bagatela 12 Warsaw. 09.00 – 11.00
Organised by: PAIZ / The Netherlands - Polish
Chamber of Commerce.
Breakfast meeting with Minister
Rostowski
November 15
Rijsttafel Event
Warsaw 18.30 – 02.00.
Commerce. More information on the date will be provided through our webpage.
_________________________________ _________________________________
May 21
Location: To be announced on our website
Organized by the International Group of Chambers of
Commerce (IGCC)
Dutch Polish Business Award
Location: Bank BGŻ in Warsaw, ul. Kasprzaka 10/16
Commerce and the Netherlands Polish Council for
Trade Promotion.
_________________________________ _________________________________
issue 38
Bulletin
5
Coen Meijer:
‚We are all
gaining from the
new situation.’
On March 27, the members of the
Netherlands - Polish Business Club
Wielkopolska decided to join the
Netherlands - Polish Chamber of
Commerce (NPCC). Bulletin asks
founding board member Coen Meijer
of the Wielkopolski Business Club his
opinion about the participation
into the NPCC.
Can you tell something about the history of the Wielkopolski Business
Club?
Dear Readers,
Coen Meijer: “The history or this organisation dates back to the year of 2004
when I sat together with Kees van Rijn, Willem van Loon and Theo Tiegelaar.
That was when we founded our business club. In our heydays we had about
40 to 50 visitors coming to our events.”
To many of you, the history of the Dutch Polish Business Club Wielkopolski is a
well-known history. It dates back to 2004 and over the years, many Dutchmen
in our region were present during the successful events that were organized
under the inspiring leadership and efforts of Kees van Rijn and the other
members of the board. The bussinessclub offered social events, combined
with business mixers with keynote speakers. Often these meetings gave the
new established Dutch people practical support for instance on how to set
up a business.
Can you tell more about the activities that you organised in those
days?
“In Poznań we both organised activities for the business members and more
social events. We often combined our businesses drinks with company’s
visits. I can vividly recall our visits to the Volkswagen factory or the premises
of Unilever. But the Wielkopolska Business club also organized social events
during typical Dutch holidays like Queensday and during Sinterklaas. We
certainly were very successful in our time. In the past we have been able to
attract a large group of Dutch and Polish members.”
What in your opinion has changed over the years?
“There is no so simple answer to that but let me try to give an explanation.
In the early years there were a lot of expats in Poznań. Many of us had a contract
for one or several years and after that they returned to the Netherlands. I recall
the time when we had our own pub on the market square in the old centre of
Poznań and that was where we all met at the end of each day. Looking at my
own situation, I was offered a contract of 3 years, but that is now 16 years ago.
Those who stayed have integrated in the Polish society and many are married
to polish wives. The profile of our visitors now is much different than in the
early years of our business club.”
How did the Wielkopolski Business Club anticipate on that?
“The new situation was difficult for us. When you have known many years
of success, it is often difficult to reinvent yourself. And that is the situation that
we were recently in. We have an audience that is different than we were used
to and which is not automatically visiting our events anymore.”
When did the board decide to change the organisation?
“Last year we have told ourselves: ‘We cannot continue like this’. It became
more and more difficult to reach our members and we also received
complaints from our sponsors and as a result also the board had problems
motivating itself. This turned us into a downward spiral. Initially it was difficult
to gain acceptance for the idea of merging into the Netherlands – Polish
Chamber of Commerce. After all the businesscomunities differ, and we had
different type of events. But after a while it became more and more clear that
the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce (NPCC) has a lot to offer for
us. There is a professional management team, is has its own communication
channels that are working really well, like a regular email letter and a bulletin.
We realized that there were a lot of advantages in such cooperation. However
we also didn’t want to lose our typical character in Poznań. And that is why we
now have our own local board and our own local funding.”
However times have changed and most Dutch people in our area know
their way around. And therefore, the concept of the Business club needed
a new impetus. During a well-attended General Members Meeting on March
27, in restaurant Brovaria in Poznań, the members of the Dutch – Polish
Businessclub Wielkopolski have agreed in an overwhelming majority to join
the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce.
I am very happy about that and I expect that this will give an important
impulse to our activities. For a starter, we are currently preparing our traditional
Konninginnedag event on the 12th of May (please book this in your calendar).
We will organise a bi-monthly business drink, the first one will start on the 29th
of May (please book this date in your calendar as well) and we will organize
the traditional Hol van de Leeuw events during the Euro2012 Championships
in June and July. This year we will organize this in the Erick’s new Pub
„Ministerstwo Browaru” at Ratajczaka 32 in Poznań. We will be watching the
Dutch games with Dutch comments and analysis; we present Dutch music, a
raffle for a good cause and much, much more.
The events are coordinated by a board of the Poznań branch of the Netherlands
- Polish Chamber of Commerce, consisting of Rob Colenbrander (Treasurer),
Coen Meijer (events and presentation), myself (Chairman)and Jean Paul
van Dijk (Secretary), which is a solid mix of proven quality supplemented
with two fairly new and fresh Dutchmen. I feel very confident that together
with the Chamber in Warsaw we are able to organize interesting social and
business events. We will also be offering you a great bulletin with articles from
Warsaw and Poznań, updates through a regular newsletter, the possibility
to join Chamber events in other regions and the necessary backup from a
professional full-time organisation like the one that is established in Warsaw. I
am convinced that we will not only be able to regain all the former members
of the Wielkopolski Businessclub, but also that we are able to gain many new
faces to our events.
See you all on Koninginnedag on 12 May!!
KeesJan Nieuwenhuis
Are you happy about the new situation?
“I am very satisfied about the merger with the NPCC. The new organisation
combines the best of both worlds; An existing network in Poznań and an
inspiring concept comming from Warsaw. I believe that we will become
a sparkling organisation again that will offer both business events as well as
social events and it should be possible to return to the days when we had 30
to 40 visitors per event. So, yes I am happy about the new situation. Not only
because it is good for us but also because it is good for Warsaw. We both
have something to gain from the new situation. Also for members in Warsaw it
is important to become active elsewhere than only in the capital. This is where
we can help each other. Since both organisations are gaining from the new
situation that is why I believe that this will be a long lasting cooperation.”
6
issue 38
Bulletin
issue 38
Bulletin
7
Chamber
news and events
Poznań joins the
Netherlands – Polish
Chamber of Commerce
Dutch Queens Day in
Poznań
During a well-attended general meeting in the Brovaria bar in Poznań on
27 March, the members of the Netherlands - Polish Business Club
Wielkopolska decided to join the Netherlands - Polish Chamber of Commerce.
The board and the management team of the Chamber are very happy about
this step and hope for a fruitful co-operation.
As its first official event, the Netherlands - Polish Chamber of Commerce in
Poznań will organise a dazzling Queens day celebration that will get you in the
mood for springtime! The event takes place in Restaurant Oaze in Poznań,
where many Dutch and others will come together for a full on party of orange
proportions to mark the Dutch Queen Mother’s birthday. Kids and families
can enjoy child-friendly entertainment and a variety of traditional Dutch
games, and much, much more. Confirm your presence, dress in orange and
come to Oaze to take part in this great event.
As a result of the new situation, the Poznań branch can fall back on the
organisation and the back office of the Chamber. Members of our Chamber
are very welcome to visit all events in Poznań and in Warsaw. We already
have ten new members from the Poznań area, and we hope that many will
follow (on the picture you can see three of the four members of the local
board in Poznań.
From left to right: Kees Jan Nieuwenhuis/Smulders Group, Rob Colenbrander/
RCK and Coen Meijer/Zeelandia. Not present on the picture is Jean Paul van
Dijk/Raben Group).
Bilateral Chambers informed about
government’s privatisation plans
Chairman Geert Embrechts of the Netherlands - Polish Chamber
of Commerce, together with several other representatives of
bilateral Chambers of Commerce, has met with Undersecretary
of State, Mr Tomasz Lenkiewicz, of the Ministry of the State
Treasury, to discuss the government’s new privatisation plans.
The meeting took place just days after the Polish Parliament
agreed on the main objectives of the privatisation policy and
the list of entities selected to take part in the privatisation
process for the years 2012 – 2013.
The privatisation activities comprise 300 companies. Most
of them operate in industries such as transport, trading
enterprises and metal and engineering industry. According to
the ministry, privatisation is one of the foundations of social and
economic changes in Poland that have a significant impact on
the development of entrepreneurship. Geert Embrechts said,
„It is encouraging to see that the Polish Government is looking
8
issue 38
Bulletin
Conference Gamification
Orange-days: 19 – 26 May
On 6 March 2012, at the Hilton Hotel in Warsaw, Match and More Poland,
PracowniaGierSzkoleniowych and the Netherlands - Polish Chamber
of Commerce organised the seminar “Gamification - what’s in it for my
company?”. Participants could experience the meaning behind gamification
and how games may empower their organisation and help them grow. The
seminar started with a short introduction, made by Piotr Barszczak from Match
and More Poland, and Joanna Średnicka from PracowniaGierSzkoleniowych,
who explained the use of games. This was followed by a demonstration
in which all the participants took part. They were divided into teams, and
started the game called “Siłazałożeń”, which helped them to develop skills
like: thinking out of the box, teamwork and creativity. The competition was
fierce but friendly. After 20 minutes, the first team completed their task, and
all the participants joined a discussion about what they learned, and how can
they use those findings in their work. The seminar was concluded by sharing
case studies from various business organisations that applied the gaming
method in their strategy and development
During 19 – 26 May, the Netherlands Embassy
organises the Orange-days, a mixture of mainly
economic, cultural and sporting activities.
For Dutch and Polish companies, the following
activities may be of special interest:
•Monday, 21 May: Architecture day; Conference Sustainable Concepts for the Future
- From the Experience of Dutch and Polish
architects.
•Tuesday, 22 May:
Network luncheon on the occasion of the visit by Minister Schultz van
Haegen as accompanied by an Economic Mission.
•Wednesday, 23 May: Water day: “Linked by Water 2012”.
- Seminar on concrete co-operation possibilities in the area of integrated water management
- Exposition on Dutch performances in integrated water management
•Friday, 25 May: Biking day
- Interactive Workshop ‘Cycling in the City’
- Biking tour in Warschau
Furthermore, we ask your kind attention for the Panna KO, a street football
event that will take place on Sunday 20 May in the outside area of the Złote
Tarasy Shopping Centre.
Finally, we are working together with Gessler-restaurants on presenting
a typical Dutch menu in some of the Gessler restaurants during these days.
Orange days will also be organised in Gdańsk and Wrocław.
For more detailed and updated information, please consult the website
of the Embassy: www.nlembassy.pl. We sincerely hope that many Dutch
and Polish companies will take part in the various activities mentioned, and
that the Orange-days will contribute to a stronger Polish – Dutch co-operation
in various areas. Anneke Adema
Head Economic Section of the Netherlands Embassy in Warsaw
Please register before 5 May!
Date: 12 May 2012
Time: 12.00 – 19.00
Place: Restaurant Oaza,
ul. Koszalińska 15, Poznań
Register at: queensdaypoznan@nlchamber.com.pl
for foreign investors in their privatisation efforts. As the Minister said, only five
per cent of privatized assets are owned by foreign companies, and this is not
much. However, adequate attention needs to be paid to protect investor’s
rights, as this has proven to be a challenge in the past.”
Participants take part in the conference „Gamification”.
EK 2012 Hol van de Leeuw in four Polish cities
Starting during the World Cup 2006, the Dutch community in Poland has
created its own fan zone during soccer tournaments featuring the national
team. The events are a joint co-operation between The Dutch Embassy, the
Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce, the Dutch cultural club Punt.
NL and the Dutch Association in Poland (Poolshoogte). To unite the individual
matches to one event, we have come up with the name ‘Hol van de Leeuw’
(the lion’s den).
All over Poland, hundreds of Dutch people, dressed in the national colour
orange, wearing crazy outfits and making lot of noise, are gathering in pubs.
Atmosphere, fun and sports emotion are the key ingredients, along with
Dutch TV on big screens, fan songs and a sea of orange.
The Dutch of all ages, kinds and sorts have made the Hol van de Leeuw their
home base to cheer their national team. Since its first edition in 2006, the Hol
van de Leeuw has been raising funds for charity through its events. Via a pool
(predict the match result and win a prize) and the sales of sponsored orange
gadgets (hats, shirts, scarves), money has been raised for charity purposes
in Poland.
This year the Hol van de Leeuw has been set up in four cities. Besides Warsaw,
you can also join the Dutch fanzones in Cracow, Poznań and, this year for the
first time, also Wroclaw. Please visit the website: www.holvandeleeuw.pl to
read all about this football initiative.
a unique experience
in every way
Visitors of Hol van de Leeuw in Warsaw during EK2010.
issue 38
Bulletin
9
Rens van Tilburg: ‘Europa is niet langer het wereldwijde brekebeentje’ p31
WOENSDAG
15 FEBRUARI 2012
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POLITIEK TALENT UIT ROTTERDAM
Jan Markerink,
ontgoocheld:
‘De PvdA is een
bange partij’
NIEUW BOEK: GELUK IS EEN JURK
MINISTER SCHIPPERS:
Ziekenhuizen
Cécile Narinx (Elle):
mode is leuk moeten bedrijven
worden
TEN EERSTE 6
MODE V6-7
BINNENLAND 12
Exporteurs zien Nederlands imago in Polen teloorgaan door PVV-site
Bedrijven: schade door meldpunt
Van onze verslaggevers
Maartje Bakker, Erik Bloem
Export naar Oost-Europa
Waarde exporthandel in 2010, in miljoenen euro’s
DEN HAAG/AMSTERDAM Het PVV-
meldpunt voor klachten over
Oost-Europeanen doet afbreuk
aan het imago van de Nederlandse ondernemingen in Polen. Dat
laten de Nederlandse bedrijven
in Polen vandaag per brief weten
aan minister Verhagen van Economische Zaken. Ondanks toenemende ophef weigert premier
Rutte afstand van het meldpunt
te nemen. Geert Wilders is verbaasd over de commotie.
566
Rusland
5.640
Tsjechië
5.317
Slowakije
1.220
Roemenië
1.494
Hongarije
2.321
Overig
Oost-Europa
2.015
Bulgarije
481
Topvijf export naar Polen In 2010, in miljoenen euro´s
Mechanische werktuigen, o.a. stoomketels 1.628,1
Pools protestafﬁche. Vrije vertaling: ‘De tulp is niet echt’
Elektrische apparaten, o.a. dvd-spelers
783,4
Voertuigen, o.a. auto´s, motoren
492,6
Kunststof
411,2
Farmaceutische producten
348,4
150212 © de Volkskrant - tb. Bron: CBS/Statline
kenhof, die volgende maand zijn
deuren weer opent, in de wielen te
rijden: het thema van dit jaar is ‘Polen – Hart van Europa’. De Keukenhof
hoopt zo belangstelling uit Polen en
omgeving te wekken, meldt zijn site.
De Hongaarse eurocommissaris
Lászlo Andor (Werkgelegenheid) liet
dinsdagavond weten in het meldpunt een symbool te zien van ‘groeiende vreemdelingenhaat’ in Neder-
land. Hij noemde die ‘alarmerend’.
Eerder kenschetste zijn Nederlandse
collega Neelie Kroes (Digitale agenda) het meldpunt als belachelijk.
Geert Wilders is verbaasd over de
commotie. Hij spreekt van selectieve
verontwaardiging. ‘Toen een Haagse
PvdA-wethouder sprak over een tsunami van Oost-Europeanen, was daar
nauwelijks aandacht voor.’ Volgens
de PVV-leider is de klaagsite ‘een fan-
od Nordland schreef onlangs in The New York
Times dat in Kabul baby’s doodvriezen. Tot zover
‘winning hearts and minds’ van Afghanen door de
NAVO.
De afgelopen weken lekten er rapporten uit dat het
Afghaanse leger niet te vertrouwen is en vermoedelijk
met graagte op de NAVO-bondgenoten zou schieten.
Enfin, de kiezers in Amerika en Europa moeten
wennen aan de nederlaag in Afghanistan. GroenLinks
besloot echter dit weekend dat de politiemissie in
Kunduz door moet gaan. Dat heet ‘realpolitik’.
tastisch initiatief’ en een ‘schot in de
roos’. ‘Er is echt wat aan de hand, anders hadden we nu niet al veertigduizend klachten binnengekregen’, zei
hij dinsdag. ‘En we discrimineren natuurlijk niet. Dat doen we nooit.’
Premier Rutte vindt dat een deel
van de Tweede Kamer de PVV ‘te belangrijk’ maakt. Eerder op de dag zei
hij over de immigratie van Oost-Europeanen: ‘Er zijn hardwerkende EU-
burgers die een bijdrage leveren aan
de Nederlandse samenleving. Maar
er zijn ook malafide uitzendbureaus,
problemen met de huisvesting, overlast, uitbuiting en het feit dat mensen in de bijstand een deel van het
werk zouden kunnen doen.’
ANALYSE
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Open letter to
Economic
Affairs Minister
Verhagen
Terwijl Rutte dinsdag in de Tweede
Kamer een golf van kritiek over zich
heen kreeg, lieten ook de Polen zich
niet onbetuigd. Luisteraars naar het
populaire commerciële radiostation
RMF24 riepen op tot een boycot van
Nederlandse producten en bestookten de Nederlandse ambassade in
Warschau en Geert Wilders met protestmails.
Nederlandse bedrijven hebben de
afgelopen negentien jaar 23 miljard
euro geïnvesteerd in het land. Nederland is de grootste buitenlandse investeerder in Polen. De zorgvuldig
opgebouwde relatie loopt nu gevaar,
zegt Elro van den Burg, directeur van
de Pools-Nederlandse Kamer van
Koophandel. ‘Ooit werd naar ons opgekeken als ondernemers uit dat
gastvrije en tolerante land uit het
Westen. Door initiatieven als het
meldpunt dreigen wij dat voordeel
kwijt te raken. De Polen maken geen
onderscheid tussen het PVV-standpunt en de mening van de regering.’
Nederland levert Polen onder
meer veel tulpen. Het radiostation
RMF24 ontwierp een affiche met de
tekst: Tulipan to lipa, vrij vertaald: de
tulp is niet echt. Die actie lijkt de Keu-
Estland
325
Polen
7.378
Dutch daily De Volkskrant published a full page article on its frontpage
about the concerns that were raised by the Chamber and the NPCH
The Netherlands - Polish Chamber of Commerce has written an open letter of complaint to the
Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr Verhagen, about the website of the PVV.
The letter was written together with the Dutch – Polish Council of
Trade Promotion (NPCH). By doing so, both organisations wanted
to express their concerns about the website set up by the Dutch
Freedom Party (PVV) led by Geert Wilders. The site invites people to
denounce nationals from Central and Eastern Europe that are deemed
to be ‘causing a nuisance’ to Dutch society. The NPCC and the NPCH
wanted to express their fears that the site could damage the image of
the Netherlands abroad.
The initiative of the NPCC and the NPCH attracted broad attention from
the Dutch and Polish media. Around forty media outlets ran stories about
our combined initiative.
Economic Interests
An excerpt of the letter of complaint from the NPCC and NPCH to Dutch
Minister of Economic Affairs: “We are concerned that a negative perception
of the Netherlands in Poland may have a negative impact on the economic
interests of Dutch companies in Poland. This will have an effect on the
business potential that Poland has to offer Dutch companies. With regard
to the website, we call upon you, as the responsible Minister, to continue to
look after our interests and to continue to contribute to a correct image of The
Netherlands abroad.”
Largest foreign investor
Dutch trade with Poland has sharply increased since barriers to immigration
were dropped in 2007 as part of EU integration. Figures released by the Polish
Ministry of Economic Affairs show that total trade between the two countries
jumped 28 per cent in 2010 to 13.8 billion euros, while as many as 2,000 Dutch
companies now operate in Poland. Multinational Dutch companies, including
Heineken and Philips, have invested 22.9 billion euros in Poland since 1993,
making the Netherlands one of the largest foreign investors in Poland.
The national daily ‘de Volkskrant’ even published a full-page article on the front
page about the letter and our concerns.
Geert Wilders, political leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV) that initiated
the website
10
issue 38
Bulletin
In a letter of reply to our chamber, Minister Verhagen underlined that the
website is the initiative of a single party, the PVV, which ‘in no way’ represents
the policy of the Dutch Government. For more information, please go to our
website www.nlchamber.com.pl, where you can download both letters.
issue 38
Bulletin
11
Hedro
Farms
in Dire
Straits
The Dutch Hedro Farms is one of the many
foreign farms in Poland whose existence are
threatened by a new Polish law that aims to
reduce the amount of land leased by large
farmers. Owner, Ed van Cleef, expressed
fears that, “In a year from now we will know
whether we still exist or not.”
It is a half hour drive by bus from Wroclaw to the small village of Sadkow. The first impression in this small farm village is as if time has stood still.
But that soon changes when you enter the “Dutch Farm”, as it is called
by the locals.
Hedro Farms was established in 1995 by Herbert Bos, Ed van Cleef
and Ronnie Luteijn. The company produces and trades in agricultural
products like wheat, onions, potatoes and carrots. When entering the
terrain, you see the most modern equipment and warehouses, ensuring
production at the highest standards. As well as growing onions,
potatoes, carrots and wheat, all the products are cleaned and packed
on site. The storage capacity is almost 20,000 tonnes, with controlled
temperature and moisture.
Why did you start farming in Poland?
Ed van Cleef: „We have invested all our money to bring this farm to an
acceptable production level”.
12
issue 38
Bulletin
Ronnie Luteijn: “Before establishing Hedro Farms, the three owners all
worked in Russia, where we managed the potato-projects of Cebeco, one
of the largest Dutch co-operatives. That is how we got to know Eastern
Europe and the advantages of working here. Russia was not all that safe to
set up a business then, and when we heard that the government in Poland
was privatising the former state farms, we thought of that as a much safer
investment. This is how we ended up in this country.”
issue 38
Bulletin
13
Advertisement
Was it easy to set up a company in those days?
Ed van Cleef: “In those days there were loads and loads of agricultural
companies up for rent. Every week there were auctions of large farms located
throughout Poland, from east to west, from north to south. Therefore, from
September 1994 until August 1995, we travelled through the country to visit
farms that were for sale. We looked at about 150 companies and finally ended
up here in Sadkow, which has great soil and a central location if you want to
export to other countries in the EU.”
good land and one by one we have renewed the buildings. Every year we
renovated one or two of them. We have earned a lot of money, but we all
invested this in the company in order to bring it to an acceptable production
level. Looking back at the early years, I think it is a great achievement that
we have succeeded in setting up a very successful company. To give you
an example, at the end of the nineties, many Dutch farmers came to Poland,
though 9 out of 10 of them went back to the Netherlands because it was too
harsh for them.”
Letter of concern from the Chamber
Since the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce is very
concerned with the issue of changes in law over agricultural land, we
are considering the best way to help foreign farmers in Poland. For
a start, together with other bilateral Chambers in Poland, we are preparing
a letter of concern that we will send to the Polish authorities with
a request to make adjustments to this law. We will keep our members
updated on this issue.
What happened next?
RL: “After the deal was made and we started our first working weeks, we came
to fully realise what we had got ourselves into. From the seventy members of
staff, only half showed up. We had bought old machines and old buildings, of
which the roofs were leaking. The land was covered with stones, which we had
to remove. There was not a single computer in the company, and there was
only one phone in the whole village. A kindergarten was housed in our current
office building, and there were 150 buildings on the land.”
How did you continue from there?
RL: “We currently have our main office in a palace that was originally built in
1594. We had four such palaces and many other buildings. All of those were
divided into separate living apartments, and out of the 110 tenants, only 40
regularly paid us rent. So we were not only farmers, but also responsible for all
these buildings. It often happened that we had to come back in the evenings
to repair a broken water pump or a clogged toilet of our tenants. After six years,
we finally managed to map out all the buildings and houses. We included this
in one big report that was signed by us and by the government, and that is
how we could resign from those buildings.”
And how long did it take to get the company working?
EvC: “The farmland was of good quality, but it took us three years to clean
everything up. For many years no fertilisers or pesticides had been used,
meaning that there were so many weeds, the soil looked green like a football
field. We have used a lot of fertiliser for several years in order to retain
14
issue 38
Bulletin
Ed van Cleef: „It took us three years to completely clear the agricultural land”.
Is there still a future for your company?
RL: “We currently have 1100 ha and under the new law we will lose 330 ha.
There will be no consideration given to our current lease contract, which has
not been finished yet. This 330 ha will be sold to other companies. We are
currently waiting for a letter from the Agencja ANR to find out which parts of
the land we will have to give up. If we agree with that, we still retain the right
to extend our current lease contract, and we will have a pre-emptive right to
buy the land that we had to give up. However, in our situation this is practically
worthless, because as foreigners we cannot buy land in Poland.”
Changes Agricultural Real Estate Law
Is the ANR waiting until the lease contract is finished?
In Poland there are around 100 active Dutch farmers, many of whom
lease large areas of land from the State Treasury. The Agency of
Agricultural Land (ANR) has envisaged a procedure whereby it will
propose to farmers leasing more than 429 ha of land, to reduce the
leased area by 30%. Refusal will mean that leases will not be renewed.
The Agency will indicate which plots will be excluded from the lease and
will pay no compensation for the loss of investment in buildings and
equipment appropriate for the current size of their farms.
However, the farmers will be able to purchase part of the land that has
so far been leased. For EU farmers, the effects of the Law are potentially
much worse than for Polish farmers, because before buying they need a
special permission from the Minister of the Interior, who will first seek the
opinion of the Minister of Agriculture. In practice, not often permission is
granted to purchase such large areas of land (if at all).
RL: “No they won’t wait. The 30% is taken in the middle of the contract term.
That is another reason why we think it is totally unfair. We have 70 people
working here. We have a turnover of 25 million PLN per year, and we have
built this farm from the ground up. But this doesn’t interest anybody. On the
contrary: our partner, the government, is breaking our contract. We thought
we had a lease contract of 15 years with another option of 15 years. This was
good enough to make investments on. But it has turned out differently.”
Is it possible to buy land as a foreigner?
RL: “In the past we have send a request to buy 100 ha of farmland, but this
has been left unanswered. However, buying would be a good solution. For us
this comes at the most inconvenient time, since our lease contract finishes
in 2013 and we have no idea whether it will be renewed. We have no clue
how this will continue. In a year from now we will know whether we will still be
farming here in Poland or not.”
issue 38
Bulletin
15
Career tracker
Alexander Vlaskamp
From 1 March, Alexander Vlaskamp has
become the new Managing Director of Scania
Germany and Austria. Vlaskamp served as
managing director for Scania in Poland from
April 2008. He has been succeeded by Kjell
Ortengren, who has been working at Scania Korea for the past
five years.
_____________________________________________________________
Marc Goudemont
Marja Hollemans
In January 2012, Marja Hollemans started as
Group Technology and Quality Manager in Grupa
Żywiec, in the head office in Warsaw. Marja
has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University
of Amsterdam. She started 28 years ago in
the Research and Development Department in Heineken in the
Netherlands. She was also responsible for the set-up of knowledge
management within Heineken. After this, she spent most of her
career in various functions in Athenian Breweries in Greece. Marja
takes over the position in Warsaw from Dini Bouwmeester, who has
become Technology and Quality Manager for Central and Eastern
Europe for Heineken.
_____________________________________________________________
Marc Goudemont has been appointed, from
1 March, as Country Manager of Moët Hennessy
in Austria. Previously Marc held positions as CFO
and COO for Moët Hennessy in the Central &
Southern Europe Region, in which he established
distribution companies for Poland and the Czech Republic and
managed 18 other countries in which Moët Hennessy works with
external distribution partners. Moët Hennessy is part of the LVMH
Group, a world leader in luxury, with a unique portfolio of over sixty
prestigious brands. Marc joined the LVMH Group in 2004 as Finance,
HR and Systems Manager for Moët Hennessy Netherlands. Prior to
joining the LVMH Group, Marc held various Finance Management
positions at (NetlinQ) Framfab, a European internet company,
at Partners & Perspective and at Richemont. _____________________________________________________________
Marcin Klammer
Jan-Willem van Dam
Jan-Willem van Dam recently left Warsaw to
go back to Holland after staying three years
building up the market for Vendere in Middle
and Eastern Europe. He has accepted the role of
Business Development Manager within Vendere.
Vendere is a professional and qualitative Telemarketing company
with offices in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Jan-Willem
will continue to manage the Polish market out of Germany and
the Netherlands. He will further develop for Vendere the Germanspeaking market and sales activities of Vendere in the Netherlands.
Before working for Vendere he worked in several sales positions in
the Netherlands and Germany (Novell, Manugustics, Dupaco and
Van Wijngaarden) and pioneered his company “de groene koerier”
as the first bike messenger. He combined his work in Warsaw with
pastoring a church. Jan-Willem is married and has five children.
Marcin Klammer, Location Leader for EC Harris
in Poland, has been appointed as the new Chief
Executive Officer for ARCADIS Polska. He will
continue to lead EC Harris Poland for the time
being and both firms will continue to operate
as separate entities. In his new role Marcin will be responsible for
growing the ARCADIS business in the Polish market with a particular
focus on ensuring that the benefits of the merger with EC Harris
are fully realised so that the two firms can offer clients a broader
range of consultancy skills and high quality services. Marcin joined
EC Harris in 1998 and was appointed Location Leader for Poland in
2005. During his tenure he has significantly grown the business in
this market, diversifying into new areas such as highways and the
public sector as well as maintaining a strong presence in the lenders
& investors, commercial, residential and CRE sectors.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
16
issue 38
Bulletin
Peter Heere
Peter Heere has been appointed Controlling Director
of Grupa Żywiec. Peter started his career in Heineken
France, after finishing his studies in Business
Engineering & Management at Twente University. After
a two-year intermezzo at ABN Amro Bank, Peter rejoined Heineken in Amsterdam in the Western Europe Finance team. He
started his new challenge in December in Warsaw, leading the controlling
department. Peter also succeeds Dini Bouwmeester as board member of
the Netherlands - Polish Chamber of Commerce.
Margriet Simons
Margriet Simons has been appointed executive
director business control of BGZ as of February 2012.
Prior to this, Margriet was CFO of Banque Populaire du
Rwanda SA (BPR) in Rwanda for three years. BPR is
the largest bank (and the largest institution) in Rwanda,
with 190 branches throughout the country and about 1 million retail, micro
and SME customers. Margriet helped BPR to make the transition from a
co-operative bank with a limited product range to a full-fledged commercial
bank. Margriet has also worked as a consultant in other African countries.
Before going to Africa, Margriet worked in Rabobank’s head office in the
Netherlands in several positions; she started as an auditor and was also
project manager and business change manager. As chief accountant, she
was responsible for the general ledger and regulatory reporting of the 140
Rabobank member banks in the Netherlands. Margriet has a master’s
degree in economics and is also a chartered accountant.
_____________________________________________________________
Manfred Van Vlierberghe
On 19 January Manfred Van Vlierberghe was appointed
CEO of ArcelorMittal Poland. He was also nominated
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of ArcelorMittal
Poland. He will report directly to VP ArcelorMittal and
CEO of Business Division East Sanjay Samaddar, who
will continue to be the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ArcelorMittal
Poland.
Manfred Van Vlierberghe has been working for ArcelorMittal since 1995, after
he joined ArcelorMittal Gent, where he held various managerial positions.
He was later appointed Chief Operating Officer of the primary operations at
ArcelorMittal Bremen.
Since December 2010, Manfred held the position of Chief Operating Officer
and member of the Board of Directors of ArcelorMittal Poland.
Manfred graduated from the University of Louvain, specializing in electromechanics. He also completed his MBA studies at Ecole Solvay Brussels
School of Management and Economics.
_____________________________________________________________
Daniel van Ark
Daniel van Ark (42) has been appointed executive
director of BGZ Bank, responsible for risk
management SMEs and large enterprises. Before
joining BGZ, Daniel was Team Leader Special
Asset Management for Rabobank’s subsidiary
in Ireland, ACCBank. Prior to this, Daniel held several positions at
Rabobank’s Head Office in Utrecht, and with two of its member
banks in the Netherlands (Rabobank Zaandam and Rabobank EdeVeenendaal respectively). Daniel has a master’s degree in law, and
a master’s degree in economics. He is married and has one son.
___________________________________________________________
Małgorzata Maj-Kościelniak
Małgorzata Maj-Kościelniak has been appointed
assistant of the Netherlands - Polish Chamber of
Commerce. Over the last six years prior to this position,
she was living and working in the UK.
For the last three years she has been an assistant manager at the Park Manor
nursing home. Ms Maj-Kościelniak will be assisting the director in his daily
activities.
____________________________________________________________
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Phone 801 0802 44
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Dutch Retailer, operating under the trade name
Waffiezz, offers delicious fresh Dutch delights as
‚Stroopwafels’ (syrup-waffles) & ‚Poffertjes’ (mini puffy
pancakes) in Warsaw…shop location coming soon.
We are a Dutch couple that just moved to Warsaw in
January to start this business.
We are still in the starting phase, but are very much
looking forward to introducing these products to the
Polish people. Waffiezz is a modernised concept
for serving traditional Dutch goodies. Besides the
original ‚Stroopwafel’, we offer our own special
chocolate-hazelnut variety...yum! Our ‚Poffertjes’ also
come with a wide assortment of toppings, such as
fresh fruit, sauces & whipped cream. Waffiezz is also
available for on location bookings at events, parties,
business exhibitions or fairs.
Contact: Fleur Denissen & Jürgen Peters
Tel: +48 725 714 192
E-mail: info@waffiezz.com
Website: www.waffiezz.com
PNP Tax & Accounts
We are pleased to announce the opening of a new
company, PNP Tax & Accounts Sp. z o.o., which will
provide accounting services and tax advisory services.
PNP Tax & Accounts offers current accounting and tax
services, payroll and/or HR and payroll services, as
well as tax and accounting advisory services.
As an affiliate of PNP Peter Nielsen & Partners Law
Office Sp. k., the new company will also provide legal
services to its customers. The offer sets out a special
innovative package for start-ups, which can count
on preferential financial conditions in the first year of
operation.
PNP Tax & Accounts
Al. Jana Pawła II 27
00-867 Warsaw, Poland
Phone: +48 22 59 29 000
Fax: +48 22 59 29 030 e-mail:
office@pnplaw.pl
www.pnplaw.pl
LimoPoland.pl
LimoPoland.pl offers chauffeur-driven limousines, vans,
mini-buses and premium segment buses throughout
Poland and the European Union. LimoPoland.pl’s
team is comprised of highly qualified drivers, fluent in
English, French, Russian and Bulgarian.
Our chauffeurs’ characteristic punctuality and
extensive knowledge of our country combines with
their always-immaculate appearance to provide you
with the best possible travel experience.
Our services include airports and train stations
transfers (pick-ups or drop-offs), business transport
- especially for VIP guests, as well as chauffeuring
participants at concerts, conferences or other events.
We also offer short- and long-term chauffeur-driven
limousine leasing for VIPs, individual and group tours
with licensed guides, sight-seeing of points or areas
of interest and numerous other services driven by our
clients’ specific needs.
The list of our clients includes GlaxoSmithKline, Polish
Reasecuration Company, TUI Polska, AgustaWestland
International, Ghelamco Polska, MTV Polska, Raiffeisen
Bank Polska, Rothschild Polska, Le Regina and Le
Meridien Bristol Hotels and the Mitsubishi Corporation.
LimoPoland.pl
ul. Waszyngtona 33/235
04-030 Warszawa
Email: info@limopoland.pl
tel.: +48 605 485 375
18
issue 38
Bulletin
Signify
If you are looking for a creative and reliable partner?
Signify provides gifts and premiums for small and large
companies. Distinctive tailor-made products that score.
And if it is a printed article or a customised campaign
you are after, then the team of Signify is at your service.
Together with us, your campaign will be a success
from start to finish. Our inventive unconventional
ideas bring your company out of the shadow of the
competition. The importance of thoughtful gifts by
growing competition grows ever larger. A mug with a
logo or a printed pen is no longer a sufficient gift. To
linger in the mind of a potential customer or to build
a relationship creating a positive feeling towards
your company, that requires tailored, custom-made,
well thought out useful gifts. Signify, with its team of
specialists, will provide you with solutions that makes
your business more successful. If you are interested
to discover what we can do for you, contact us and
together we will come up with a solution.
Signify Sp. z o.o.
Solipska 14A lok. 1
02-482
Warszawa,
Tel.:22 427 90 19
Fax: 22 427 90 02
2theloo
We are certain this has happened to you. You are
going out and while on your way, you just have to go
to the toilet. You start looking for a restroom, but it is
not that easy to find a clean one! Well, we are pleased
to tell you that this is no longer a problem.
2theloo creates refreshing restrooms in several
city centres, shopping centres, and train and gas
stations. Furthermore, every restroom has a shop with
toiletries, and some have a coffee corner. 2theloo is
recognizable for its design. Every door in a 2theloo
restroom consists of a giant visual.
For parents with kids, 2theloo has a special family
restroom. We also provide a handicapped accessible
restroom. You only pay 50 cents to go to the clean
toilets of 2theloo, and then you’ll receive a discount of
50 cents on the toiletries in the shop.
You can find 2theloo in 5 countries. We already have
24 restrooms/toilet shops.
2theloo Poland
Plac Trzech Krzyzy 18
00-499 Warszawa
www.2theloo.com
Masita
Masita is a Dutch sportswear brand that has been
one of the leading suppliers in the team sports market
for more than 40 years. Masita Company offers the
highest quality sport clothing and accessories for
football, handball, volleyball and many others. Masita
develops and produces clothing that is comfortable to
wear for active people. Masita Vreuls sp.j. is the sole
importer of this brand to Poland.
We have been providing Masita teams wear to shops,
clubs, schools and many other institutions in Poland
for seven years. We offer sport shirts, shorts, training
and presentation tracksuits, windbreakers, bags,
medical articles and various other needs for team
sports. Thanks to the use of modern materials, high
quality and a wide range of products offered, every
day we gain new satisfied customers. Co-operation
with the company Masita Vreuls sp. j., which has
its own warehouse in Poland, is a guarantee of fast
delivery and a wide assortment. We are certain to offer
customers high quality products at competitive prices,
and we are the answer to all team sports’ needs.
MASITA VREULS S.J.
UL CHROBREGO 26
45-580 OPOLE
Tel.: +48 774537260
sklep@masita.pl
www.masita.pl
BM Water & Energy
BM Water & Energy focuses on introducing the newest
achievements in the line of water- and water heating
systems.
BM Water & Energy appreciates smart ideas and
high-quality solutions that can fulfil human needs,
while supporting the idea of sustainable development.
Those company values are based on ethical and
environmental principals, which are also applied to our
suppliers.
BM Water & Energy’s current offer consists of instant
water heaters, storage water heaters, water filters and
solar systems. Go to our website for more information
BM Water & Energy
ul. Łotewska 7
03-918 Warsaw, Poland
tel.: +48.22.616.00.26
e-mail: info@bm-water-energy.com
Internet: www.bm-water-energy.com
Termocycle
Termocycle Sp.z o.o. is a company active in
“waste heat” recovery.
Over 45% of all the energy production in the world
gets lost by heat, which disappears in the air by
chimneys and through liquids for cooling the
engine-production processes.
The Termocycle ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle)
solutions transform waste heat into electricity,
which turns out to be a very profitable sustainable
technology.
The payback period of such an investment is < 4
years on average, without any subsidy!!
In fact, the cost of generating electricity is equal to
the depreciation of the machine.
No fuel is required!
In relation to other green energy sources, the sun
does not always shine, the wind does not always
blow, but the Termocycle units run 24/7 the whole
year round. The ORC’s units are assembled in
Kwidzyn, Poland, but sold all over the world. A
demonstration application is now being installed
in the Netherlands.
Besides the everlasting quest how to reduce
operational costs, in the last few years the
environmental and sustainable - green aspects
of business became of greater importance.
Especially the reduction of global warming and
CO2 emissions.
With ongoing increasing electricity price the
Termocycle project has been initiated , a concept
with only winners. Your company, the environment
and our shareholders.
For more information go to www.termocycle.com
or email jaap.brouwer@termocycle.com
ENKEV
ENKEV is an international company, headquartered in
the Netherlands with the daughter Companies in Great
Britain, Holland, Russia, France and Poland, as well as
joint ventures in China and Sri Lanka.
The company specialises in manufacturing high
quality components used mainly for mattresses and
upholstered furniture.
ENKEV Polska’s products may also find use in
the manufacture of car seats and filters, as well as
insulating materials, composites, or packaging, and
other technical solutions (e.g. agriculture), adapted to
the customer’s needs.
ENKEV products are derived from natural raw materials
such as coconut fibre, wool, animal hair, cotton, sisal,
jute and natural rubber latex. Such products are
environmentally friendly and are fully renewable. This
fact gives the company tremendous opportunities for
growth for the future.
ENKEV Polska sells its products to over 40 countries
worldwide. The company is continuing the tradition of
textile factories in Lodz, where its first thriving plant was
established in 1964, and which currently employs about
200 people. It is the only company in Poland, and one
of four in Central and Eastern Europe, specialising in
production based on exotic fibres.
In the Company’s management processes, the active
participation of employees plays an important and key
role. In 2002 and 2009, ENKEV was the winner of the
Gazele Biznesu award, granted by the daily business
newspaper „Puls Biznesu” for the most dynamically
developing companies. The company participates in
many charitable and CSR activities.
ENKEV Polska S.A.
ul. Targowa 2
90 – 022 Łódź
Tel.: +48(0) 42 671 87 01
Faks: +48 (0) 42 671 87 59
Email: sekretariat@enkev.pl
Affiliate and Individual Memberships
•Rene de Reus, consultant for Audacon, a company
offering data management solutions for the
automotive industry.
•Andre Schuurman, director at KPMG Transaction
Services, Head of CEE Strategy and Commercial &
Operational Due Diligence practice
issue 38
Bulletin
19
Anneke Adema:
Economic diplomacy
is our top priority
Since September 2011, Anneke Adema has
been the new economic counsellor at the
Embassy of the Netherlands in Warsaw. She
tells Bulletin about her plans and goals for
the coming period.
companies have capitalised them. I want to get to the bottom of this, to find
out what the problems are and how we can help those companies perform
better on these specific markets that Dutch companies are good at.”
Can you be more specific?
“When, for instance, you take a look at the Water sector or the Waste
Management sector, you can see that there is a lot of experience on both
topics in the Netherlands. At present new laws are being implemented in
Poland and expertise is required, but I don’t see many companies from
Was Poland your first choice when the time came to change your the Netherlands active in these areas yet. There are also other topics of
concern. During the two CEO lunches that we have organised together with
previous posting?
the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce in the residence of the
ambassador, we discussed the difficulties Dutch companies are having “No it wasn’t my first choice, but I am very happy that I came to Poland. When
you arrive in Poland the drive and dynamics in this country are almost tangible. winning tender procedures. Poles seem to opt for the cheapest option, which
Everywhere you feel that Poland wants to improve and make up for its past. may be caused by their wish to avoid any link to corruption. However, I think
that we can do a good job by explaining that cheap is not always the best
A lot is being built and a lot is being done. For instance, take a look at Euro
solution. Something else is the administrative burden that companies have to
2012. The Poles want to grab that chance and show the world what they are
go through while setting up a company. Therefore, it seems advantageous to
capable of. That positive vibe has grasped me and I am very happy with my
find your company a Polish partner. On the other hand, we have heard stories
posting in Poland.”
of entrepreneurs that invested a lot of time in their Polish counterparts, but
Poland and Spain are often compared in terms of size and then it still didn’t work out.”
importance within the European Union for instance. However,
can you describe the differences between the countries?
How can the embassy help out in such cases?
“When in Poland, you can immediately notice the difference. Spain is going “Economic diplomacy is a top priority in Dutch foreign policy. I think it is
important for us to play the role of trouble shooter in this context. We can
through a tough economic period. You notice that in the attitude of the people
from Spain, and also in the positioning of the Dutch companies in that country. certainly help in some specific situations.”
The first thing you notice in Poland is how well things are going here. I have
Looking at the 2012 calendar, we understand that the embassy
been in Poland now for seven months, and I am learning more and more
wants to organise a Dutch week this year. Can you tell us more
about the country and its people. I have noticed that, as in Spain, history is
about that?
very important. When I grab a taxi or meet my house broker, within two minutes
I can have a discussion about the Warsaw uprising or a similar topic. This is
similar to Spain, where the civil war ruined the lives of many, and which still has “We are currently preparing a Dutch week in Poland, between 19 -26 of
May, linked to the O’ Holender event. I organised a similar event in Spain,
a great impact on the daily life of the people.”
last year. During one week, we organised several events, which meant at
That Poland is one of the fastest growing EU countries makes least one event every day. By focussing on one week, we can promote our
country much better and gain more publicity. Though we are still searching
work much easier for you I suppose?
for an overall theme, we will certainly offer visitors a mix of cultural, economic
and agricultural events. We have decided to organise this in May, just a few
“I won’t deny that we have a privileged position at the economic and the
weeks before the Euro 2012 tournament. This is the moment when everybody
agricultural department because Poland is doing well. What I also found very
interesting was that, during the Dutch – Polish Business Awards ceremony, is focussing on Poland, and an ideal moment for us to be present with an
event and generate publicity for the Netherlands. What is also important is
Dutch entrepreneurs in Poland were asked if they expected to make a profit
that we not only want to organise events in Warsaw, but also in other cities. I
next year, and everybody reacted positively. That is a good sign. But still, there
am looking forward to cooperate with the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of
is a lot of work to do. For instance, several sectors are labelled as top priority
Commerce on these events.“
for cooperation. Although there are a lot of opportunities, not many Dutch
20
issue 38
Bulletin
Anneke Adema (left), head of the economic department and Toine van Poppel, agricultural attachee of the Embassy of the Netherlands.
What can you say about the co-operation between the Agricultural
and Economic departments at the Embassy? At a national level
in the Netherlands, those two ministries have been merged, how
does that work out here in Warsaw?
“In the Netherlands, the two ministries of Economic affairs and Agriculture
are currently operating as one ministry. It hasn’t been decided yet what the
consequence of this co-operation will be at the embassy level. What is more
important is that within the Embassy the two departments co-operate very
closely already. Certainly the agricultural attaché Toine van Poppel has his
own topics, and I have mine, but our strong co-operation means that we
can offer better support to companies from the Netherlands. I would also
like to emphasise that it is not only the agricultural department that I want
to work together with, I also see a lot of potential in strong co-operation with
the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce, as well as with other Dutch
organisations in Poland.”
issue 38
Bulletin
21
Getting
better
all the
time
NPCC continues to improve itself to meet
the needs of its members.
In December 2011, the Netherlands - Polish Chamber of Commerce
(NPCC) conducted a comprehensive survey in order to better understand
the expectations of our members. The results offered us invaluable insight
for a re-examination of our activities and priorities, and to identify areas for
improvement.
The overall results of the survey were encouraging. Out of the 34 responses
that we received, the level of satisfaction was rated as above-average to
high in most categories. The Chamber’s magazine, ‘Bulletin’, received
high marks as a source of information. A full 60 per cent of readers were
satisfied, and 20 per cent were very satisfied with our magazine. In addition,
our monthly business drinks and our annual Rijsttafel appear to be highly
valued by our members. We see this as a clear signal to continue with
these activities. The areas that show room for improvement include our
website, which some members think lacks functionality, and our newsletter.
The survey showed us that our members highly value the NPCC for the
possibility to present themselves, and to meet other companies during our
events. Some of the respondents mentioned that they expect a more active
role from NPCC in finding new business contacts. This is a remark that
I have heard more often during meetings with members. Therefore this
seems like a good time to mention that the NPCC is currently preparing
a member-to-member section on our website. This section offers our
members the free-of-charge possibility to offer their product to other
members at a special member discount. We already have two companies
that will take part in this programme, and we expect that many will follow.
This section will be fully functional at the end of May.
Another excellent possibility to make you and your product known is
through advertising in the NPCC’s publications and on the website. We
recently mailed all of you our sponsorship leaflet, offering tailor-made
packages for large, small or medium-sized companies. We have already
Total invested capital in Poland per member
received many requests for advertising in the Bulletin. Thanks to the revenues
from these advertisements, we are able to offer you four times a year a glossy
magazine with news, reports and interviews with members of our Chamber,
which otherwise would be too expensive to make.
Percentage of members per branch category
Other topics for improvement that were mentioned by the respondents
are the organisation of events with other bilateral Chambers, and events
in combination with sports tournaments and the organisation of sector
meetings. We will certainly try organising one or two meetings with other
bilateral Chambers later this year. Regarding the sports events, I think it is
important to mention that the NPCC is a proud supporter of “In het Hol van
de Leeuw”, an event that offers Dutch soccer fans in four cities in Poland the
possibility to watch the matches of the Dutch soccer team during Euro2012.
More information can be found on the website www.holvandeleeuw.pl.
With regard to our events, I would like to mention that we are also seeing
the results of our efforts to make our business drinks more popular. From an
average turnout of 30-50 people last year, we have grown to a current number
of 50 – 70 people that are visiting the business drink, which I think is a very
good result.
We also received requests for improvements in the communication of our
events through our newsletter. We have already started to send out our
newsletter more frequently. We will also send you short news blasts by email,
reminding you of particular events. Please remember that you can always find
up-to-date information about our events in the calendar on the front page on
our website.
I would like to thank all those members who took the time to respond to our
survey. If there are any other remarks, please don’t hesitate to email me at
e.vandenburg@nlchamber.com.pl or call me directly at +48 22 653 76 52.
I would also like to thank Artur Windak for his support in carrying out this
project.
Consultancy (including coaching and training)
Financial services and institutions
Human resource
Food and beverages
Transport
Oil industry
Law and legal
Elro van den Burg
Director of the Netherlands – Polish Chamber of Commerce.
Automotive
Pharmacy
Internet services
The level of satisfaction with the services provided by the NPCC in 2011
Percentage of NPCC members
Monthly businessdrinks
Very satisfied
Holland meets Belgium and Portugal
Satisfied
Business mixer at the Warka Brewery
Business mixer with the Irish Chamber
Neither satisfied nor
Speeddating with the Scandinavian Chamber
dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Seminar bodylanguage in Business
Job market for Dutch speakers
No opinion
Dutch summer pub
Annual members meeting
Indonesian Rijsttafel
Businessbreakfast with Minister Rostowski
Businessbreakfast with Minister Sikorski
Total invested capital on the Polish market
Businessbreakfast with professor Belka
Conference on Euro 2012
Dutch Polish Businss Award
Website
Bulletin
22
issue 38
Bulletin
issue 38
Bulletin
23
Advertisement
Advertisement
Column
Remco van der Kroft
Advocaat (Dutch licensed lawyer)
and a partner of Olczak-Klimek
van der Kroft Węgiełek
Joanna Dębska
Joanna is a Legal Adviser at
Olczak - Klimek van der Kroft
Węgiełek, specialising
in litigation.
Damage claims – is Poland
becoming another U.S.A.?
One of the aspects of being an entrepreneur is dealing with possible
claims for damages. The risk of such claims cannot be avoided, but
certain steps can be taken to minimise the risks.
Improper performance of one’s contractual obligations is a common cause
for damage claims, known as contractual liability. Another cause for liability
is tort (in Polish czynnie dozwolony), a wrongful action or inaction by a
person, causing the person committing the tort to be liable for damages (in
Polish odpowiedzialność deliktowa). Both types of liability are regulated in
the Polish Civil Code.
Tortuous liability can be, for example, the liability for the results of a road
accident, liability for selling a faulty product, or liability for damages caused
in the process of business activity, and under certain circumstances also
liability for work accidents by employees. Depending on the duty of care that
can be expected under a given circumstance, various legal regimes apply
as to the burden of proof.
Certain types of damages are awarded on the basis of ‘strict liability’, i.e.
the law points out the liable party, who is held liable unless he can prove
that it is someone else’s fault, or the accident was caused by force majeure.
For example, damage caused by the use of heavy machinery at a building
site is always the responsibility of the contractor unless it can be proved
that the victim or a third party is to blame, or the accident was caused by
force majeure. The same regime applies to liability for faulty products: a
manufacturer or EU importer is liable for damages caused by a faulty
product, with very little room for exculpation.
On the other hand, there are situations in which it is the injured party who
has to prove that someone is liable, for example if someone breaks a leg on
slippery stairs in a shopping mall.
Recently it can be observed that courts are tending to interpret the law and
the facts more and more in favour of the injured party. In addition, there
is a clear tendency to claim higher amounts of compensation (in Polish
zadośćuczynienia).
Compensation for damages as a result of the death of a relative has become
24
issue 38
Bulletin
a hot topic after the Smolensk disaster. The State paid the families of those
who died in the Smolensk plane crash PLN 250,000 each. The families of
soldiers who have died in Afghanistan and Iraq have since claimed similar
amounts. Recently the press reported about a widow of a well-paid manager
who received PLN 900,000 in compensation for the death of her husband.
As a result of the media attention for such cases, the number of tort claims
in Poland is clearly on the rise, along with the level of the claims. Injured
parties file claims that are ever more far-fetched, claiming damages in cases
of obvious accidental events. In addition, there is an increasing number
of small law firms approaching injured parties suggesting that they claim
damages, basically charging a percentage of the amount awarded: the
classic “ambulance chaser”.
The lesson that can be learned is that companies should be more aware
of potential claims, trying to minimise risk by introducing appropriate
safety procedures. Another way of reducing the risk of claims is to put up
appropriate warning signs in places where there is a potential risk to the
public, or provide employees with clear safety training. Once the risk has
materialised, it is of vital importance to prepare proper documentation, e.g.
photographs, witness statements etc. in order to exculpate oneself.
In addition, companies should have appropriate (professional) liability
insurance. When dealing with insurers, there are two moments when one
should pay extra attention, i.e. when concluding a policy and when making
a claim. When concluding the policy, attention should be paid to all details,
not only in the policy (e.g. mistakes in the company data, wrong address
of a building etc.), but also in the general conditions (e.g. exclusions).
When dealing with serious corporate insurance, deviations from the general
conditions can be achieved. This is a clear role for your insurance broker.
The other important moment is when making the claim. Again, your claim
should be reviewed by an insurance professional in order to make sure
that no mistakes are made. Ultimately, if everything goes wrong and the
insurance company refuses to pay, together with your lawyer it is possible to
successfully force the insurer to pay under the policy, or even claim from the
broker if he made a mistake in advising you.
Athlonline is a unique tool that allows you for an on-line
quotation of all car brands and access to ﬂeet reports.
The Better
solution
info@athloncarlease.pl
www.athloncarlease.pl
+48 (022) 653 78 85
issue 37 Bulletin
25
News
from our members
Imtech: order of 77 million
euro for a high-tech, energy-efficient waste
processing plant in Warsaw
Imtech has been commissioned by Finalsa S.A. to implement all the technical
solutions in one of the most advanced waste processing plants in the world.
This plant will be built near Warsaw in Poland, and is capable of processing
approximately 120,000 tonnes of waste (MSW, Municipal Solid Waste: organic
waste from residential, commercial and industrial sources) per year - more
than 400 tonnes of waste per day. René van der Bruggen, CEO of Imtech, said
‚Imtech is the market leader in energy efficiency in Germany and Poland. The
majority of our orders are characterised by the presence of a component of
energy efficiency and or energy management.
Our focus is on sustainable industrial production plants. Waste processing
plants are one of Imtech specialities. The new order in Poland, along with
previous recent orders for energy-efficient waste processing plants in
Germany (production of renewable fuels from mechanical-biological waste
treatment of residual waste in the Emmendingen and Ortenau regions), the
Netherlands (an energy-efficient waste processing plant for HVC Dordrecht)
and in the UK (an energy-efficient waste processing plant in Plymouth for MVV
O&M, a subsidiary of MVV Energie AG), show that Imtech is leading in this
segment in Europe.’
Van Ameyde Buys Profibiz to Raise
its Profile in Poland
Van Ameyde Group has bought a majority share in Warsaw-based claims
management organization Profibiz. Recognising the importance of the Polish
insurance industry in the emerging CEE Market, Van Ameyde wished to raise
its profile in the country. Having worked together with Profibiz in the area of
flood-related property claims, the partners agreed to cement their relationship
through this acquisition.
The motor and bodily injury claims handling activities of Van Ameyde CEE
Poland have already been incorporated in Profibiz, now rebranded Van
Ameyde Polska. Van Ameyde’s claims handling team is now employed by
Van Ameyde Polska, thus guaranteeing the continuity of the handling of Fourth
Directive claims, as well as Green Card claims, outsourced by Van Ameyde’s
Polish fronting company Uniqa.
“This acquisition will enable operational co-operation, which will ensure
increasing added value to the previous activities of both companies. Van
Ameyde gains access to the Polish market, and ProfiBiz can explore new
opportunities related to Van Ameyde’s 65 years of experience in more than
28 countries,” says Krzysztof Jabłoński, member of the management board
of Van Ameyde Polska.
DHV and KuiperCompagnons design waterfront
on Warta River in Poznań
Poznań Municipality and investor SwedeCenter have founded a partnership
called “Na Rzecz Warty” with the Dutch consultancy firms KuiperCompagnons
(Urban Planning & Design) and DHV (Engineering). This co-operation opens
up an unique opportunity for designing a complex development plan for
the waterfront areas situated on the Warta River. The Dutch Government is
supporting the project as part of its ‘Working with water worldwide’ programme.
The total investment comes to 400,000 euro.
In recent years, the Warta has
caused floods in Poznań on several
occasions, with major material and
financial damage as a result. The
‘Development Strategy River Warta
Poznań’ project hinges on drawing
up a strategy that allows water
safety measures to be incorporated
in Poznań’s broadly based social
development, while at the same time enabling spatial developments to be
adapted to essential water management measures. The currently neglected
river floodplains will be restored and made attractive, in tandem with water
safety improvements. Thus the historically mutually beneficial relationship of
the city and the water will receive a future-orientated refreshment.
Athlon Car Lease signs leasing contract with
Bacardi Martini
In March Athlon Car Lease Polska and Bacardi Martini Polska have signed a
three year contract for the lease of 58 cars. Among them are the models Mini
Clubman, Mini Countryman and BMW X3. 32 of these cars were delivered in
March. The other cars in April and May.
“I am very satisfied about the cooperation with Athlon Car Lease and their high
level of service we had so far. I am convinced that if they maintain this service
level we will be very satisfied during the complete period of the contract”, says
Mariola Dabrowska, Finance and Administration Director of Bacardi Martini
Polska. “We are very satisfied that Bacardi Martini Polska chose Athlon to be
its leasing partner. I am convinced that this decision will be satisfying for both
parties”, says Eric van Vliet, managing director of Athlon Car Lease Polska. ArcelorMittal Poland
commissions investments
worth PLN 140 m
Raben Transport, transport and logistics specialists, have placed an order for
a total of 80 DAF tractor units with ESA Trucks Poznań Sp. z o.o., an authorised
DAF Trucks Polska dealership). The first batch of 30 DAF FT XF 105.460
LowDeck tractor units were delivered to Raben Transport in January.
ArcelorMittal Poland has commissioned two new investments at its unit in
Dąbrowa Górnicza – Pulverised Coal Injection (PCI) into blast furnace No 2,
and a modernised sinter belt. Those two projects, worth PLN 140 m, will not
only optimise production costs, but also significantly reduce emissions. The
new PCI installation is located at blast furnace No 2 in Dąbrowa Górnicza
and is dedicated to this plant. It will help optimise the production costs of
hot metal used for steel production. This will be achieved thanks to replacing
some amounts of coke with pulverised coal. It will also be beneficial to the
environment, since the production of pulverised coal is more environmentally
friendly than the production of coke. The modernization of sinter belt No 2 will
result in an increased production capacity of sinter, which is a charge material
for blast furnaces. In addition, two brand new, modern electro-filters, with a
capacity of 900,000 m3/h, will allow a significant reduction in dust emissions.
Raben Transport specialises in full-vehicle transport, both in Poland and on
international routes. The operator’s own fleet numbers 260 low emission
tractors and trucks. “Thanks to this transaction, 100% of the vehicles used by
Raben Transport now meet the Euro 5 standard, and the average vehicle age
is less than two years. Investing in modern vehicles is of key importance to us.
On the one hand, it shows our commitment to protecting the environment, and
on the other it helps us to continuously optimise in-house processes,” said
Paweł Trębicki, Managing Director of Raben Transport.
“We are proud of the fact that we are able to continue our investments despite
challenging market conditions. We believe that they will help us get through
the periods of uncertainty, and allow us to remain flexible, and thus adapt to
the changing economic reality. Both the PCI installation and the modernised
sinter belt are excellent investments, not only from a business point of view,
but also due to the fact that they improve our environmental footprint,” said
Manfred Van Vlierberghe, CEO and deputy BOD chairman of ArcelorMittal
Poland.
Grontmij takes part in the Tristar project
ING sells Zlote Tarasy
Grontmij Poland is taking part in the implementation of the Intelligent Transport
Systems ITS in the cities Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot, called TRISTAR.
The TRISTAR concept is composed of five integrated systems on traffic
management, public transportation management, rescue management,
transportation information and goods traffic management.
ITS will allow a more effective capacity use of the streets, and easier access
to the port.
a unique experience
in every way
ING Real Estate Development has sold its shares in the holding company
that owns 77% of Zlote Tarasy, a mixed use property development in Warsaw,
Poland, reducing its exposure by €475 million.
The purchaser is a fund managed by two General Partners, AXA Real Estate
and CBRE Property Fund Central Europe LP (PFCE, managed by CBRE
Global Investors) and in which Unibail-Rodamco is a Limited Partner. PFCE
retains its economic ownership in ZloteTarasy.
Opened in February 2007 with a total area of 225,000 m², consisting of 66,200
m² GLA of retail and 47,300 m² GLA of office space, the Zlote Tarasy complex
serves as the retail, office and entertainment hub for central Warsaw. Zlote
Tarasy has 1,600 parking places and receives over 20 million visits per annum.
26
issue 38
Bulletin
The objective is to increase the quality of public transport services, influence
the time and comfort of travel, and decrease traffic congestion. The expected
effect on the target groups (people travelling to work by car, people going
shopping after work or during the weekends) is that they will use cars less
frequently, and in time switch to public transport altogether.
People who at present most often use public transport will notice a difference
in their travelling time, the quality of travel will not get worse, and overall they
will be pleased with the changes.
Raben Transport orders 80 DAF Trucks
issue 38
Bulletin
27
„
The Wielkopolski
region is full
of pioneering
„
entrepreneurs.
Rienk Dijkstra is one of the best-known figures in
the Dutch community in Poznań. He established
himself in Poland in the beginning of the 90s, and
currently he is the driving force behind Boekestijn
Transport in Poland.
“In 2008 we started looking for drivers from countries other than Poland.
Apart from Poland, nowadays they come from Romania, Bulgaria, Greece,
Moldavia and Macedonia. We have a branch office in Moldavia, and we
currently also have a lot of drivers from Greece. Recently we wanted to hire
drivers from Albania, but the Polish Embassy doesn’t want to give the visa
that the drivers need if they want to work in Poland. We would like to have
more drivers from Poland, but it is difficult to find them. There is a lot of
unemployment among them, but many go to Germany. Before the end of the
year we want to have another 20 trucks on the road, but I doubt we will find
any Polish drivers for them.”
How do you bring those drivers to Poland?
“The drivers come to Poland by plane. They work for six weeks and can
then spend two weeks at home. However, with Moldavian drivers it works
differently, they stay for three months in the truck, and then have one month
at home.”
On the transport market there is tough competition. What
makes Boekestijn Transport able to survive in this market?
“In my opinion, you can only survive if you operate in a niche market and if you
offer a high quality of services.
We are specialised in the transport of high value goods, such as cigarettes.
We have highly secured trucks and only make stops at guarded car parks.
We drive with extremely well-equipped trucks, and we are continuously
educating and training our drivers. In my opinion, this combination ensures
our future on the transport market. However, when I dare look at fuel prices, I
hold my breath. Our margins are low and it is difficult to increase the prices
of our services.”
issue 38
Bulletin
“Yes they are. Polish drivers want to go home more often, which obviously
costs more. But there are more benefits to employing drivers from outside the
EU. Organising a work permit takes two to three months, which is why drivers
don’t leave you that quickly. However, Polish authorities are not so keen on
allowing foreign drivers on the Polish market. According to Polish law, you are
allowed to hire from abroad if you cannot find qualified drivers in Poland. And
of course we meet those requirements, we place job ads in the newspapers
every single week.”
With many years of experience in the transport sector in the Netherlands,
Dijkstra decided to go to Poland where he saw flourishing possibilities. Early
in the nineties, he helped set up the business of transport company De
Don’t you get any response on those ads?
Haan in Pniewy. At the beginning of 2000, he started working for Boekestijn
Transport. Together with the two Dutch owners, Arend and Pieter Boekestijn, “Yes, and we sometimes do hire a few good Polish drivers. For instance, a
he helped set up a Polish subsidiary of the Dutch mother company. Currently
transport company from Warsaw recently went bankrupt and that offered us
the company has 142 trucks.
a few good drivers. But it is difficult to find good staff. Often people respond
who have quit after three months, or that have been fired because they were
How did it all start for Boekestijn Transport in Poland?
drinking on the job. At Boekestijn Transport we are very strict on drinking on
the job, and we certainly don’t want to hire such people. I must say that we
“We started our company in 2000 with just two members of staff in the office
are one of the frontrunners in preventing the use of alcohol when people are
and one truck on the road. Until 2004 we weren’t growing very fast, because it
working with us. All our trucks have an alcohol lock. Drivers have to blow a
was very difficult to buy international transport permits. However, when Poland
tube before they can start the truck.”
entered the European Union there was no longer any need for permits, and
during the first several months we grew significantly at a rate of 10 trucks per
What else do you do to eliminate alcohol from the
month. Currently we have about 200 drivers, and because of the scope of our
workplace?
operations, it has become difficult to know them all.”
What countries do they come from?
28
Are foreign drivers cheaper than Polish drivers?
“Everybody who leaves our office with a truck needs to blow in the breathalyser
here in our office. Everybody who leaves on the bus in Moldavia to Poland
also needs to blow in the breathalyser. And when they are on the bus and
are drinking beer, they have to leave the truck. If the driver of the bus still
allows this person on the bus, then the driver gets a warning. He only gets
one warning and then he will be fired. I am proud to say that we are very
enthusiastic about eliminating alcohol from our trucks.”
You have been living in Poland for over seventeen years.
What is the difference between Poznań and Warsaw?
“In my opinion, there are many more Dutch companies with production facilities
in Poznań than in Warsaw. That is not strange. Coming from the west, Poznań
is closer than Warsaw, and many small and medium-sized companies landed
in this place first. Therefore, most of the pioneering entrepreneurs can be
found in this area. Some people say that there are about 120 or 130 Dutch
companies in the Wielkopolski area, and I think that this is very possible. For
example, every time I go to the Dutch business drinks, and I am there quite
often, I see new faces of Dutch people who have been living in this area
already for quite some time.”
How is the area of Poznań developing?
“Poznań is doing extremely well, but I see that also small places surrounding
Poznań are developing quite fast. For instance, a city like Pniewy is able to
attract a lot of investors, for instance the logistics centre of Honda. It seems
that such smaller cities are very capable of offering special incentives to
attract foreign companies. Furthermore, we are waiting for the ring road to
be completed before the end of 2013. This road will connect all the remote
parts of Poznań, such as Gadki, where the Raben Group is located, with
industrial areas like Tarnowo. This will make Poznań even more accessible
than it already is.”
issue 38
36
Bulletin
29
Advertisement
Columns
Michał Szymański
managing partner of
Money Makers S.A.
Market outlook
Polish GDP data for Q4 showed the Polish economy to be in quite a strong
state compared to the rest of Europe. The European Commission recently
published its forecasts indicating that Poland is to be the fastest growing
economy in the EU in 2012. The combination of a solid recent track record
and relative strength in the future, positions the Polish market very well. It is an
attractive option for portfolio investors relative to the other European markets.
However, in order to see a significant inflow of investments in Central Europe,
and in Poland in particular, a change in global sentiment is needed. Poland,
despite its good economic results, suffers from increased levels of investor
risk aversion. The current status is described as “risk off”, which means that
investors keep risky assets underweighted. Emerging markets are considered
as risky, despite the fact that the Euro crisis originated elsewhere. Central
Europe is further negatively exposed due to its links with the Eurozone. Adding
to that picture are the Hungarian problems, which also negatively influence
the perception about Central Europe. International portfolio investors will
appreciate economic performance only when they start to analyse in a more
discriminatory manner rather than based on one or two global themes. And the
overwhelming global theme now is the Eurozone crisis.
The markets reacted somewhat coldly to the unprecedented 130 billion euro
second bailout package for Greece. More and more investors are coming
Remy Vermunt
Owner Razorblade Sp. z o.o.
Training, Coaching
and Consultancy.
FREUD was right
to an understanding that the key challenge for the Eurozone is to prove that
weaker countries, particularly Italy and Spain, are capable of growth without
the option of currency depreciation. In the absence of growth, Italy’s debt of
120% of GDP is unsustainable in the long-term, even with a more balanced
budget. At the same time, the measures adopted so far by the EU have not yet
shown how Europe can to regain a competitive advantage compared to the US
and emerging markets like Brazil and China.
As for Greece, the new package assumes that in the year 2020, after further
rounds of austerity measures (reducing government spending), Greece will
have a debt to GDP ratio of 120%. Firstly, the official scenarios of the IMF
and the Eurozone assume that, after the last years of recession, Greece will
implement new austerity measures to achieve a balanced budget. Secondly, in
times of recession, countries naturally go into budget deficits, so to keep them
balanced even more austerity is needed. Unfortunately, austerity contributes to
an even deeper recession in the short-term. All this is happening in a less than
stable political scene. Thirdly, at the end of the process in 2020, Greece will
have a debt to GDP ratio of 120%, which is roughly the current level of Italy. In
the case of Italy, it is currently causing doubts about its credibility. In the case
of Greece, after long years of recession it is expected to be a success and the
end of the crisis.
Markets are skeptical… In fact, nowadays more and more investors are
interpreting the situation as an expensive “buying time” exercise by the
Eurozone, and its acceptance of a Greek default, with the possibility of Greece
leaving the Euro when the economic situation in Italy, Spain and Portugal is
better. A stable situation and higher growth in these countries will shield them
from a domino effect in case Greece leaves the Euro. All this leads many
investors to the conclusion that the risk of significant market instabilities are
still high, and therefore the high level of indiscriminate risk aversion is justified.
Typical Ruler characteristics: dominant; desires exclusiveness; wants to
distinguish him/herself; needs to demonstrate success and results; needs to
win; interested in broad lines; not afraid of conflicts. Often found in General
Management.
Typical Thinker characteristics: pedantic; needs to know better; excellent
planner; rigid; interested in details, figures, spreadsheets; interested in
efficiency, not necessarily results; not a people person. Often found in Financial
Management, technical engineering and software development.
Typical Doubter characteristics: tendency to worry; sees the glass often as halfempty; makes sure everybody feels safe; needs warranties and confirmation;
needs to identify within a group; needs rules to prevent expected chaos. Often
found in Public and City Government jobs, banking.
Typical Creative characteristics: needs relations and harmony; avoids conflicts;
short-term attention span; functions best in an ever-changing environment;
flexible; shallow; puts fun and pleasurable tasks before difficult or scary tasks;
chaotic; inventive. Often found in artistic jobs, advertising, marketing and sales.
This model can be used to develop team co-operation by improving mutual
understanding, and for sales people to adjust their behaviour and pitch to the
basic types.
For instance, this situation is classic: a sales rep (80% creative) enters a meeting
with a financial manager (80% thinker). What the creative thinks: “Hmm, such
a cold distant atmosphere, I must create a click, I must break the ice or I can
never do business with this person, liking each other is the basis of business.”
What the thinker thinks: “Let this sales rep please be formal and not waste my
time with chitchat and jokes, get to the point and calculate my benefit and ROI
from your product.” The harder the creative tries to create a nice atmosphere,
the more he loses the thinker, who will become irritated quickly (“oh no! Not
again, a shallow sales man who is wasting my time! Cut the crap!”).
The sales rep is showing a natural response, though not an effective one….
Recently, probably inspired by the movie ‘A Dangerous Method’ about Freud
and Jung, Sigmund Freud’s theories are experiencing a new revival and appreciation. Freud is known as the founder of Psychiatry. There are many misconceptions about Freud, of which the most famous is the misunderstanding that Freud
explained human behaviour from the point of view of the sexual drive. Freud’s
most important element in his theories is that human behaviour is for 90% subconscious, and that human behaviour is mainly driven by the will to survive.
Freud’s young student and friend, Carl Gustav Jung, further developed his
research and theories. Jung explains human behaviour as the result from
subconscious motives, just as Freud did, but distinguished four basic human
motives, resulting in four main stereo types of behaviour. Almost all psychology
profile types, of which the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) is mostly known
and used, are based on Jung’s insights and research. According to Jung,
every person is driven by a subconscious leitmotiv, the motive that leads you
the most. The word motive also refers to recurring patterns.
Therefore, the four main human stereo types are distinguished like this: the
‘Ruler’ (driven by the need for admiration/ recognition resulting in status seeking
behaviour); the ‘Thinker’ (driven by the need for efficiency, resulting in being as
economical as possible); the ‘Doubter’ (driven by the need for security and safety,
resulting in doubting and worrying behaviour, difficulty with taking decisions) and
the ‘Creative’ (driven by the need for fun and easiness, resulting in short-term fun You ask me how to solve this? What?! You are asking for an easy solution?! You
seeking behaviour and postponing the things which are not nice).
must be a typical creative!
30
issue 38
Bulletin
DIVERSIFIED EXPERIENCE
INTERNATIONAL DESK WARSAW
International banking including comprehensive services for Dutch
companies operating in Poland – supported by the knowledge
and experience of Bank BGŻ and Rabobank Group.
International Desk Warsaw
+48 22 860 50 23
idw@bgz.pl
www.bgz.pl
Money is for people
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Dutch organisations in Poznań and Warsaw - Netherlands

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