Cebu ICT: Promoting Investment in Asia ICT/ITES

"When it comes to excellence there is no finish line."
- Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT Chairman

I was privileged to be part of the panel for the plenary on "Promoting Investment in Asia ICT/ITES" for the Cebut ICT 2007 International Conference & Exhibition held at the Mactan Island Resort & Spa today, June 26, 2007.


Speakers for the plenary include Dipanjan Banerjee (Manager - Strategic Alliances, Center for Science, Development Media Studies) and Eric Alberto (Senior Vice President and Head-PLDT/SMART Corporate Business Group, PLDT). Other panelists included Oscar Sanez (CEO, Business Processing Association Philippines) and Eun Jung Lee (Cheif Executive Director, KIICA Singapore). The session was chaired by Michael Alan Hamlin (Managing Director, TeamAsia).

This is what I learned and shared during the session:

Investment is an intangible product and is best done "country" or through companies synergizing with each other. Mr. Alberto said that the "World is flat" with technology making communications and transactions borderless. Media and communication has evolved tremendously in the past few years. Marketing is no longer about promoting your products and services to the masses. What is key is finding and connecting to your niche, your target market - people who are interested and who will purchase your product/service.

Be found. Be searched.

And then communicate the following to your market:

• competency/services
• successes
• initiatives and incentives (usually by the government)
• available infrastructue

One thing I think would also help is for individual companies to share their successes or highlight winnings, be it in products/technology or talent. And, of course, for those who are successful to give back to your homeland - the same way how the Indian nationals did after taking studies in the US.

"Pinoy, ipakita natin sa mundo!"