This article is from page 13 of the 2012-08-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
CASHING in on the ‘Shannon’ brand that is instantly recognizable around the world is the way forward for the region, Shannon Development chief executive, Dr Vincent Cunnane has said following the publication of the company’s annual report.
“The ‘Shannon’ brand is instantly recognised internationally and is synonymous with innovation and entrepreneurship, due in no small part to the many ‘world firsts’ that were born at Shannon over the years,” said Dr Cunnane.
“For example the world’s first tax free zone in the modern era was developed here,” Dr. Cunnane added.
Shannon’s international reputation was further enhanced with the visit in February 2012 of the Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping.
“We were honoured to be invited to brief the Chinese Vice President and his delegation on all aspects of Shannon Development’s regional economic development remit and particularly on activities at Shannon Free Zone,” said Dr Cunnane.
“Our objective in briefing Mr Xi was to create the environent to enhance good relations between Irish and Chinese businesses and to highlight Shannon as an ideal gateway location for Chinese businesses wish- ing to trade in Europe,” he added.
This message was further delivered when Dr Cunnane was a guest speaker at the China Civil Aviation Development Forum in Beijing.
China will invest over $230bn in the aviation sector in the next five years and, during his visit to China, Dr Cunnane met with senior man- agement from the Civil Aviation Administration of China and a number of Chinese airlines, cargo operators and Chinese airport chief executives to explore potential business opportunities for Shannon.
“I was delighted to have been invited to speak at the prestigious Chinese Civil Aviation Development Forum. I was asked to address the Forum on how an airport can successfully enhance local and regional economies. Over 750 top aviation industry influencers from China and around the world were assembled. It was a unique opportunity to promote Shannon,” said Dr Cunnane.
The linkages between Shannon Development and China began in the 1980s when Mr Jiang Zemin, who was then Senior Vice Minister of State Imports and Exports Administration and later became President of China, led a Chinese government delegation to Shannon to study our Shannon Free Zone and the Shannon Development ‘model’ of a regional development company.
The knowledge gained by the Chinese delegation was subsequently used in the development of China’s very successful Special Economic Zones.
The Chinese government initially opened four Special Economic Zones based on the Shannon model, which were extremely successful in attracting foreign investment, stimulating trade and invigorating growth.
“The zones became a major driver for China’s economy, allowing private investment to flow into the country underpinned by a significant transfer of skills and technology. There are now several hundred such zones all over China. Shannon Development is very proud to have been associated with such major innovation,” said the Shannon Development report.