The Holiday Inn’s Café G was the venue for a combined networking evening of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) and the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), with the numbers also being swelled by the joining of the Automotive Focus Group (AFG) after their seminar at the Holiday Inn.
All of the chambers have been looking at ways to reduce the costs involved in the networking evenings, generally by having multiple sponsors, but in this case it was just David Nardone’s Hemaraj Land and Development, with the two chambers sharing the costs.
Photo of the week: Richard Rome (KPMG Phoomchai Audi Ltd.) and Amornsri Mingkhwanrungrueng (Assistant Manager KPMG Phoomchai Audi Ltd.) with Paul Stinson (Executive Advisor Amata Corporation PCL).
Of course, trans-Atlantic exploits are the things of which legends are made, such as the first attempt to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, where on October 15 1910, the airship America, with a crew of six (including one Brit from Devon) – and a cat – left Atlantic City and headed out to sea. They did not quite make it to the UK but landed on a friendly ship that carried them back to the US. They are remembered, heroes all, including the cat called ‘Kiddo’.
With members from two chambers and the AFG, numbers were significantly greater than we have seen recently, and the wine supplies diminished rapidly, but I was told that Hemaraj chipped in for more. The white, from the Australian Woolshed label was quite drinkable, though I heard mutterings about the red which came in a box called “Kiss my Kangaroo”. The name should have been enough of a warning!
Two kind hearted ladies meet, Tracy Cosgrove (Melissa Cosgrove Children’s Foundation) and Judy A. Benn (Executive Director The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand).
The two executive directors, Judy Benn (AmCham) and Greg Watkins (BCCT), were smiling benignly with the joint roll-call of their office bearers and members. There was no doubting that this event was a success and expanded the networking concept into the different groups.
David Nardone, the President and CEO of Hemaraj was very buoyant in an interview with PMTV saying the concept of ‘clustering’ had worked very well in the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate, with major manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers together. The expansion in the estate has been continuing and shows the strength of the Eastern Seaboard in the industrial arena. The fact that David Nardone was seen in deep conversation with George Andraos from FordLand in Dearborn (FoMoCo head office) was no surprise.
How’s the wine? Graham Macdonald (Chairman BCCT) with Gregory Pitt (MD Mackenzie Smith).
Another motor industry executive present was Keith Hodgson (Thairung) seen chatting with James Beeson, the president of the AFG.
A number of new (old) faces were enjoying the networking with Keith Miller illuminating the place with tales of his LED’s and John MacVicar (Greenline Energy) expounding on being green, though Marika Higuchi from Life Partners was asking where were the Japanese. It was suggested that she try up the road in Sriracha!
John Mac Vicar (MD Green Line Energy Thailand), Keith Miller (Starfire LEDS) with the charming Rutchadawan Chunnoy.
The October BCCT networking evening will be on October 28, and notice of the event and the venue will be published in the Pattaya Mail and in the BCCT website www.bccthailand.com.
The big guns (l-r) David Nardone (President & CEO Hemaraj Land And Development PCL), Philip Fletcher-Wilson (CEO Fletcher-Wilson Partners), Mariko Higuchi (Country Director, Association of Life Partners Ltd.) and Gary Biesty (South Asia Law Co., Ltd.).
A toast to success: (l-r) Peera Thaweechart (MD Thaitan Logistics Co., Ltd.), Randy Simmons (Director CHS-Asia Co., Ltd.), Ken Hinckley (Consultant CHS-Asia Co., Ltd.), Supansa Supannawong (Executive Assistant Dana Spicer (Thailand) Ltd.) and Thananat Chanbunditnant (Senior Program Manager Dana Spicer (Thailand) Ltd.).
Call me irresistible, Chutima Thambun (Admin Assistant Pattaya Mail) is flanked by Dr. Alastair Acken and Raymond O’Reilly. (Lecturer, Asian University).
Networking evenings are all about business relations. (l-r) Ian Claffey (Oxondon Consulting), Araya Somjit and Fred de Brouwer (Triskelion Trading Co.).
The snacks look yummy. (l-r) Paul Wilkinson (AustCham), Roger Wilson (Sales & Marketing Manager GKN Driveline) and David Wilkinson (MD Wood Group Heavy Industrial Turbines (Thailand) Ltd.)
A happy group of people (l-r) Bruce Hoppe (VP of Asia Operations, Emerson Electric), Tracy Cosgrove (Melissa Cosgrove Children’s Foundation), Peter Malhotra (MD Pattaya Mail Media Group), Pui and Jim Phillips (US Embassy Warden), Judy Hoppe and Herman Rowland (Jelly Belly).
