Venue: Ottawa Convention Center, Ottawa, Ontario

Show Dates: March 13-14

Website: http://www.brandindiaexpo.com/

View Brochure

A half day event involving senior business leaders from Canada and India. It is designed to help prepare Canadian companies in establishing an ongoing presence in a dynamic and globally strategic market. Rana Sarkar, C-IBC President and CEO will be a speaker at the event.

When: 2:15-7:30 pm, March 8, 2012

Where: Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa

Price: $100

Click here to upload event details.

When: Friday, March 2^nd, 2012

Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Where: Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver, B.C.

The event will in include interactive discussions, advice from market experts, networking and breakout panels focused on current trends and business issues in China, India and South East Asian. Click here to download event flyer.

Keynote speakers and experts:

-          Peter Hall ( EDC- VP & Chief Economist)

-          Yuen Pau Woo (Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada- President and CEO)

-          Jason Caron (President of Joseph Caron Inc. and special advisor, Asia Pacific, Heenan Blaikie, LLP)

-          Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC)

-          Canada China Business Council (CCBC)

-          EDC’s visting Chief Representatives

-          Regional Managers from Asia

-          Canadian Business Leaders

Registration now available online! Register here.

The event will include exciting presentations and panel discussions featuring government officials and industry leaders from various sectors including infrastructure, services, oil & gas, mining and renewable energy. Indian companies confirmed, among others, include:

• Manoir (Petro) India Limited
• Reliance Industries Limited
• Shristi Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.
• SKIL Infrastructure Ltd.
• Suzlon
• Westerm Coalfields Ltd.
• Yes Bank

There will also be a private dinner at the Canada House, official residence of Mr. Stewart Beck, High Commissioner for Canada in India. The reception features key-note speaker Shashi Tharoor, Member of the Indian Parliament, author, United Nations peace keeper, refugee worker, human rights activist, and a former Minister of State for External Affairs.

Event Details:

Chennai

The Canada-India Business Council was host to several roundtable networking events across India and the United Arab Emirates during the month of November. The roundtables allowed Canadian and Indian companies and stakeholders to take part in frank discussions on the challenges and opportunities present in the bilateral relationship.

DUBAI

En route to the First Annual Canada-India Business Forum in Mumbai, the C-IBC partnered with Emirates Airline to host an evening reception and dialogue at Le Meridien Hotel in Dubai on November 10^th. Under the broader theme of trade triangles, the objective of the event was to highlight the important role of Dubai in Indian business. The robust discussion group of Canadians–including Canada’s Ambassador to the UAE, Kenneth Lewis–as well as India and Dubai-based stakeholders, formulated a number of points that informed discussions at the C-IBC’s subsequent engagements in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The C-IBC will look to follow up on the trade triangle theme again next year by hosting a stopover event in another key hub.

CHENNAI

Following the Canada-India Business Forum in Mumbai, the C-IBC delegation traveled to Chennai, a major city in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu. There it hosted a business roundtable on November 15^th. The event was attended by Indian and locally-based Canadian companies, including a number of SMEs. Also present were Sara Wilshaw, Minister (Commercial) from the Canadian High Commission in Delhi, and Don Stephenson, Canada’s chief negotiator for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India. Participating companies shared their views on opportunities and challenges in the bilateral corridor and benefited from first-hand insights on key trade policy issues.

In Chennai, the C-IBC delegation also met privately with Debendranath Sarangi, Chief Secretary for Tamil Nadu, as well as the Principal Secretaries for the Departments of Energy, Environment & Forest and Information Technology.

KOLKATA

After Chennai, the C-IBC delegation flew to Kolkata. It was the first visit of a senior Canadian delegation to the state of West Bengal since the election of a new government earlier this year.

The group had a full-day program on November 16^th, including meetings with West Bengali state officials and the private mining sector. The group also attended a highly informative briefing from Sanjiv Goenka, Canada’s Honorary Consul in Kolkata and a leading Indian industrialist (Vice Chairman of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group).

The next day, the delegation participated in a business round table co-hosted with the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The event drew over 35 executives and officials from Canada and India. As in Chennai, there was an engaging discussion on the current state of the CEPA negotiations, as well as keen input from participants on a number of important economic sectors. In their concluding remarks, local participants noted their eagerness to have these discussions on a more regular basis; a point reinforced by the lively networking lunch that followed.

Business Forum 1.jpg

The Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC) successfully hosted the First Annual Canada-India Business Forum in Mumbai, India on November 11^th and 12^th, 2011.

Coming on the heels of an official visit to India by Canada’s Minister of International Trade, the Hon. Ed Fast, the Forum brought together over 140 senior executives, government officials and academics from India and Canada. The program consisted of two days of official receptions, engaging speakers, interactive panels, networking opportunities and private meetings. The event was also of heightened importance due to the ongoing CEPA negotiations between Canada and India.

The evening of the 11^th featured a cocktail reception held at the Trident Hotel in partnership with Export Development Canada. The Forum’s main activities took place the following day at the Four Season Hotel. Guest speakers from India and Canada were present, including Amitabh Kant, CEO of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Stephen Poloz, CEO of Export Development Canada, and the Hon. Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia. A number of executive panels and informal breakout sessions discussed key opportunities, challenges and other pressing issues in the bilateral corridor. Messages and outcomes from the Forum include:

• India’s rapid growth and ambitious development plans present huge opportunities in sectors where Canada has strong competitive advantages—such as infrastructure, oil and gas, cleantech, water, agriculture, education and mining
• Operating risks for foreign investors in India are manageable and compensated by high returns
• Canadian business is increasingly entering emerging markets—including India—to hedge against risks in traditional trading partners, but many companies are lagging behind
• Indian infrastructure projects provide competitive risk-adjusted returns, although governments should still work to reduce project approval time and regulatory and environmental risks
• Growth opportunities in services trade are very promising, but constrained by several barriers that need to be addressed in ongoing bilateral negotiations
• Reforms in India’s mining sector are progressing quickly and there are many opportunities to develop partnerships and share best practices—including in exploration, research and development, policy formulation, mining education and corporate social responsibility

The high quality participation and interaction at the inaugural Forum has set a strong precedent for the future. The Forum is uniquely placed to become an important focal point for the many organizations active in the Canada-India corridor—including leading companies, small and medium sized enterprises, industry associations, academic institutions, and federal and provincial governments. It provides an ongoing platform on which to build relationships, deepen conversations and develop concrete, actionable outcomes for decision-makers.

The C-IBC extends its thanks to Bombardier, KPMG, Torys LLP and Manulife Financial for their generous sponsorship. The Forum also received support from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC), Export Development Canada (EDC) and Aspire International Group.

The Canada-India Business Council is pleased to announce the first annual C-IBC Canada-India Business Forum, taking place November 11-12 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai.

The invitation-only Forum brings together top Canadian and Indian decision-makers from business, government and academia to engage in a structured dialogue on opportunities and challenges in the bilateral corridor, and to develop relationships and understandings between the two communities. As the governments continue to negotiate a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the event provides an unrivalled platform for participants to help shape the Canada-India agenda.

India’s economy continues to grow rapidly and a number of sectors are ripe for
collaboration. Over the next decade, India will be investing trillions of dollars in both hard and soft infrastructure. Canadian investors and firms are well-placed to play a major role in this process, but several key issues need to be resolved to harness their full potential. By bringing together the key actors from both countries, the Forum’s targeted dialogue looks to develop concrete and actionable opportunities. Similar discussions will take place for the services and natural resource sectors.

This year’s Forum immediately precedes the prominent World Economic Forum India Summit in Mumbai, which takes place November 13-14.

Download Forum Package here

India Show

The Board of Directors of the Canada-India Business Council with the support of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce hosted an exclusive luncheon in honour of the Indian Commerce Secretary, Dr. Rahul Khullar.

This luncheon provided an an excellent opportunity to speak with the key players of not only the bilateral trade space but also with those directly engaged in the CEPA negotiations. The event took place on the margins of the EEPC India Show, held in Toronto and showcasing manufacturing technologies in India.

Special thanks goes to the Official Sponsors of the event, Stikeman Elliot, KPMG and Bombardier, and to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce for its cooperative support.

Rahul Khullar (Commerce Secretary) Prior to his appointment in the Ministry of Commerce, Dr. Khullar served as the Secretary of the Department of Disinvestment. During his tenure, he handled negotiations related to the Doha Round of world trade talks. Dr. Khullar has a Ph.D. in Economics, and is a visiting Professor at both Cambridge and Harvard University.

MGD

Please click the following links to view videos of the 8th Annual Diwali Gala held at the Arcadian Court

Video: Part 1,  Part 2

As the C-IBC’s marquee event, the Diwali Gala Dinner attracted over four hundred attendees from corporate Canada and India, in addition to policymakers and media personalities. Preceded by an intimate cocktail reception, the Gala provided a unique occasion to draw together the leaders of the bi-lateral trade and investment relationship. The event was highly successful and enjoyed by all guests.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER MR. PREM WATSA

This year’s keynote speaker was Mr. Prem Watsa. Dubbed the   “Canadian Warren Buffet”, he is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Fairfax Financial Holdings. Driven by enormous potential offered by India’s insurance market, Fairfax recently launched a joint-venture with an Indian financial institution and has plans to expand their stake as the country loosens foreign ownership restrictions in the sector.

GUEST SPEAKER MR. SHASHI THAROOR

Guest Speaker Mr. Shashi Tharoor is an award-winning author, peace-keeper, refugee worker, human rights activist and member of the Indian Parliament. An internationally known speaker, his insight and knowledge on India’s recent shift and future prospects in globalization and international politics are highly sought after.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT MR. DON STEWART

The C-IBC is pleased to announce Don Stewart, CEO of Sun Life Financial as this year’s Lifetime Achievement winner; he was presented with the award at the Gala. A native of Scotland, Don joined Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada in London, England in 1969 and emigrated to Montreal in 1972. Don is a director of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, the American Council of Life Insurers and international aluminum products company Novelis Inc. He is a member of the Board of The Geneva Association, an international insurance think tank and research institution.

The C-IBC’s 8th annual Diwali Gala is being held on October 5 2011 at the Arcadian Court in Toronto, Ontario.

Download the Diwali Gala Registration form here
As the C-IBC’s marquee event, the Gala Dinner attracts over four hundred attendees from corporate Canada and India, in addition to policymakers and media personalities. Past speakers have included senior government and corporate leaders, such as Mrs. Chanda Kochhar of ICICI and Jim Balsillie of Research in Motion.

Preceded by an intimate cocktail reception, the Gala provides a unique occasion to draw together the leaders of the bi-lateral trade and investment relationship, and has emerged as one of the most valuable networking events on the calendar.This year’s keynote speaker Mr. Prem Watsa, dubbed the “Canadian Warren Buffet”, is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Fairfax Financial Holdings. Driven by enormous potential offered by India’s insurance market, Fairfax recently launched a joint-venture with an Indian financial institution and has plans to expand their stake as the country loosens foreign ownership restrictions in the sector. Guest Speaker Mr. Shashi Tharoor is an award-winning author, peace-keeper, refugee worker, human rights activist and member of the Indian Parliament. An internationally known speaker, his insight and knowledge on India’s recent shift and future prospects in globalization and international politics are highly sought after.

The C-IBC is pleased to announce Don Stewart, CEO of Sun Life Financial as this year’s Lifetime Achievement winner; he will be presented with the award at the Gala. Don is a director of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, the American Council of Life Insurers and international aluminum products company Novelis Inc. He is a member of the Board of The Geneva Association, an international insurance think tank and research institution.

 Given the popularity of the event, tickets and tables sell out quickly. For more information and sponsorship opportunities please contact the Council directly.

For more information, please contact info@canada-indiabusiness.ca

Special Thanks to our Diwali Committee:

Co-Chair – John Sherrington, Vice-Chairman, Scotia Capital Inc.

Co-Chair – Hugh Mackinnon, Chairman & CEO, Bennett Jones LLP

Patricia Koval, Partner, Torys LLP

Kasi Rao, Consultant,Kasi Rao Consulting

Ravi Balchandani, VP Retail Banking, ICICI Bank Canada

Priya Patil, Managing Director Institutional Sales, PI Financial Corp.

Alex Vaccari, VP & Investment Analyst, Kingwest & Co.

Rana Sarkar, President & CEO, Canada-India Business Council

Belle L Serio, National Office Manager, Canada-India Business Council

Jonathan Hausman, VP Alternative Investment, OTPP

Janice Stein, Director, Munk School of Global Affairs