Knowing Your Partners in China

While China is one of the most promising global markets, it is also one of the most challenging business environments for foreign companies. Many EU SMEs are able to enter profitable and operate in the Chinese market; however, each year a large number of companies still face difficulties that result in local business disputes. Many disputes may have been successfully avoided through standard due diligence.

The EU SME Centre in collaboration with Danish Export Association and China IPR SME Helpdesk invite you to join our one-day workshop on knowing your partners in China to guide you through some essential knowledge on this topic in order to have a successful business in China.

This workshop will introduce the following key topics, including:

• The importance of finding the right partners in China

• Verifying a company’s administrative and legal standing

• Verifying your partners’ financial status

• Verifying a company’s operational status

• Practical due diligence tips

• Red flags and common scams

• Due diligence best practices

Agenda

8.45: Registration and networking

9.00 Module 1: The importance of finding the right partners in China

– What and why due diligence?

– Types and main rules of due diligence

Ludmila Hyklova, EU SME Centre Expert

9.45 Module 2: Verifying a company’s administrative and legal standing

– Business license

– Company stamp

– Permits and licenses

– Premises and land

Simon Cheetham, China IPR Helpdesk

10.30 Coffee break

10.45 Module 3: Verifying your partners’ financial status

– Company capital and liability

– Financial statements and audit reports

Ludmila Hyklova, EU SME Centre Expert

11.15 Module 4: Red flags and common scams

– Imposter

– Fixer

– Bank account

Ludmila Hyklova, EU SME Centre Expert

12.00 Lunch

12.45 Module 5: Practical due diligence tips

– Case study

Ludmila Hyklova, EU SME Centre Expert

13.30 Coffee break

13.45 Module 6: Verifying a company’s operational status

– Visiting partner’s premises

– Verifying company’s organizational structure

Simon Cheetham, China IPR SME Helpdesk

15.15 Module 7: IP Rights in China and Best Practices

Simon Cheetham, China IPR SME Helpdesk

16.00 Seminar ends

Participation Fee

Members: 1980 DKK ex. Vat pr. person for members

Non Members: 3.960 DKK ex. Vat pr. person for others

Registration

To sign up, click here.

About the Speakers

Ludmila Hyklova, EU SME Centre Expert

Ludmila has been involved in legal consulting on international investment and cooperation for more than 18 years, of which 10 in China. When working at EU SME Centre in Beijing, she was in charge of providing legal advice on various investment and export related issues to European SMEs looking to establish themselves in the Chinese market.

After working as legal counsellor for multinational corporations in Europe, Ludmila moved to China as a head of legal department for a European financial group. She was part of the start-up team building the company and its business and developing it into a group of companies employing several thousands of employees across China. She has focused mainly on foreign investment, labour and corporate law. Currently she uses her experience working for Czech Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Simon Cheetham, China IPR SME Helpdesk Expert

Simon Cheetham is the Team Leader of the China IPR SME Helpdesk. He is a China IPR Enforcement expert with over 30 years’ experience in commercial investigations, due diligence and IPR enforcement in China and internationally. He has lived and worked in China and South-East Asia for over 17 years. He is also the Managing Director of ERINYES INTERNATIONAL LTD, a firm he founded to capitalise on his extensive experience of international investigations, loss prevention and enforcement work. He manages and directs the operations of the Company from Europe to the Far East.

Simon began his career with the Hong Kong Police, where he was responsible for the detection and prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, including fraud and homicide. While in South-East Asia Simon was Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce Intellectual Property Committee and acted as an advisor to the International Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force on China. He has lectured frequently around the world on security issues and IPR and has written articles and papers on a variety of related topics, including a chapter in ‘Intellectual Property Law and Practice in the People’s Republic of China’ published by Kluwer Law International B.V. He is fluent in English and Cantonese.