· CFOs tell us they will be successful in their overseas expansion initiatives - as long as they conduct proper research, find talented people locally and seek good, solid advice
· Our clients are finding that they have to look to expand abroad because of restrictive growth opportunities in their own countries – particularly in developed economies
· We know it is important to seek unbiased, knowledge-based guidance, and many of the CFOs cite their accountants and tax advisers as being a trusted source of advice
· BDO’s clients work with their trusted advisers to ensure that they are appropriately structured to take advantage of opportunities and minimize international business risk
· As the Survey results make clear, the volatility of the global economy means that large shifts in currency levels could be commonplace in the future. We ensure that our clients are proactive in minimising the effects of currency fluctuations and include these strategies in their international business expansion plans
· We also advise them to seek strong relationships with their banks to ensure that risk strategies are in place
· Government bodies are a good source of useful – and free advice
· Neither China nor India should be seen any longer as little more than centres for low cost manufacturing - it is also about selling appropriately to the new and rising middle class
· The Survey findings show that red tape and bureaucracy are commonplace issues in emerging markets. We advise our clients to ensure that government trade and investment agencies, at both State and Federal level are part of their market entry strategies.
· The focus on people mirrors BDO’s experience - our firms are experts in the country in which they operate: they know the culture, understand the environment and how to operate effectively. This has given us consistent business growth over the years
· In China alone, where our business is led by local professionals, BDO’s revenues increased by 64% in the year 2009 to 2010, with personnel numbers growing four-fold over a four year period
· Where people are concerned, BDO’s clients have been successful in using already-established shared service centres to find people with the right skills
· We build on national expertise and enable local culture to shine through within a strong global framework, which is an attitude that our clients value. They receive sensible, actionable advice grounded in local knowledge and backed by global experience, so that what may appear as a challenge can rapidly be converted to opportunity