FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT:

By Invitation Only: Exploratory Investment Attraction Mission to India

January 29- February 13, 2005

New Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay), Bangalore, Chennai (Madras)

The Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA) is a partnership of corporate and governmental organizations with a mandate to attract new foreign investment to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It will accomplish this by undertaking initiatives and programs to promote the competitive advantages of the GTA, assist investors to establish themselves in the GTA and provide its partners and sponsors opportunities to help grow their businesses. The GTMA expands the GTA economy by raising the profile of the region internationally by building relationships with overseas organizations and firms to encourage them to consider the GTA as part of their global strategy to do business in the NAFTA markets.

As part of its proactive initiatives, the GTMA is developing a multi-year program - the “Investment Attraction - India” initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to: “Promote the GTA as a preferred location to invest in and to secure new investment by Indian companies and institutions to the GTA”. Industry clusters being considered include Information Technology (ICT), Advanced Manufacturing and Automotive, Biotechnology, etc. as well as activities such as call centers and back office operations, among others.

The focus of the exploratory mission is to make face-to-face contacts with key decision makers in India in order to better understand the primary motivating factors of Indian companies in making foreign direct decisions (FDI), especially for potentially attracting investment opportunities from India to the GTA. In addition, the GTMA’s team of industry experts and testimonials will make presentations on the excellence of the Toronto area as a preferred location for investment and complementary near-shoring opportunities.

Murray Jans, of M. A. Jans & Associates, has been contracted by the GTMA as the Project Director for this initiative. Murray is the former Executive Director of the Canada-India Business Council and has over 12 years of business development experience in the Indian sub-continent, in addition to 16 years in the private sector in Canada. He is well connected in the areas that we plan to visit, and together, we will develop an exciting and worthwhile program for all of the delegates on this mission.

This is a first announcement and special invitation only at this time for our partners, stakeholders and former sponsors of the GTMA’s international missions and related investment attraction activities. We wanted to inform you first about this exciting opportunity to explore the region with the GTMA so that you could reserve time in your busy schedules for the mission. A second announcement and notice in the October edition of the HotNews will open the opportunity to everyone. Participation will be limited and on a first-come-first served basis. Your level of participation can cover the full two week program; one week program; or per city program (3 days per city), depending on your interests and the amount of time you wish to take. You might also have other business that you may wish to undertake independently before, after or in-between cities. We would be flexible to your interests and needs in this regard.

We are currently in the early planning stages but are interested in recruiting participants with a keen interest who can help us to mould our program. In addition to making presentations and networking in these four cities, there are also opportunities to participate in several major conferences, including opportunities for speaking, at NASSCOM, SUPERCOMM, IETF, Global Entrepreneurs, etc.

Exploratory Mission: Our plans are to identify and recruit GTA companies and organizations that can benefit from establishing strong linkages to India. To this end the GTMA will be seeking the involvement of various groups, which have a keen interest in the economic health of the GTA. In India, we will be working with the Canadian High Commission and key Indian business associations to help us facilitate an outstanding program for the mission’s delegates.

The mission aims to build relationships and alliances in the region. It will start and end in New Delhi and in between will include visits to Bangalore, Chennai (Madras) and Mumbai (Bombay). It will afford delegates the opportunity to meet and make presentations to regional industry clusters and participate in briefing sessions to help us get a first hand understanding of the India economy and corporate India’s plans to “go global”. Seminars are also being planned to profile the GTA, present the business case for investment in the region and introduce the GTMA’s partners, sponsors and delegates on the mission. Where possible, match-making sessions will take place and pre-qualified meetings with prospect decision makers will be organized. Selected mission members, especially those with specific industry expertise related to the meeting topic, will be invited to participate. A number of networking opportunities for all will also be arranged.

A comprehensive draft itinerary with initial program content will be available shortly and we would be pleased to send it you when it is ready.

For more information on this exciting initiative, or to hold a spot on the exploratory mission, please contact me at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

John G. Jung
Vice President, International Marketing
Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance
Richmond-Adelaide Centre
120 Adelaide Street West, Suite 2107
Toronto, Ontario M5H 1T1

Direct: (416) 3606701; Main Tel: (416) 360-7320; Fax (416) 360-7331
email: jjung@gtma.on.ca
Toll Free International 1-800-22554862; North America 1-800-411-4482

To learn more about the GTMA visit us at www.greater.toronto.on.ca