22 Winners in 9 categories at Japan – CEE Investment Awards
145 top execs representing cross-border investment between Japan and Central Eastern Europe attended the 1st annual Japan – CEE Investment Summit & Awards, held April 25th in Tokyo at the iconic Palace Hotel.
The 49 Japanese companies on the Short-List account for more than $15 billion of direct investment into Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, and Slovakia – as well as Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia. Nearly 1,000 Japanese companies in CEE currently employ more than 50,000 people in the region.
The evening Awards Gala was preceded by the Investment Summit, with 14 top Speakers and Panelists. See full Agenda here:
This 1st annual event, MC’ed by Thom Barnhardt of CEE Business Media and Mina Takahashi of GRJapan, was supported by a wide range of sponsors, media, associations, Ambassadors, and speakers: JETRO, Japan Airlines, CEC Government Relations, Finnair, FCA/Fiat, Hakkaisan Sake, Investment Agencies and Commercial Counsellors from across the CEE region (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Bosnia-Hercegovina), and GRJapan.
Mr. Yasuhide Nakayama, Former State Minister of Foreign Affairs and a member of the House of Representatives, greeted guests with a Keynote Welcome. And the Investment Summit included a keynote presentation by Mr. Masanori Tsuruda, Director the Europe Division, METI.
145 top execs representing cross-border investment between Japan and Central Eastern Europe attended the 1st annual Japan – CEE Investment Summit & Awards, held April 25th in Tokyo at the iconic Palace Hotel.
The 49 Japanese companies on the Short-List account for more than $15 billion of direct investment into Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, and Slovakia – as well as Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia. Nearly 1,000 Japanese companies in CEE currently employ more than 50,000 people in the region.
The evening Awards Gala was preceded by the Investment Summit, with 14 top Speakers and Panelists. See full Agenda here:
This 1st annual event, MC’ed by Thom Barnhardt of CEE Business Media and Mina Takahashi of GRJapan, was supported by a wide range of sponsors, media, associations, Ambassadors, and speakers: JETRO, Japan Airlines, CEC Government Relations, Finnair, FCA/Fiat, Hakkaisan Sake, Investment Agencies and Commercial Counsellors from across the CEE region (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Bosnia-Hercegovina), and GRJapan.
Mr. Yasuhide Nakayama, Former State Minister of Foreign Affairs and a member of the House of Representatives, greeted guests with a Keynote Welcome. And the Investment Summit included a keynote presentation by Mr. Masanori Tsuruda, Director the Europe Division, METI.
Keynote Welcome to Awards Gala Guests:
Yasuhide Nakayama, Former State Minister of Foreign Affairs and a member of the House of Representatives. He also served as policy secretary to former LDP House of Representatives members, Yuriko Koike (now Governor of Tokyo) and his father, Masaaki Nakayama. His past senior positions include Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs (2007-2008), State Minister for Foreign Affairs (2014-2015), Director of both the Economy, Trade and Industry Committee and Foreign Affairs Comittee in the House of Representatives, Deputy Secretary-General of the LDP, and Deputy Chair of the LDP Special Committee for the Promotion of Data Health. Background:
The inaugural “Japan – Central Eastern Europe Investment Awards and Summit” will be held 25 April, 2019, in Tokyo. We expect nearly 150 guests, including more than 50 Japanese companies with existing operations in Emerging Europe, or plans to expand in the region. The Awards Gala will be preceded by a full-day Summit of discussion panels covering key investment factors and case-studies of Japanese firms in Central Eastern Europe. Why such an Investment Summit & Awards event in Japan? The countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are increasingly recognized as a primary location for investment by Japanese companies, in areas such as automotive, manufacturing, high-tech, business services, and energy. With Poland the strongest location in CEE Europe, other countries such as Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, and Slovakia are important investment destinations for Japanese firms. Additionally, in 2018, Japan signed a Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, with the Japan-EU EPA to go into effect in 2019. And lastly, with Brexit on the horizon, many Japanese companies are looking for alternative locations inside the EU. |
Our 19-member VIP Jury distinguished
the following 22 companies: Top CEE Investors in Japan: Comarch ESET RTBHouse
Top Automotive Investors in CEE:
Magyar Suzuki Motors Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland
Top Automotive Supplier Investors:
Mabuchi Motor Co Ltd. NSG (Pilkington Automotive Poland) Sohbi Craft Poland
Top Financial Services Investors:
Mizuho Bank ORIX Corporation 
Top Manufacturing Investors:
Bridgestone (Poland) Nidec TDK Electronics Hungary Ltd. (Epcos)
Top Business Services Investors:
FUJIFILM Europe Business Services Fujitsu Global Delivery Center Poland Takeda SCE
Top M&A Deals in CEE:
Asahi buys 5 Eastern European beer brands for €7.3 billion Daikin completes AHT acquisition Kansai Paint acquisition of Helios Coatings Group (Slovenia) 
Top Infrastructure Investors:
Itochu (Serbia) Marubeni 
Top CSR Initiatives in CEE:
Bridgestone (Poland) Fujitsu Technology Solutions (Poland) Sumi Agro (Bees Protection)
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Investment Summit Agenda
17 Speakers on topics such as:
17 Speakers on topics such as:
- Political and Economic Briefings of the Central Eastern Europe region
- Opportunities from the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement
- Entry Options: M&A. Case studies of acquisitions of CEE-based firms by Japanese investors. Economic Incentives in CEE countries
- New regulations on Special Economic Zones
- Cross-border opportunities between Japan and Central Eastern Europe in the areas of Technology, IT, Gaming, SoftDev and Digital.
- More than 50 Japanese executives who have decision-making authority over investment decisions in CEE. In addition to those Japanese companies with existing operations in Western Europe or CEE, we expect a number of Japanese companies to attend who do not yet have operations in Europe.
- International top execs from CEE businesses who are keen to expand their relationships with Japanese firms.
- Ambasssadors from 5-6 CEE Countries will be our VIP Guests.
- Investment Promotion Agencies from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, and the Baltics.
- Investment advisory firms and service providers.
- More than 50 Japanese executives who have decision-making authority over investment decisions in CEE.
- International top execs from CEE who are keen to expand their relationships with Japanese firms.
- Investment Promotion Agencies from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, and the Baltics – as well as investment advisory firms and service providers.
An original event by CEE Business Media, with support of the following Speakers, Jury Members, Sponsors, Media Partners, Associations, and Strategic Partners:
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Event News:
Japan Airlines exclusive Travel partner Along with partner airline Finnair, JAL has confirmed its support of the Japan-CEE Europe Investment Summit & Awards. Via its European hub in Helsinki, JAL serves all major cities across Central Eastern Europe. Slovakia confirms Jury participation Juraj Petruška, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Tokyo, has joined the Jury. Slovakia has attracted a large number of Japanese investors over the last 10 years, especially in the automotive sector. With the addition of Slovakia to the Jury, the Japan-CEE Investment Summit & Awards now includes the major CEE economies, including Poland, Czech Republic, Romania and Lithuania. PAIH patronage of Japan-CEE investment Summit & Awards The Polish Investment and Trade Promotion agency has confirmed its patronage of the Summit & Awards. For many years, Poland has been attracting major Japanese investors. As of 2019, Japan is the 3rd largest foreign investor in Poland.www.paih.gov.pl/20190425/japan_cee_awards_and_summit# CEC Government Relations to address political climate in CEE The leading independent public affairs agency in Central Europe has agreed to a keynote presentation, providing Japanese investors a “bird's eye” overview of the dynamic political environment across CEE. The firm, led by Marek Matraszek, serves multinational clients across a full range of policy areas, including Financial Services, Energy, Infrastructure and Defence. CEC GR employs 40 people across its network of offices in Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest, as well as affiliatesin Bucharest, Sofia, Kiev, and the Baltic States. |
An Interview with the Organizer of the
Japan - CEE Europe Investment Summit & Awards CEE Business Media has organized more than 25 Summits & Awards events in Central Eastern Europe and New York.
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Top Business Execs
150
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VIP Jury Members
25
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Speakers/Panelists
17
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