Press release
For immediate release
2012 economic mission to Israel: Memorandum of agreement between the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce
Montréal, September 12, 2012 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is proud to announce the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce (FICC) for an economic mission to Israel led by the Mayor of Montréal, Gérald Tremblay, from September 7 to 14. “This agreement demonstrates the need to go into the field to open doors for our entrepreneurs,” says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “In establishing relationships with our counterparts in chambers of commerce around the world, our goal is to help local small businesses grow beyond our borders.”
“For the Board of Trade, which strives to help businesses and the research and science and technology sectors seize this sort of business opportunity, establishing partnerships with strategic players in business communities in target markets is essential,” Michel Leblanc says. “This memorandum of agreement with the FICC will facilitate information exchanges and cooperation between our two organizations as well as meetings and discussions so that Quebec companies develop profitable partnerships with Israeli businesses. The key to success in a new market is finding reliable, effective local partners, and this agreement will help our businesses do just that. We couldn’t hope for a better partner than the FICC, which, with over 5000 members, is the largest Israeli association of businesses and stakeholders involved in international trade.”
“The Israeli market is an exceptional one, because it represents the knowledge economy at its best,” Mr. Leblanc says. “Research and development activities account for a major share of public and private spending; Israel has the largest number of high-tech start-ups in the world after the United States, and entrepreneurs and inventors have access to many sources of venture capital. For our businesses and educational and research institutions, Israel offers tremendous business opportunity, whether for finding research partners, visionary investors, clients for inventions or new ideas to develop here at home.”
“We are delighted to have entered into this memorandum of agreement with an institution as prestigious as the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal,” says Uriel Lynn, president of the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce. “The Board of Trade has close to two centuries of history in Montréal, where the Jewish community makes a major contribution to the social and economic development of an open, harmonious society. We hope that many Montréal and Israeli businesses will take advantage of this partnership to form new commercial ties.”
“This memorandum of agreement is a concrete demonstration of the importance that both Israel and Quebec place on developing economic relations,” Michel Leblanc says. “We are proud to have helped realize this initiative of Montréal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, who spotted the incredible potential of the Israeli market for our businesses and educational and research institutions.”
This large-scale mission, which brings together 48 representatives from Quebec businesses and educational, research and innovation institutions, is organized jointly by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal’s team of international trade experts, the World Trade Centre Montréal, and the Ville de Montréal. It is presented by Heenan Blaikie in collaboration with Peerless Clothing, the Ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation (MDEIE), Montréal International and Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
About the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce
The Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce (FICC) was founded in 1919 as an independent, non-profit organization. Today it is the main economic organization representing the trade and services sector, Israel’s leading sector. The FICC heads up over 5000 businesses and organizations spread across more than 120 divisions representing different areas of the economy, including exports, imports, real estate, financial services and services to businesses.
Website: www.chamber.org.il
- 30 -
Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514-871-4000, extension 4015
spaquette@ccmm.qc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter: @chambremontreal
Follow the discussion: #ccmmqcca