Poland Improving Amid Crisis
Mid-September marked two years since the Lehman Brothers bank filed
for bankruptcy, an event that had triggered the worst financial crisis
around the world since the Great Depression. The turbulence on global
financial markets led to the spectacular collapse of a string of
high-profile financial institutions and large companies. Some countries
found themselves in serious trouble. Greece even faced a threat of
bankruptcy.
Poland, meanwhile, avoided most of these problems and was one of the
few developed countries that did not plunge into recession.
Paradoxically, Poland’s international profile improved thanks to the
crisis. Financial markets started to perceive Poland as a large and
growing European economy rather than merely a part of Central and
Eastern Europe.
The improvement in Poland’s ratings abroad is coupled with an increased
interest in the country among investors. According to the Polish
Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ), in the first half
of this year, foreign direct investment in the country was more than 80
percent higher than in the same period of 2009, even though 2009 was
quite a good year in terms of FDI.
What attracts investors to Poland is that its economy is growing
despite the global crisis. But the fact that the Polish economy is
increasingly open and competitive is also an important factor. In a
league table compiled by the World Economic Forum, Poland is ranked
39th among 139 economies in terms of competitiveness, ahead of Italy,
Spain and Portugal, but behind the Czech Republic and Estonia. Although
this 39th place does not seem to measure up to Poland’s potential and
aspirations, the country has made significant progress compared with
the previous league table in which it ranked 46th.
In producing its tables, the World Economic Forum takes into account
economic statistics and views expressed by business executives. It uses
criteria such as the quality of the institutional environment, the
legal and administrative framework in which businesses operate, the
quality of infrastructure, education and the health service, technology
and innovation. Poland traditionally receives poor marks for the state
of its infrastructure. Innovation is not a strong point of the Polish
economy, either. In this year’s league table, Poland ranks 53rd in
terms of innovation. The reason is that there is no tradition of
collaboration between business and science in Poland. In developed
economies, a third of the money spent on innovation comes from the
state budget and two-thirds from private companies. The size of
spending on innovation is another important factor. In Poland, this
spending accounts for 0.6 percent of GDP, compared with around 3
percent of GDP in Switzerland and Japan. This shows that Poland still
has a long way to go to become an innovative country.
Blog by Michael Clay
Poland Improving Amid Crisis
Michael Clay - Sunday, October 03, 2010
The BPCC Annual Dinner Dance - Ball 2009
Michael Clay - Sunday, October 25, 2009
The BPCC Annual Dinner Dance - Ball 2009
Last Saturday the BPCC held its sell out 17th Annual Ball. 300 guests gathered for the 1920s themed evening, sponsored by Jones Lang LaSalle and co-hosted by InterContinental Warszawa. Coverage of the ball will be in the next issue of Contact magazine but we are so proud of the fundraising achievement that we wanted to shout about it now! Said Caroline Cook.
Every year the BPCC supports a charity at the BPCC Annual Ball and this year we organised two fundraising activities in aid of the Eugeniusza Dutkiewicza SAC Hospice in Gdansk which helps people who have progressive and life-threatening illnesses. We are delighted to announce that a record amount was raised.
The first activity was our annual raffle and thanks to the superb prizes donated by BPCC members and the generosity of guests at the Ball, this raised an amazing 7,610PLN. Second was an auction for a unique, anonymously donated prize – a rugby ball signed by Lech Wałęsa and the entire Polish national rugby team plus a photograph of Jan Kozlowski, president of the Polish Rugby Association and President Wałęsa signing the ball. The auction was open online as well as taking place live at the Annual Ball so non-guests could also take part. Expertly orchestrated by professional real estate auctioneer, Michael Clay of Davidoff Kleeberg & Maresch and Export Poland, bidders battled it out, pushing the price higher and higher until it finally sold for an astounding 10,000PLN.
“We are thrilled to have raised a total of 17,610PLN which is more money than ever before and for such a worthy cause and I would like to thank all members who donated prizes and took part in the fundraising. A superb achievement!” said Martin Oxley, BPCC CEO.
“We would like to thank the BPCC and its members for their huge generosity and support for the hospice. We provide free of charge care to over 1,000 patients every year and therefore donations like this are invaluable to us,” added Aneta Puszko, Fundraising Manager, Eugeniusza Dutkiewicza SAC Hospice.
The entire event was wonderfully hosted by the BPCC and David Thomas - Chairman of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce welcomed all of the guests before Ric Todd HM Ambassador to Poland spoke in both Polish and English to everyone also.
An excellent dinner and 1920's themed dance then took place and a fantastic evening followed. There is no doubt that everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Are the Low Cost Airlines pushing Warsaw too Much?
Michael Clay - Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Are airlines such as Easyjet and Ryannair trying to show how powerful they are? Are their tactics like Bully Boys?
Both of these airlines have stopped flying to Warsaw, the capital of Poland, and with the result that thousands of Polish nationals as well as many hundreds of business men are unable to fly there from their regular departure points, unless they use BA or Lot.
This situation is abominable and has come about as a result of Warsaw air services asking these airlines for an increase in service charges. Easyjet and Ryannair both appear to have said they will not pay extra and threatened to withdraw from Warsaw. Clearly Warsaw air services assumed this was an idle threat, but the reality is that both airlines have withdrawn completely from Warsaw.
This has caused the loss of many jobs and a great deal of inconvenience among passengers who have relied on the service and the departure times. Perhaps both parties expected the other to cave in and come to an agreement. This has simply not happened.
When I contacted Easyjet they informed me that they had written to ALL of their regular passengers and asked them if they would pay an extra 7 Euros and the answer they got was NO. Now I don't believe this is correct as my partner and I fly to Warsaw 104 times each every year and must therefore be considered a regular passenger, NO contact was made with us. I therefore do not believe any of these matters were raised with their regular passengers at all.
I have spoken to HANNA GRONKIEWICZ-WALTZ, Mayor of Warsaw about this when she visited London last month, but she did not seem to be aware of the problem at that time.
I hope this can be resolved as Easyjet and Ryannair have been responsible for many new businesses and many new jobs being created in Warsaw over the past five years. Warsaw became a major city of Poland within the International business community as a result of the ease with which one could travel there.
Comments are invited, especially as we have just seen Ryannair use these same bully tactics at Manchester airport this week.
Both of these airlines have stopped flying to Warsaw, the capital of Poland, and with the result that thousands of Polish nationals as well as many hundreds of business men are unable to fly there from their regular departure points, unless they use BA or Lot.
This situation is abominable and has come about as a result of Warsaw air services asking these airlines for an increase in service charges. Easyjet and Ryannair both appear to have said they will not pay extra and threatened to withdraw from Warsaw. Clearly Warsaw air services assumed this was an idle threat, but the reality is that both airlines have withdrawn completely from Warsaw.
This has caused the loss of many jobs and a great deal of inconvenience among passengers who have relied on the service and the departure times. Perhaps both parties expected the other to cave in and come to an agreement. This has simply not happened.
When I contacted Easyjet they informed me that they had written to ALL of their regular passengers and asked them if they would pay an extra 7 Euros and the answer they got was NO. Now I don't believe this is correct as my partner and I fly to Warsaw 104 times each every year and must therefore be considered a regular passenger, NO contact was made with us. I therefore do not believe any of these matters were raised with their regular passengers at all.
I have spoken to HANNA GRONKIEWICZ-WALTZ, Mayor of Warsaw about this when she visited London last month, but she did not seem to be aware of the problem at that time.
I hope this can be resolved as Easyjet and Ryannair have been responsible for many new businesses and many new jobs being created in Warsaw over the past five years. Warsaw became a major city of Poland within the International business community as a result of the ease with which one could travel there.
Comments are invited, especially as we have just seen Ryannair use these same bully tactics at Manchester airport this week.
Mayor of Warsaw - Visit a success
Michael Clay - Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Mayor of Warsaw spoke at the Charing Cross Hotel on Thursday evening to a large number of delegates about the City of Warsaw and how well it is doing in these difficult times.
Over 70 delegates attended from the Banking, Industrial and construction sectors as well as many other interested parties all wanting to know more about the Warsaw effect. Michael Clay, Vice Chairman of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce, acted as Chairman and introduced the speakers:- Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz the Mayor of Warsaw, Pawel Pawlowski responsible for Department of City Investment and Miroslaw Czekaj the City Treasurer.
The host for the evening were represented by Joanna Khan of Price-Waterhouse-Coopers who spoke about PPP projects in Warsaw and in general and speakers from Poland Street Association.
The event ran very smoothly with several poignant questions from the floor, and Michael Clay specifically asking about the Social and Municipality Housing schemes which would solve the housing problems in Warsaw. Several ideas were mooted on this subject which will give a lot of new ideas to Warsaw city.
It was confirmed that the new North Bridge in Warsaw had seen work begun some 4 weeks earlier and a great deal of infrastructure is being done in preparation for 2012.
On Friday, the Mayor was the guest of honour at the Polish Embassy in Portland Place London at which a large number of dignitaries attended from all over the London region. There were about 130 attendees at this event including Television and the press.
Over 70 delegates attended from the Banking, Industrial and construction sectors as well as many other interested parties all wanting to know more about the Warsaw effect. Michael Clay, Vice Chairman of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce, acted as Chairman and introduced the speakers:- Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz the Mayor of Warsaw, Pawel Pawlowski responsible for Department of City Investment and Miroslaw Czekaj the City Treasurer.
The host for the evening were represented by Joanna Khan of Price-Waterhouse-Coopers who spoke about PPP projects in Warsaw and in general and speakers from Poland Street Association.
The event ran very smoothly with several poignant questions from the floor, and Michael Clay specifically asking about the Social and Municipality Housing schemes which would solve the housing problems in Warsaw. Several ideas were mooted on this subject which will give a lot of new ideas to Warsaw city.
It was confirmed that the new North Bridge in Warsaw had seen work begun some 4 weeks earlier and a great deal of infrastructure is being done in preparation for 2012.
On Friday, the Mayor was the guest of honour at the Polish Embassy in Portland Place London at which a large number of dignitaries attended from all over the London region. There were about 130 attendees at this event including Television and the press.
New Web site Links
Michael Clay - Wednesday, July 08, 2009
We have some new associated partners shown on the Links page.
Among them are DKM Real Estate with four branches in Poland including Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz and also in Kiev in the Ukraine.
Also added is Wnetrza Design a first class Interior Design and Fitt out company for Polish property. Ideal for Investors, Home Owners and Developers who need the interiors of their property looking really good.
Among them are DKM Real Estate with four branches in Poland including Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz and also in Kiev in the Ukraine.
Also added is Wnetrza Design a first class Interior Design and Fitt out company for Polish property. Ideal for Investors, Home Owners and Developers who need the interiors of their property looking really good.
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