UKTI Panama:
Life in the Fast Lane
ROMEL ADAMES
Caribbean Trade & Investment Conference
Kingston, Jamaica
February 2009
Panama Relevant
Information
Area
78,200 sq km
Population
3.3 million
Language
Spanish/English
Currency
US Dollar legal tender
Local Time
GMT-5
GDP
$16.9 billion (2007)
GDP per capita
$5,080 (2007)
Economic Growth
11.2% (2007)
One Day in the Life:
Romel Adames UKTIO
1.Wake Up: Hit the inform. highway.
a. Be on top of local and int. breaking news.
b. Listen to political opinion programs.
2. Look at Yourself.
a. Open your eyes, and look within, are you
satisfied with the life you are living?
b. Only you can make things happen.
3. The World is not your Oyster.
a. Solace of home does not extend to office.
b. Take time to make transition. St. Michael
mantras, Zen, self help & voodoo dolls.
One Day in the Life II:
Arriving at the Office
4. Daily morning & afternoon brief:
a. Meet with staff. Go over daily tasks.
b. Listen & advise. Open door policy.
5. Training your HMA.
a. Interest HMA in interacting daily.
b. HMA=best asset. Train HMA to go through
hoops. HMA part of FTE: Use him/her.
6. The Board.
a. Keep a board w/targets, YTD and FTE
b. Write follow up potential/actual OMIS
One Day in the Life III:
The Grind: Winning by attrition
7. Till the fat lady sings (all):
a. Work based on tasks accomplished for a
particular day, not a working schedule.
Grind = Results.
8. Last Man/Woman standing (LEI’s).
a. Stay last & think/meditate. Success comes
from many little thoughts/events
conspiring together.
9. Play Champagne Charlie (LEI’s).
a. Attend invitations to commercial events
after work. Be “the face” of the UKTI.
Difficulties faced
by UKTI Panama
1. Who are you?
a. Small economies not a priority to ITA’s.
b. Not seen/heard in UK as place 4 business.
2. Is there anybody out there?
a. Quality Business Opps rarely replied.
3. Far outposts of the Empire.
a. Old soft/hardware.Limited staff/promotion
budgets. Limited VIP/UKTI visits.
4. Under siege by hostile powers.
a. Outmanned/gunned by Americans et al.
Challenges faced
by UKTI Panama
1. The Brotherhood of the Coast.
Regional initiatives/newsletters/BDV
Bids/visits/OMIS /ideas=increase business.
2. Creating your Monsters
Identify/create/market your products:
(Prom. events/seminars/ market reports
visits/Gov.bids/matchmaking/defense/special projects).
3. Punching above your weight.
-Services = high value for money. Reflect
passion, eagerness & commitment to result.
-Network posts without fear of competition.
THE ELEVEN:
Panama’s
Rules of Engagement
1. Vive la mort, vive la guerre, vive le
sacré mercenaire. This is 4 money. This
is 4 trade. Targets have to be met.
2. A SA = a failed OMIS. Always go 4 the
money, settle 4 SA as last recourse.
3. Quality of life = Quality of your work.
4. Working rights = Work & be all-right.
5. Man who uses an OMIS, soon buy
another. Former & repeat customers will
make your year.
THE ELEVEN:
Panama’s
Rules of Engagement
6. Nobody does it better: UKTI Panama
will: Price right/deliver best expertise &
be impartial introducing a UK Co. to
market.
7. Blind them with Science: Research &
Research & Research.
8. Cheap Thrills: Working 4 UKTI is one of
the most exiting activities in the world.
(trade work, training, travel & receptions)
9. Sowing the seeds of OMIS:
Patience/dedication/care. No shortcuts.
THE ELEVEN:
Panama’s
Rules of Engagement
10. The Wrath of Cahn. UKTI expects that
every man/woman in UKTI will do his/her
duty. No free riders. Every team member
is expected to generate OMIS in direct
proportion to their pay. All are required to
work on them.
11. We are the Champions. UKTI Panama
is not here to only hit targets. We are
committed to excellence and will strive to
be the best or one of the best units in the
UKTI world.
Hitting Targets 2008:
Panama a Case Study
1st Quarter
First Quarter:
a- OMIS: TESAB. £ 250. Origin: BB
Central (Regional) Visited Costa Rica
& Panama.
b- BDV: UKTIO attended Ports Roadshow Seminar and Seaworks,
c- Pipeline Britannica 2008.
Performance: YTD : £ 250. 3% of target.
FTE: £ 116
Hitting Targets 2008:
Panama a Case Study
2nd Quarter
Second Quarter
a- OMIS: Aggreko. £ 500. Origin: Central
(Regional) Visited Costa Rica &
Panama.
b- OMIS: Marinetrack. £ 1,000 Origin.
BDV: Seaworks. Visited Panama.
c-OMIS: Britannica (HSBC). £ 2,000.
Origin: Self Generated/promotional
event.(HMA)
Performance: YTD : £ 3,750. 57% of
target. FTE: £ 1,744
Hitting Targets 2008:
Panama a Case Study
3erd Quarter
Third Quarter
a- OMIS: RMD Kwikform. £ 1,000. Origin:
BB Central (Regional) Visited Costa
Rica & Panama.
b-OMIS: Britannica (HSBC). £ 2,000.
Origin: Self Generated/promotional
event.(HMA)
c- OMIS: JCB. £ 978. Origin: Self
Generated/promotional event.
Performance: YTD : £ 7,728. 118% of
target. FTE: £ 3,594
Hitting Targets 2008:
Panama a Case Study
4th Quarter (January)
Fourth Quarter (January)
a- OMIS: RMD Kwikform. £ 978. Origin: Repeat
customer. January , only visited Panama.
b--OMIS: Cable & Wireless. £ 244. Origin: Self
Generated/promotional event. (HMA).
c- OMIS: Briefen. £ 978. Origin: Self
Generated/promotional event/seminar.
Performance: YTD en January: £ 9,928. 152% of
target. FTE: £ 4,617
Currently 12th overall by FTE. Last year 78th
overall
Hitting Targets 2008:
Panama a Case Study
4th Quarter (Ongoing)
Ongoing Fourth Quarter
a- OMIS: RMD Kwikform. £ 978. Origin: Repeat
customer. February , only visited Panama.
b-World Architectural News: £ 978. Origin: Global
OMIS . Pending approval of work plan.
c- PBBA: Yearly fee. £ 978
d- Jerry Fried Co. In conversations.
e-Bechatec: Security Company, met UKTIO.
f-Pelican Studios. Screens & software for Real
Estate Developers. Visit UKTIA 24/02/09
Hitting Targets 2008:
Panama a Case Study
4th Quarter (Ongoing)
g- Best practice visit to Mexico. 8-13
March 2009
h-Awaiting BDV results for Ports Road +
Seminar. HMA’s from BBCentral to
visit ITA and Companies in
Southampton in March.
i-Pipeline Britannica event 2009
Expected Performance: March 2009:
£ 11,884. 182% of target. FTE: £ 5,527
Contact Details:
UK Trade & Investment Panama
HMA Richard Austen & Sir Andrew Cahn
Mr. Romel Adames / UKTI Officer
Email: romel.adames@fco.gov.uk
Mr. Fernando Pinel / UKTI Assistant
Email: fernando.pinel@fco.gov.uk