Minnesota Business Delegation to Visit Israel and Turkey
During the week of February 15th, representatives of Minnesota’s business community will spend three days in Israel and three days in Turkey meeting potential business partners in both locations. This follow’s Minnesota Governor Pawlenty’s late 2008 Israel visit to begin exploring further Minnesota-Israel ties. EDI will be arranging the meetings in both Israel and Turkey for the February visit.
Israel’s Chief Scientist, Dr Eli Opper, Highlights Merage Fellows Event
Dr. Eli Opper, the Chief Scientist of Israel’s Ministry of Industry, Trade & Labor, was the featured speaker at a gathering of close to 100 graduates of the Merage Foundation for U.S. Israel Trade’s Executive Leadership Program held in Tel Aviv on January 26th. Dr. Opper, whose Department allocates millions of dollars of government funding each year to high tech startups, shared his professional experience and discussed his own personal journey to this position. The Merage Foundation sponsors three two week programs each year in Irvine, CA for Israeli executives and now has over 200 alumni in Israel. The next such program is scheduled for February 1-13. EDI operates the Israel Liaison Office for the Foundation.
EDI Participates in Arab Health 2009 Event in Dubai, UAE
Rajinder Bedi, Managing Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) traveled to Dubai during the week of January 26th to attend the Arab Health 2009 exhibition as well as to meet with a number of governmental and business organizations. EDI President Sherwin Pomerantz joined him during his trip. Meetings were held with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the Dubai Ministry of Economic Development, the UAE Ministry of Education, Emirates Airlines and the US Commercial Service, among others. The State also sponsored a reception for Dubai business people at the Kempinski Hotel to promote additional business opportunities between Illinois and the UAE. EDI, in its role as the regional representative of DCEO, arranged all of the meetings and events during that week.
Jordan Business Visit Planned
At the end of the month, EDI representatives will be in Jordan for meetings with the new Managing Director of the AMCHAM there as well as with other business representatives and commercial organizations. EDI, in its regional representation efforts on behalf of its client states, regularly travels the region to generate new business contacts.
