Corporate Longitude

UK COZIES UP IN MYANMAR

British PM David Cameron's stopover in Myanmar and pledges to push for suspension of sanctions offered a foretaste of how financially challenged European Union states will vie for the country's untapped riches and markets. Exploiting Naypyidaw's rift with China, Cameron likely told Myanmar's leaders that the UK can do more to strengthen economic democracy.

INDIA ALLOWS DIRECT INVESTMENT FROM PAKISTAN

Business ties between India and Pakistan looked set to deepen after their commerce ministers indicated that India was open to inviting foreign direct investments (FDI) from Pakistan.Both the countries have also agreed in principle to allow opening of bank branches to facilitate financial transactions and ensure smooth trade.

NETQIN LOOKING OVERSEAS

NetQin Mobile Inc, China's leading mobile security company, is poised to become the world's number one provider of mobile security services. Overseas markets helped NetQin generate about half of its revenue in 2011, according to its fourth quarter financial report. A recently launched cloud computing project is expected to help NetQin upgrade its customers, especially in overseas markets.

CHINESE PREMIER TO VISIT ICELAND, SWEDEN, POLAND, ATTEND HANNOVER MESSE 2012

Premier Wen Jiabao's upcoming European visit will further promote friendship and pragmatic cooperation with Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.Wen will pay official visits to Iceland, Sweden and Poland and attend the opening ceremony of Hannover Messe 2012, which will be held in Germany from April 20 to 27.During his stay in Poland, Wen will meet with the leaders of several CEE countries and attend the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum.

S.KOREA OPENS MARKET TO PHILIPPINE POULTRY

South Korea has agreed to open its market to Philippine poultry products after declaring them safe. South Korea’s poultry industry has been affected by the dreaded avian flu or bird flu, which is caused by viruses that occur naturally among birds.The Philippines is one of the few countries in Asia that remains free from avian flu, which has led to multibillion-dollar losses in the global poultry industry.The opening of South Korea to local chicken products is one of the important points discussed during the Philippines-South Korea bilateral meeting on agriculture held in Manila in November last year.

INDIA MULLS OVER 49% OVERSEAS SHARE IN AIRLINES

India this week may make its delayed decision on whether to allow 49% foreign ownership of its airlines. The cash would be welcome but more than overseas funding is needed to rescue the country's struggling US$12 billion civil aviation industry.

CHINA'S MOVIE SECTOR BECOMES SECOND-LARGEST IN THE WORLD

China overtook Japan as the world's second-biggest cinema market in the first quarter of the year thanks to the breakneck growth of the nation's film industry, but its overwhelming reliance on the box office showed both its huge potential and immaturity. Despite its rapid growth, China's film industry is still largely untapped as the average Chinese person only goes to cinema 0.3 times per year, compared with over five times annually in Iceland, the top movie-going country.

Professor Edvinsson is a key pioneering contributor to both the theory and practice of Intellectual Capital. As the world’s first director of IC in 1991 he initiated the creation of the world's first public corporate Intellectual Capital Annual Report 1994, and inspired the development ever since on IC metrics. He was parallel to that prototyping the Skandia Future Center as a Lab for Organisational design, one of the very first in the World in 1996, and inspired many to be followed.

During 1996 he was recognised with awards from the American Productivity and Quality Centre, USA and Business Intelligence, UK. In January 1998, Leif received the prestigious Brain Trust "Brain of the Year" award, UK. for his pioneering work on IC. In 1999 noted as Most Admired Knowledge Award on Knowledge Leadership. He was also awarded The KEN Practitioner of the Year 2004, from Entovation International, where he also is an E 100. In 2006 also listed in a book by London Business Press, as one of The 50 Most influential Thinkers in the World. He is listed in Who’s Who in the world. Also associate member of The Club of Rome. He is also Cofounder and Chairman of The New Club of Paris, focused on the Knowledge Economy Agenda setting initiatives

Professor Leif Edvinsson has his education from the University of California, Berkeley, USA, and Lund University, Sweden. He is the author of numerous articles on the service management and on Intellectual Capital. In March 1997, together with Michael S. Malone, he launched one of the very first books on Intellectual Capital. He is also special advisor on Societal Entrepreneurship to the Swedish Governmental Foundation for Competence and Knowledge Development, as well as on Service Science to the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation. In 1997 co founder of Intellectual Capital Sweden AB.

Leif is serving on the Board of Directors of several knowledge intensive enterprises among others earlier the Swedish Brain Research Foundation as well as for many years the Center for Molecular Medicine at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Since 2000 he has been the Honorary Chairman of the UK based Henley College, KM Forum. Since 2000, he has been Professor, adjunct at Lund University on Intellectual Capital. He is also serving on the Jury of the Swedish Knowledge Award as well as the Globe Forum Jury for Sustainability City Award. In January 2006, he was also appointed professor adj. at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and later promoted to Chair Professor in 2007. In 2009 also appointed Guest Professor at Jiaotong University, Xian, China. In June 2010 awarded in Kuala Lumpur for Branding of Human Capital.

For contact use email: leif.edvinsson@unic.net