We look at some surprising developments in this forgotten market.
Nobody in their right mind would consider a major “international” push in that troubled territory – Ukraine. This is the conventional thinking, and it is based on destabilisation of which we are all aware.
Except that, the thing is; this thinking, might now be wrong.
The key signs are first in the Eastern city of Kharkov, where regional airport passengers into Borispyl Kyiv and also internationally – have increased by 50% in the last 12 months. And it’s where Jaguar cars did their latest “new car” promotion. In Kyiv itself, you are going to struggle if you want to employ anybody of any competence. The good people have already got jobs thanks very much. And there are more jobs waiting to be filled.
Our Partner, Doug Homer, who works for the Kharkov Council, told us on the phone just last week; “There is a tremendous English demand. We do an English Concert every year that attracts thousands, and it is supported both regionally, and nationally.”
And our own Director locally, Irina Dinch, talked to us on Skype only a few days ago – you can’t even get good chefs for the new wave of chi chi restaurants in the centre.
Down in Vinnitsa, central Ukraine, my friend Galyna is a Doctor at the local A&E. She diagnosed my ailments by phone when I could not get through to my local GP in the UK.
Apparently, the “peace process” (how many times have we heard that phrase before) is starting again in Minsk. It sees that everybody is tired of what is happening. But it also may be because essentially, Ukraine is a Russian thinking market, where families are spread across all of that large land-mass; but they just want to do things their way. That does not mean that all is wonderful overnight.
What is clear however – is that this large population market is now worth looking at potential Partners and new Manufacturing hubs, and seeing if it stacks up. And getting to the market first, does have its benefits.
Sahlgrenska Hospital is more open than its bigger sister Karolinska just outside Stockholm. And flights into Gothenburg are a better gateway to he southern half of Sweden than the dreaded CPH gateway where trains in and out of Sweden are systemically late.
Also on the UP – are the start-ups in Estonia. It used to be Latvia that had the choice of VC Finance – but companies in Tallinn have shown that you don’t need finance, you just need a good idea and diligence. We see the birthplace of Skype continuing to be the driver of good new ideas – and also a base for offshore IT development. Far cheaper than its cousins in Finland just across the water.
