Nation Reporter
1 July 2009
Nairobi — Kenya Commercial Bank has organised a business tour for 100 of its Biashara club members to visit Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
The tour set for next week will expose the small and medium-size entrepreneurs to international business and enable them learn from more established SMEs in the three countries.
"We aim to see our small and medium enterpreneurs graduate into medium sized companies or even large organisations by giving them international exposures where they are able to network," said Ms Catherine Njoroge, the divisional director for retail banking.
Ms Njoroge noted that small and medium enterprises in Malaysia play a vital role in the economy and are considered to be the backbone of industrial development.
This will be the third international trip since the bank launched the club two years ago. Last year the bank took 180 of the club's customers to Dubai and Guangzhou in China.
The entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to hold meetings with business people and make contacts and purchases, as well as visit a number of trade exhibitions while in the three nations of Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
"The trip to the Far East is an accomplishment of the promise we made to our Biashara Club customers during the launch of the Biashara Club. As a bank we see our SME clients as partners in business who deserve the best in terms of availing opportunities to help them grow with us."
Noting that the global economic system is becoming more integrated and presenting new opportunities and more threats, Catherine said the bank would continue to enlighten its club members to edge for the competitive dynamics in the ever changing business world through focused training, seminars and workshops that will cascade new business ideas and skills.
Countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, and Taiwan have succeeded in turning their once agrarian economies into industrial powerhouses to become global leaders in the technology, manufacturing, and service industries, something that the club members will learn on their tour of these nations, Catherine noted.
"We may not be able to quickly and easily duplicate such results here in Kenya but we believe those we are taking there will be able to learn one or two things necessary to help us move forward."
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