Going Global: Your Passport to Growth

In our increasingly interconnected world growing your business no longer needs to be hemmed in by national and regional boundaries. Finding traction internationally is a must for many fast-growing organizations - but is also a huge challenge.

Selling or establishing workforces in foreign markets comes with a plethora of HR, tax, compliance and legal challenges. How do you protect your IP, minimize employment law risks in Europe, or tackle red-tape and corruption in emerging markets?

On Tuesday, April 9, 2013, the BABC and Nair & Co invite you to join us at the Mission Bay Conference Center for an interactive discussion with our expert panel, who will be providing unique insights from their experiences on how to go about expanding your business successfully.
 
Join our panel of experts featuring advice from legal and investment professionals with unique experience in expanding your business on the global stage.

Here’s a flavor of some of the questions we’ll be tackling:   
 
•    Which countries are easiest and hardest to expand into and why; 
•   Steps companies should take to ensure they are truly prepared to expand;
•    What to keep in mind when hiring employees in foreign countries;                  
•    Little-known legal issues that can sidetrack expanding companies;
•    How to handle accounting and other financial issues;      
•    Communicating between the home office and the foreign office; 
•    The roles VCs and board members can and should play; 
•    And much more … including plenty of time for your questions.       
 
Confirmed Panelists:
Sir Alan Collins, KCVO CMG (Moderator)
Stuart Buglass, Director of Human Capital Consulting at Nair & Co
Norma Lane, VP at LiveOps
Michael Kelly, Partner at Squire Sanders

There will be plenty of time for drinks and networking - wine,beer and a delicious selection of hors d'oeuvres are included in the ticket.

OUR PANELISTS:

Sir Alan Collins KCVO CMG
 
Sir Alan is a former British diplomat with a wealth of experience in international trade and investment, particularly in the US, Asia, and the Commonwealth countries. Previously, he has been the High Commissioner to Singapore and the Ambassador to the Philippines, Deputy Ambassador to Ethiopia, and the Director General of the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taiwan. He was also the Director General of Trade and Investment USA and Consul General New York, where he worked extensively to attract high-value inward investment to the UK.
 
During his time in Singapore, Sir Alan was part of the delegation that won the 2012 Olympics for London.  He was the Olympics Ambassador for the UK, and directed international business-related work from the London 2012 Games aiming at outcomes worth over $15 billion to the UK economy. Sir Alan is a Non-Executive Director of Amlin plc, ICICI Bank UK, plc, JPMorgan American Investment Trust plc, and Prudential Assurance Singapore Pte Ltd, as well as the Non-Executive Chairman of Powetec Energy Ltd and Nair & Co.


Stuart Buglass, Director, Nair & Co.

Stuart is an authority on international expansion and has spent over a decade helping companies successfully operate their foreign offices. As a Client Services Director at Nair & Co., he gained extensive knowledge of the accounting, HR, tax, and compliance needs of companies with international operations and has managed a portfolio of clients with 35 to 40 subsidiaries abroad. He has dealt with issues from managing sensitive data in termination situations to dealing with compliance requirements involved in on- boarding several hundred employees in over 25 jurisdictions simultaneously.  He subsequently took charge of the Human Capital Consulting Department at Nair & Co. dealing with issues ranging from remuneration structures for employees to the compliance requirements over data and information traveling across jurisdictions.
 
Prior to joining Nair & Co., Stuart worked with Lloyds-TSB bank on their fast track management scheme, undertaking assignments in legal, marketing, and finance.  Stuart attained his LLB at Leicester University followed by the LPC at the College of Law, York. Stuart likes to spend much of his spare time with his three children but sometimes manages to squeeze in a few moments for painting and running.
 
 
Norma Lane, SVP, Human Resources, LiveOps
 
Norma oversees strategic workforce management at LiveOps. She manages the planning, direction and implementation of all human resources programs and policies and participates in the overall executive management of the company. Her team serves all LiveOps employees in the areas of human resource services, compensation, benefits, organizational development, training, EEO compliance, recruiting, staffing, and all other aspects of human capital management.
 
With over 20 years as a strategic human resources leader, Norma has an impressive track record in translating and aligning strategic business plans into HR strategy and operations to achieve Corporate objectives. Norma's extensive experience spans from leading global HR operations at fortune 500 companies to overseeing the HR due diligence process through successful IPOs. She also has extensive experience representing management in labor union mediations, building leadership development programs, as well as designing and implementing complex total compensation programs. Additionally, she is an expert in building highly efficient and respected global HR teams.
 
Prior to joining LiveOps, Norma held HR executive positions at successful companies in the Silicon Valley, to include ShoreTel, Fortinet Security Networks, Foundry Networks, Silicon Graphics, Direct TV Broadband, Kaiser Permanente and Apple Computer. Additionally Norma has been active on various Corporate Boards as a management representative for Compensation Committees.
Norma holds a Masters degree in Public Administration and a Bachelors degree in Human Resources and Organization Development from University of San Francisco. She is currently completing the Certificate of Equity Professionals (CEP) at Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business and maintains certification in Myers Briggs Assessment and other critical HR assessment tools.
 
Additionally, she received the prestigious award as "Speaker of the Year" from the Women of Color Action Network (WCAN), a global Women's Leadership association.

Michael Kelly - Partner, Squire Sanders
Michael Kelly is head of the California Labor and Employment Practice of Squire Sanders (US) LLP.  His practice includes state and federal employment litigation, advice regarding compliance with a broad range of employment laws and regulations, and the employment aspects of corporate mergers and acquisitions.  Representing a diverse pool of global clients, Michael has experience with employment issues on six of the seven continents, has assisted clients with employee problems in places as unusual as Afghanistan, East Timor and Mongolia, and was part of a team advising a Middle Eastern state on revising its employment and immigration laws. 

Michael has served as the Firm’s legal counsel for employment issues, giving him direct contact with many of the Firm’s 39 offices in 19 different countries.  As the current Regional Managing Partner for Squire Sanders -- Northern California, Michael also understands the practical business side of employment issues.