Austrade media release
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
50 days to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
In a major push to leverage an international sporting event, Austrade’s Business Club Australia has brought together government, corporations, industry associations and small and medium enterprises to present a united Australian business front during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
“This is a united push by Australia’s business community to make inroads into the Chinese market during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games” said Austrade CEO Peter O’Byrne.
“We are harnessing the excitement and energy of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games to showcase Australia in China. More than 3000 Australian and Chinese businesspeople are expected to attend events at Business Club Australia.
“Australians are great sportspeople, but we are also great businesspeople. This initiative has pulled together key Australian stakeholders and developed a strategy to build our business profile in a key market.
“Through Business Club Australia, Austrade is focussed on delivering business outcomes with China – our largest two way trading partner,” said Mr O’Byrne
Business Club Australia is the official business program for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. It will use the resources of Austrade’s Chinese network of 15 offices to bring together Australians and key Chinese officials and businesspeople.
Australia is leading the way when it comes to leveraging international sporting events. More than 40 networking and business events are planned during the Games. Most will be at Business Club Australia’s venue at the Hilton Hotel in the heart of Beijing, while some will leverage the excitement of Olympic sporting events to build customer relationships.
At major sporting events including the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and the Rugby World Cup 2007 in France, Business Club Australia helped deliver over $1.7 billion in business outcomes.
Phil Ingram, Austrade’s Senior Trade Commissioner in Beijing is available for interviews.
Business Club Australia sponsors
| Platinum |
Gold |
| AIMS Financial Group |
Australian International Sporting Events Secretariat |
| ANZ |
Minerals Council of Australia |
| Astron |
Qantas |
| BlueScope Steel |
Telstra Business |
| Macquarie Bank |
|
| NAB |
|
Business Club Australia background
A Roundtable of senior business people are providing high-level advice to the program, ensuring that there is a united approach to the Australian business activities in China during the Olympic Games.
Macquarie Bank Limited Chairman, Mr David Clarke AO, chairs the Roundtable which includes ACCOR, Austrade, the Australian Olympic Committee, Tourism Australia, the Australia China Business Council, Channel Seven, BHP Billiton, Qantas, Telstra and Government Relations Australia.
More than 60 smaller Australian companies are also participating in Business Club Australia.
Recognising this program will provide the opportunity of a lifetime for small and medium enterprises, Telstra Business has partnered with Business Club Australia to bring 12 of their customers to China during the Games.
The remainder of the smaller companies participating in Business Club Australia are covering their own costs, recognising this is a unique and valuable opportunity to grow existing business relationships and develop new ones.
Thursday 19th June marks 50 days until the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Companies who want to be involved in Business Club Australia Beijing 2008 can find out more at www.businessclubaustralia.com.au
China facts
- Last year over 4000 Australian companies exported to China
- As a result of Beijing’s hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games, over 40 Australian companies have won over 50 Games related contracts, many with Austrade assistance.
- China is now Australia's largest two-way trading partner (imports and exports of both goods and services). Total trade with China in 2007 grew 15 per cent to $58.0 billion.
ENDS
Media contact
Caroline Bergman
Tel: +61 2 9390 2745
Mob: +61 414 072 566
For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre. |