PFA urges Pinoys in UK to invest in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) has invited and urged Filipino professionals in the United Kingdom (UK) to invest in the country’s franchising industry.

Samie Lim, PFA chairman emeritus and acknowledged as the “Father of Philippine Franchising,” had an intimate discussion with about 100 Filipinos in London recently to present to them the opportunities in Philippine franchising

“I told them they can either invest in an existing franchise in the Philippines or, since they know the market in UK very well, they can bring a European brand to the Philippines as its master franchisee,” Lim shared..

The meeting with the Filipino community in London was organized by the Philippine Embassy and trade attaché in the UK.

After London, Lim proceeded to Paris to represent the PFA in the Franchise Expo Paris 2013.

In Paris, Lim said the Expo organizers asked him to give them a country briefing on the Philippines during the franchising forum.

The audience, he said, included foreign brands representatives who are shopping around for new destinations for the expansion of their brands. “I was given the chance to invite them to come to the Philippines,” he reported.

Lim said he will go to New York next month to also convince Filipino expatriates and professionals there that investing in the country’s franchising industry is a better way for them to help their families.

The PFA will stage Franchise Asia Philippines (FAP) 2013 in July.  The show is touted as the region’s biggest and grandest 4-in-1 franchising event that includes an international franchise expo, the International Franchise Conference, the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program, and educational franchise seminars.

FAP 2013, slated from July 17 to 21, 2013 at the SMX Convention Center, is co-presented by BPI Family Ka-negosyo, PLDT SME Nation and Sun Cellular.  It features a three-day one-stop-shop international franchise expo from July 19 to 21, a two-day international franchise conference (July 17-18) to be addressed by international experts, the Educational Franchise Seminars, and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) Program, a mini-MBA professional development program designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of franchise professionals slated July 15-16 at the Asian Institute of Management.