International Business Today Autumn 2017

Welcome to the autumn edition of International Business Today – our first for 2017. In this edition we explore the Netherlands: the gateway to Europe. So dust off those old wooden clogs and break out the crackers and Dutch Gouda as Niels Strazdins gives you a special insight into this tiny powerhouse, strategically located between Europe’s two biggest continental economies. Niels explains why the Netherlands is now one of the hottest start-up hubs in Europe – and identifies opportunities for Australian exporters. The country provides an ideal place for Australian entrepreneurs and start-ups to begin their international journey.

Closer to home, Niels looks at the growing trade opportunities with the 10 nations that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – collectively one of the fastest-growing regions of the world. And although Australia now enjoys a strong trading relationship with our neighbours to the north, there is still plenty of scope to expand. The region is home to over 600 million people and a fast-growing middle class that is predicted to more than double in under a decade.

Also in this issue, our Postcard series focuses on Myanmar and identifies new opportunities for exporters in this emerging market. Readers are given a guided tour of Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, with tips on the best places to visit if you can find some spare time between business
meetings.

Another good news story in this edition is on the Australian Trusted Trader program. We review the program since its launch in July last year and the

results may surprise you. And if you like Australian export success stories, this one is also a MUST read. See how Sydney based start-up OpenLearning has disrupted the online education world. In an exclusive interview, OpenLearning CEO and cofounder Adam Brimo reveals the secret to the company’s outstanding global success.

Enjoy.
Tim Michael, Editor

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Down Under Enterprises grows, produces, exports, and markets traceable and sustainable native Australian essential oils and botanicals. We source from their farm, Buhlambar, and also from small growers across Australia.

Founded in 1991 in a spare bedroom to sell Tea Tree Oil from Dee-Ann’s parents’ farm, Down Under Enterprises has since grown to support over three dozen Australian farming families.