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Spotlight on our German Desk with Marco Förster

Our International Business Advisory Associate, Marco Förster introduces us to Dezan Shira & Associates’ German Desk and how it can help German companies thrive in the Asian market.

Can you briefly explain what the German Desk is and what it does?

Marco Förster photo
DSA’s German Desk is a special advisory team within Dezan Shira & Associates that focuses on helping German, Austrian and Swiss companies enter and operate in the Asian market. By assisting German-speaking clients in their native tongue and being on the ground throughout China, ASEAN and India, we bridge languages and cultures to serve the client’s business needs in cross-market environments. Unique to our German Desk is that we are in constant dialogue with local authorities, embassies, consulates, chambers of commerce and banks to share and gain valuable insights on country-specific regulations and bilateral agreements. In this way, we develop best practices in regard to navigating through the bureaucratic and complex realities of Asia.

Does the German Desk produce any materials that German investors can use to support their businesses in Asia?

The German Desk creates and produces a variety of business intelligence for German companies interested or operating in Asia including articles, podcasts, webinars and newsletters.

We regularly write and publish articles in both English and German.  Recently one of our articles on China’s F&B trends was published in the China-wide German Chamber magazine GC Ticker and another on Fintech in Singapore was featured in the Asia Bridge.

You can also sign up for our monthly newsletter that covers regulatory updates, analysis, and commentary on issues concerning foreign investors in Asia.

The German Desk has recently published its first German podcast as well.  I sit down with Martin Bürger, CEO of Berlin-based consultancy Bürger Sinoconsulting, to discuss how a German business operates in China and the hurdles it faces.

China has changed drastically in the last decade and a number of German (even many China-experienced) businesspeople have not yet adapted to these changes. Please tune in if you would like to hear more about our discussion on how German entrepreneurs can succeed in China and emerging opportunities. (German-only)

If you are a German investor and are interested in new business opportunities in Asia or in being a part of DSA’s German podcast series, you can get in touch with me by clicking here.

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