Interview with Peter Linford

Peter Linford is the Senior Trade Commissioner- South Asia, for the Australian High Commission and is based out of New Delhi. Mr. Linford is responsible for the management of Austrade offices in 11 locations covering 9 countries. Here he shares his views on trade and tourism opportunities between Asia and Australia as well as tells us about UTSAV AUSTRALIA - a unique initiative of the Australian government.

Since how long have you been the Senior Trade Commissioner for South Asia and what are your areas of responsibility?
I have been in Delhi since late June of this year so I am very new to India. My main role is to manage our network across South Asia to promote trade and investment links between Australia and the region.

What is the role of Australian High Commission Office in terms of improving trade, investments, tourism and education exchanges between India and Australia?
Our role is identifying opportunities and introducing these between potential partners on both sides. We then facilitate the relationship with support to produce outcomes with mutual benefit. These cover diverse sectors, products and services which we categorise into 5 main industry groups: 1. Food, beverages and agribusiness, 2. Services, 3. Advanced manufacturing, 4. Building construction and infrastructure, 5. Mining resources, energy and environment.

Prior to resuming office for the region in Asia, you were the Senior Trade Commissioner for the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. How different is your current assignment and what are the challenges and opportunities that you plan on addressing to develop trade relationships between Asia and Australia? It is an interesting question as there are similarities in the role and even commonalities between the regions. There are also, however, many differences in opportunities and challenges, culture and social influences and of course, the links with Australia matched to local needs. I am keen to enhance areas which are already significantly established between South Asia and Australia, but I also want to encourage initiatives and cooperation in new areas. We have strong links in many sectors, but when we sit and look at the potential opportunities, the list is almost endless.

What is the Corporate Partnership programme and what way can partners benefit from such programmes? Our Corporate Partners programme is where we work with Australian client companies that have many clients themselves. Examples would include legal firms, accountancy and consulting companies, banks and other similar service-based organizations. By working together we can provide joint services to company groups that might not otherwise have capacity in their own right for export and investment. We are seeking to compliment work between Government and the private sector with recognition of the value of referrals and expertise with our corporate partners.

Which regions are included in your portfolio and how do you liaise activities through the office in New Delhi? My portfolio covers Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and the Seychelles, with offices in India being New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and sub-offices in Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. We manage this with a business plan that recognizes the geographic spread and then links these through a common industry matrix overlay covering the 5 key sectors previously listed. For the most part, we are industry sector driven. We find this works best to deliver consistent service and generate results with the appropriate companies in the appropriate places.

What role does your office play in order to encourage Indian students to travel to Australia for higher studies ? We work with Australian education institutions as we work with all Australian companies. We assess their capabilities and capacity for international business. We then seek to understand their needs and objectives and match these to the markets they are targeting. Thus, we look to match Australian education institutions with opportunities where they can successfully recruit Indian students to courses and education that meets the needs of the students themselves. We do this in partnership with our education section of Government - Australia Education International (AEI), our visa section (DIAC,) and with industry corporate partners.

Which are the key areas for trade between India and Australia and how does your office play a role in encouraging networking between investors/exporters between India and Australia?
The greater value of trade between Australia and India is through commodities such as gold and coal, and with food and textile raw material products. Increasingly however this is diversifying and we are seeing strong growth in the number of Australian companies doing business with India across all five industry sectors, especially with food and beverage as well as the service sectors. We encourage networking through the promotion of mutual opportunities qualified with case examples and also providing realistic explanation of the business challenges along the way. In the end, we are measured on the success of Australian companies rather than any profit or loss for ourselves and so we must ensure we make the right introductions that are well matched for mutual benefit and sustainable business that can grow.

Which are the major areas of investment currently in Australia and how do you plan to address these issues? Resources and energy needs are attracting the most investment from Australia to India. We have however, also seen investment in IT, tourism and hospitality, food and beverages including wineries, fertilizer plants and education facilitation. Indian companies are increasingly discovering Australia and we are delighted with the trend and growth.

Which are the key areas of expertise that the Indian trade associates can benefit out of Australia? I believe the opportunities are diverse and many and this is driven by the strong growth of the Indian economy and increase of demand that coincides with that. Australia is endowed with natural resources and being a well educated and culturally diverse population, we offer much creativity and expertise. My suggestion is that companies who are interested and with questions can visit us first and we will provide information on opportunities in Australia. From there we would be happy to make introductions and facilitate a visit to start the Australian business journey.

In terms of tourism to Australia, how much growth have you seen in Indian visitors to Australia and what role does your office play independently or with other partners such as Tourism Australia to encourage tourism to Australia in the near future? Visitor numbers to Australia from India has seen very strong and steady growth across all categories of travellers, especially with students. From our perspective, the more visitors from India can experience Australia the better we are able to promote and introduce business opportunities. In this sense, we work closely with our fellow federal and state government agencies, including of course, tourism departments.

Tell us about UTSAV Australia and the benefits of this unique initiative for both Australia as well as India? UTSAV Australia was established as a communication and promotional vehicle for Indian individuals and companies as an initial point of contact through the website, and as a promotional brand for us to develop and enhance understanding of Australia as a business destination and as a business partner. We have received overwhelming response to UTSAV and we are delighted with the recognition we are receiving through the UTSAV brand and campaigns.

Delhi is going to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and Australia has excelled not only in sports but sports infrastructure facilities as well. What way does Australia plan to work closely with India in its preparation for the Commonwealth Games? We are very excited for the potential opportunities across all five of our industry sectors with the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. These include design and infrastructure opportunities, services and consultancy expertise opportunities, equipment and product expertise, and even food and beverage opportunities from Australia leading up to and following the games. Australia enjoys a strong reputation in sports performance on the field. This comes from a focussed attention to systems and infrastructure that support our sporting culture to deliver those performances.

What is the awareness of Australians about India in terms of tourism and which are the major tourist places that an Australian would like to visit in India? I am not sure of the tourism numbers from Australia to India, but from my short time here so far, I can say without hesitation that the numbers should be higher! Of course Australians know of the famous cities of Mumbai, Delhi and Calcutta and landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and Red Fort, but as anyone who has experienced India quickly realizes there is so much more. You can be sure that I have already become a tourist and business visitor ambassador for India.

Which is your favourite holiday destination in Australia? There are so many wonderful places in Australia. It is difficult to select only one or two. More so than places, I tend to remember what I was doing and who I was with. I do however enjoy being at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the Boxing Day Test Match. No matter who Australia is playing, it is an amazing scene. Last year I was fortunate to watch India play there.

You have been in India for almost 3 months, what has been your overall experience and what are your impressions of India and the people of India? Indian people are so genuinely welcoming and generous, especially with people new to India such as myself. I have been overwhelmed with the warmth and hospitality I have received. I enjoyed the first day of my arrival and every day since seems to be better.

On your personal side what are your likes and interests and how do you spend your free time?
I enjoy fine food and wine. I love all sports, although these days more as a spectator with the exception of a passionate love for golf. I like to meet new people, travel to new places and hopefully leave something positive behind me.

Lastly, what is your message to readers and what way can they benefit from trade with Australia as well as in terms of exploring Australia for higher studies or seeking a range of tourism experiences? I would encourage the people of India to consider Australia when thinking internationally. After gathering information, talking to people who have been there, and of course talking to us, I would be confident you can find a positive experience with Australia. It would be my pleasure to help achieve that.

For any investment/ trade queries for Australia, you may contact Mahesh Rathod (Senior Investment Manager, India) at :mahesh.rathod@invest.gov.au