The new Biden administration recently signed into law a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill to boost the US economy. With an emphasis on growing businesses, increasing jobs and attracting foreign talent, this is a fantastic time to launch in the US. Join us on 23 June 2021 at 2pm BST / 9am EDT to discover some excellent tips on launching into the region. Asma Bashir, Chairwoman of Centuro Global will be joined by an expert panel of renowned US lawyers and accountants to take you through some practical steps on doing business in the United States. We will cover what you need to think about before expansion, launching in the US and then ensuring long term success. Topics to be discussed will include:1. The pros and cons of entering the US market – should you go big or stay home?2. Is a Delaware company the best option for entity setup?3. How to handle contract negotiations with US parties4. Protecting your intellectual property5. Payroll and Employee considerations6. Immigration Options7. Global Transfer Pricing and Tax PlanningSPEAKERS:1. Teresa Gordon - Shareholder, Clayton & Mckervey2. Eric R. Fox - Managing Partner, Ivins, Philips & Barker3. Thomas Thorelli - Partner/Owner, Thorelli and AssociatesWATCH THE FULL WEBINAR RECORDING HERE.<iframe  src="https://lu.ma/embed-checkout/evt-ZODMKIeFFi22UNS"  width="600"  height="450"  frameborder="0"  style="border:1px solid #bfcbda88;border-radius:4px;"  allowfullscreen=""  aria-hidden="false"  tabindex="0" ></iframe><iframe  src="https://lu.ma/embed-checkout/evt-ZODMKIeFFi22UNS"  width="600"  height="450"  frameborder="0"  style="border:1px solid #bfcbda88;border-radius:4px;"  allowfullscreen=""  aria-hidden="false"  tabindex="0" ></iframe><iframe  src="https://lu.ma/embed-checkout/evt-ZODMKIeFFi22UNS"  width="600"  height="450"  frameborder="0"  style="border:1px solid #bfcbda88;border-radius:4px;"  allowfullscreen=""  aria-hidden="false"  tabindex="0" ></iframe>

As the transition period for the UK leaving the EU is drawing to a close, are you Brexit ready?Understanding the importance of effective Brexit planning will help UK & European companies avoid a challenging and costly post-Brexit transition.We brought together experts from around Europe for an interactive roundtable discussion with exclusive insights and advice into what business must consider when preparing for the end of the transition period.We will cover topics including the implications of Brexit on:Immigration, staff mobility and hiring between the UK and the EUEntity Setup and the need for a European presence to continue tradingSocial security and taxBusiness visitor requirementsIntellectual PropertyOur host: Asma Bashir is a legal professional with over 20 years’ experience in expanding businesses across the world. She has significant experience in law and policy across Europe having advised multinational companies on changing legislation. She is a mentor and board member of several businesses and Chairwoman at Centuro Global.Speakers:Tomáš PetyovskýTomáš is a co-founding Partner of Petyovský & Partners and Attorney-at-Law, specialising in immigration and legal services. He also participates on policy development of the Czech immigration legislation as a member of American Chamber of Commerce, Work Group for Economic Migration at the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the Czech Republic and is working on policy development directly with the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic. He lectures at various training and seminars for clients, students and universities.Michael Møller NielsenMichael heads the employment law department of Lund Elmer Sandager in Denmark. He advises on all types of employment law challenges including executive service agreements, collective bargaining agreement issues, anti-competitive agreements and individual employment matters. Michael has extensive experience within data protection law and M&A and has written several publications on employment law matters.Fiona Mougenot Fiona Mougenot is a British national who has lived and worked in France longer than in her native country. Her professional experiences, in the areas of marketing, tax and international human resources consulting, have been with multi-national companies such as IBM, TRW, Barclays, Europace, and KPMG LLP. She founded Expat Partners in 2003 to provide full immigration services to the Global Mobility Directors seeking assistance. Fiona is regularly invited as a guest speaker at Global Mobility functions, sharing her knowledge and insight on immigration matters.Greg YoungGreg Young is HR Manager at Manor Renewable Energy Ltd. Greg has worked for a number of multinational companies within the oil and gas industry and has specialist expertise with international assignment management. He holds a post-graduate diploma in personnel management and merit from the University of Portsmouth.

REGISTERThere are a lot of questions you need to ask and find answers to when you are deciding to relocate, the first and most important question being which country. That is what we are here to help you decide.Our local partners the Canada and the UK will be on hand to run you through the pros, cons and difference of relocating to their respective countries.This event is for any one who wishes to set up a business or is highly skilled in their field and wishes to explore their options to relocate. It is also for those who may wish to study or start a new tech company so attractive for start or innovator visas.AGENDAOptions to live and work in the UK/CanadaTime to settlementRequirements and eligibilityProcessREGISTERABOUT CENTURO GLOBALCenturo Global is an exclusive business hub for high growth entrepreneurs, SMEs and multi-national companies to access global market entry strategies and connect with the highest quality professional services providers anywhere in the world.Our online platform allows you to instantly Connect, Communicate and Collaborate with likeminded entrepreneurs, business leaders, professional advisers and investors from around the world.

Our Chairwoman, Asma Bashir, participated in a roundtable of business leaders discussing the impact of COVID-19 on business and what they think the future will hold. The first question asked was, ‘How is COVID-19 affecting your business and your clients?’Asma Bashir, who has run various businesses in her career, kicked off the debate by saying: “We have several businesses in our portfolio and were able to react very quickly. As soon as the government announced we were going into lockdown, we were able to respond efficiently due to the technology infrastructure we had in place.“In regards to the shift to remote working, there was a high-level of excitement in the first couple of weeks, with working from home being a new experience and people feeling united with their families, but gradually it is starting to wear on people and the excitement has waned.“From an external perspective, the impact on our clients has been varied. For the start-up clients we deal with, they are being challenged by cashflow, their business runway in terms of funding and also how they navigate the various government schemes.“For our larger customers, we have had challenges with their expat population and people being stuck in other countries and we’ve been trying to support them with crisis management and getting them the advice and support they need.” Follow the link below to read the full article. 

COVID-19 is having an unprecedented impact on life as we know it. Within the Services industry players must adapt and look to change the way Services are designed and delivered. Our Chairwoman, Asma Bashir, will be speaking on a panel of Global Women Leaders to discuss this in more depth tomorrow, 21st July 2020, at 4pm GMT. Sign up now to hear from Swati Mandela, Marie Christine OGHLY, Deniz MISIR, Danela Arsovska, Alexandra Lund, and Asma: https://lnkd.in/dqiNw7r The evidence suggests that given its unprecedented nature, it is very likely that the covid-19 crisis is transforming the way Services are designed and delivered. The task is uniquely challenging for industries that rely heavily on in-person interaction, including a wide swath of sectors from banking and insurance to hospitality, telecommunications, government & public services, IT and industrial services.This webinar aims to identify, understand and address these and other issues related to the trends in the transformation of Service industries and how can this transformation create more formal, qualified, high-quality and resilient jobs, the effectiveness of post-pandemic recovery efforts for service industries, the use of artificial intelligence and robots in services, as well as government measures and policies intended to provide assistance and interventions in service sectors.WBAF Virtual Roundtable:In-depth with Global Women Leaders in the face of Covid-19 in Services sectorDate: 21 July 2020Time: 4 pm GMT60 Minutes + 30 Minutes Q&AWelcome SpeechSwati Mandela, President, WBAF Global Woman Leaders Committee & High Commissioner for South AfricaKeynote SpeakerMarie-Christine Oghly, World President, World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM), Vice President of the GWL Committee, FranceModerator:Deniz Misir, Founder, V22 MFO, WBAF Senator for TurkeyPanelists:Danela Arsovska, President of the Macedonian Chambers of CommerceAsma Bashir, Chairman Centuro Global, WBAF Senator for UKAlexandra Lund, CEO Core Values Consulting, WBAF Senator for Cyprus

Yesterday, on 1st July 2020, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered the opportunity for residents of Hong Kong with British National Overseas (‘BNO’) status to settle in the UK and ultimately become citizens.This was in response to the National Security Law introduced in China, which is seen to violate the rights of Hong Kong residents and is a direct breach of the terms agreed when Great Britain ‘handed back’ Hong Kong to China.  This was the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ promise to grant residents of Hong Kong key liberties, as well as judicial and legislative autonomy, until at least 2047.This meant that while becoming part of one country with China, Hong Kong would enjoy "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs" for 50 years. As a result, Hong Kong has its own legal system and borders, and rights including freedom of assembly, free speech and freedom of the press are protected. What is the National Security Law?Pro-democracy protests have been ongoing in Hong Kong for over a year, with a fear that Beijing is overreaching with its role in HK governance and starting to breach the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ promise.China went on to introduce the National Security Law on Tuesday 30th June 2020, without any input from Hong Kong authorities. The law gives Beijing broad powers to crack down on a variety of political crimes, including separatism and collusion and it is feared that it will curtail the civil liberties of the residents of Hong Kong. Many fear a reign of terror and Hong Kong becoming a secret police state.Many Hong Kong residents will be looking to resettle elsewhere, and this new offer from the British Prime Minister opens up a new avenue.  What are the British settlement requirements? BNO Passport holders in Hong Kong were granted special status in the 1980s but currently have restricted rights and are only entitled to visa-free access to the UK for six months.Under the government's new plans, all British Overseas Nationals in Hong Kong and their dependants will be given right to remain in the UK, including the right to work and study, for five years. At this point, they will be able to apply for settled status, and after a further year, seek citizenship. What remains unansweredThere are currently 350,000 BNO passport holders, and about three million Hong Kong residents are eligible for BNO passports. These figures exclude dependants born after 1997 and so the number of total eligible applicants could be well over 3 million.Many questions remain unanswered including,Will the UK be ready to take in so many Hong Kong residents?Will there be enough jobs?Will BNO passport holders have recourse to public funds?Will they be covered by the NHS?It is also still unclear if the applications made by BNO passport holders will carry any costs or if there will be any other special conditions attached to their stay. China has also since retaliated and stated that it firmly opposes the British offer to Hong Kong residents and has urged Britain to stop “interfering”. We will have to wait and see how this plays out and the UK government will reveal more information in due course and we will keep readers up to date.For any immigration queries, get in touch with us now for a free consultation.

We hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion on Raising Investment During a Crisis on 20 May 2020. Our highly esteemed panel offered some incredibly valuable insights and provided many lessons for startups and investors alike. (A link to the recording of the webinar will be shared in due course - watch this space or sign up to our mailing list to be kept up to date). Read on for some of the main takeaways from the event. What investors are looking for The panel discussed the importance of a number of factors when looking for investment opportunities: Grit - A founder who can show that they are determined, have tenacity and can weather a storm will be the most successful. Just because COVID-19 has come along and impacted the world now, doesn’t mean something else won’t come along next year or in the future so you need to be able to demonstrate you can take on any challenge. Josh Romisher recommended the book “Grit: Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success” by Angela Duckworth as a great read. Trust & Integrity – Do not massage your financials to make them seem better than they are or exaggerate on your wins and successes. During the due diligence process your business will be laid bare and your integrity will be damaged if you have not been honest. Traction – With the current pandemic slowing business worldwide, the more traction you can show with your current business or a track record of previous successes the more likely you are to catch an investor’s eye. The less traction you have the harder it will be to convince investors to back you. Experience – The panel recommended that all founders invest in a startup themselves, even if it is only £500 or £1000, which you can do via many Crowdfunding platforms. Research companies yourself and track your investments as they grow. This will put you in the shoes of an investor and better equip you with the knowledge of how you should present yourself to potential investors. Sales - You need to be able to present well and capture the minds of the investors. If you can’t come across as convincing to investors, they will struggle to believe you will be able to sell your vision to your staff let alone your product or service to customers. Does approaching investors cold work? The panel also shared valuable advice on how to approach investors. Here’s a summary of their key recommendations: Peter Cowley – Warm introductions are always better than cold so make sure you network and befriend someone who may know an investor and can make the introduction for you. Target investors carefully and ensure you will be a good fit for them as investors typically have strict criteria relating to the companies they invest in ranging from sector, to growth stage, to founding team etc. Nicholas Russell – Think of reaching out to investors in the same way as reaching out to someone you’re interested in dating. Don’t just adopt a scatter gun approach and send the same message to hundreds of people bragging about how great you are and why they should pick you. You need to take the time to build a relationship and get to know each other first and offer them value. Tuba Terekli – It is very difficult to receive a response to a cold approach from investors as we receive countless LinkedIn messages, Whatsapps and emails daily with pitch requests and it just isn’t feasible to look at them all let alone respond. Building a relationship first is certainly key. How would you react if someone approached you on the street and started asking for things when you didn’t even know them? Do not start conversations by saying you are looking to fundraise from the get go. Build rapport, add value and then ask. Next Steps If you are looking to raise funds for your startup or require any advice on getting investor ready, or even more widely on business growth, do get in touch with us now. About Centuro Global Centuro Global offers leading business consultancy to help businesses go global. With over 20 years' experience working in legal services and management consultancy and an extensive global business network, we can help you scale your business and achieve your goals.  Services include:  Support finding investment and funding Helping businesses go global  Intellectual property advice  Start-up and Innovator Visas Business strategy and much more... 

Want to know how to impress investors and raise funding during these challenging times? We have gathered a formidable panel of investors and serial entrepreneurs within the Centuro network for a webinar on how to raise investment during a crisis, from an investor's perspective.Whether you are a start-up, a business facing tough decisions due to coronavirus or looking to grow and go global, our expert panel will share their years of experience with you on how to raise the funds to achieve your goals. Watch the webinar recording below:The event was hosted by Joshua Romisher, the CEO of LaunchLab, who has raised over $250 million in funding over the past 6 years.We covered: How have investors been affected by COVID-19?How to find opportunities for investmentWhat investors are looking forTips on fundraising both now and beyond COVID-19SPEAKERSPeter CowleyAwarded the accolade of Best Angel Investor in the World 2017 by the World Business Angel Investment Forum. He has also founded 14 of his own businesses in technology and construction.Tuba TerekliA serial investor funding companies globally over the past 15 years & founding the first accelerator program in Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Fast Growth 100 list.Nicholas RussellA serial entrepreneur from Silicon Valley and involved with a new initiative - Conception X, a venture builder that creates deep tech start-ups from PhDs. He has also mentored some of the most innovative and highly successful businesses in the tech sector.Josh RomisherA serial entrepreneur and former US banker, his array of ventures include a boutique investment bank in New York, a solar irrigation start-up in India, entering the solar sector in Africa and a frozen yoghurt franchise in San Francisco. Josh has been successful in raising funds of over $250 million in the past 6 years. ABOUT CENTURO GLOBAL Centuro Global offers leading business consultancy to help businesses go global. With over 20 years' experience working in legal services and management consultancy and an extensive global network, they can help you scale your business and achieve your goals. Services include:Support finding investment and fundingHelping businesses go globalIntellectual property adviceStart-up and Innovator VisasBusiness strategyand much more...Find out more and get in touch today.

The start up ecosystem has been growing exponentially for the past decade with many success stories. With billion dollar tech companies having disrupted the market and highly successful entrepreneurs, creating jobs and prosperity for the UK economy.This work is now under immense threat as the Covid 19 shutdown has imposed substantial harm to the start up environment. We are seeing an increasing number of companies running out of cash to survive this difficult period without any recourse to options or investors.What should the government be doing to support entrepreneurs and start ups in our economy?Should the government provide an equity based liquidity package or runway fund to help these businesses survive?We will be asking these and many other questions to our expert panel of speakers to find ways to support businesses who are still struggling to get through the current crisis.Whether you need to seek funding, or find alternative ways to manage your company, ask the experts during our webinar.Date: Wed, 22nd AprilTime: 14:00pm BSTREGISTER FREE TICKET._______________________________________________________________SPEAKERS:Philip SalterFounder, The Entrepreneurs NetworkPhilip Salter founded The Entrepreneurs Network in 2014 with the aim of building an organisation with the aim of helping make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business.Philip was previously Business Features Editor of City A.M. where he wrote a weekly column on entrepreneurship and interviewed many of Britain’s leading entrepreneurs.He is a frequent speaker at conferences, writes a column for Forbes on entrepreneurship and appears regularly elsewhere in the media.View Linkedin profile, here.Henry WhorwoodHenry leads Beauhurst’s Research and Consultancy team. He is an expert on business finance and has worked on briefs for clients including the British Business Bank, Penningtons Manches, Syndicate Room, and Innovate UK. Henry regularly gives presentations on market trends at events around the country. He studied Classics at the University of Oxford.View Linkedin profile, here.Asma BashirAsma has worked in the legal services industry for most of her career, having been with multinational law firms before she established her own practice. Asma went on to found Newland Chase, where she worked for 13 years before the firm was eventually acquired by an American corporation.She is now a mentor on the Mayor's International Business Programme as well as a Senator for the World Business Angel Forum. Asma has worked with both multinational clients and SME's to help them expand into complex regions across the world. Her specialist skills are to match entrepreneurs and scaling companies to the right investor either for funding, merger or acquisition.View Linkedin profile, here. REGISTER FREE TICKET.

Corona Correction For Startups Webinar Series #1.Join us for our Corona Correction Series, designed to help you navigate through challenges facing your business due to COVID-19.About this Event:In the first of four webinars, we will delve into the relief package made available by the UK government and how you can access it.The UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has announced numerous government support packages which businesses in the UK may be eligible for including a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, business grants, rates relief and more. Not all of these may be right for your business, and you may be left confused about your next steps.We have brought together experts from various fields to help you understand what your options are to get your business through these trying times. We will clarify the various relief options and how you can actually access this support on a practical level. There will also be a Q&A to provide you free advice for your business as well as a chance to network and hear from peers.__________________________________________________________________________________________SPEAKERS:Tim Stovold, tax Partner at Moore Kingston Smith who specialises in complex tax issues with extensive experience in start up businesses as well as entrepreneurs will offer advice and tips on how to access the government grants and funding for your business.Tim works with businesses throughout their lifecycle, from developing appropriate business structures and fundraising for owner-managed businesses, through growth and expansion to exit and succession planning. His portfolio of clients includes individuals, small and medium sized businesses, the UK operations of large international groups and publicly listed companies in the UK and worldwide. Tim also has extensive experience providing guidance and insight for Indian clients who wish to invest or start a business in the UK.View Tim on LinkedIn here.Zack Topuzov, Finance Specialist at a fast growing technology start up Smarkets, Zack will discuss considerations all businesses should be making and the benefits of each of the relief options enabling you to better understand the pros and cons.Zack's skills and experience are highly valued by entrepreneurs as he has a unique insight into analysing clients' financial models and providing accurate and realistic projections to be successful.View Zack on LinkedIn here.Host: Asma BashirChairman of Centuro Global, Asma worked in the legal services industry for most of her career, having been with multinational law firms before she established her own practice. She is a mentor on the Mayor's International Business Programme as well as a Senator for the World Business Angel Forum.View Asma on LinkedIn here.