Last week, Epic’s CEO Jonathan Satchell joined a UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) trade delegation to China led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. Below, he shares his thoughts and insights about this very special opportunity.
When I was invited by the UKTI to join the China trade delegation of UK tech companies, I was immediately excited by the opportunity to represent the UK learning technologies industry. Epic has worked closely with UKTI during our expansion and opening of our Brazil and US offices, so I knew that the visit would be both well organised and valuable. And the fact that it was to be led by the Chancellor, who would be able to provide high-level access and helpful insight on how UK companies can start trading in China, made the trip all the more appealing.
Of course this type of opportunity would be exciting under any circumstances, but the fact that Epic was just one week away from announcing its intention to list on the London Stock Exchange meant that I would be getting great exposure to a high growth market at a perfect time. The chief aim of Epic’s reverse takeover of In-Deed plc – to be renamed Learning Technologies Group plc – is to fund and grow a global learning technologies agency with new businesses across the globe, including China.
The three-day delegation was a whirlwind experience of flights and exclusive opportunities, including visits to the leading Chinese tech companies Huawei, Sina, Tencent and Baidu. It was also a fantastic chance to network with my fellow delegates, who represented a range of innovative and exciting companies, including Mike Lynch founder of Autonomy; Ian Livingstone, creator of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider series and Lee Cameron of Monitise.
For my part, I had some very interesting conversations with new Chinese contacts about partnering with local organisations to deliver mobile learning. China has 1.2 billion mobile phone users so there is ample opportunity for a company like Epic, with our experience and background in creating rich mobile and multi-device learning content. I’m personally extremely excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
Visiting with the Chancellor certainly opened doors. Our upcoming listing on AIM will provide us with the capital to expand our business internationally. So we have all the right ingredients for success – and China is the top of our list.
To learn more about Learning Technologies Group and its objectives, visit the website and watch a short video from Jonathan.