20140130 Media Release – FIEA Forest Investment and Market Outlook Conference (FIMO2014)
The Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) is running the 3rd biennial forest industry investment conference – Forest Investment and Market Outlook – in Auckland on 9–10th April 2014. It will be held at the Crowne Plaza Auckland at 128 Albert Street in the city. This
latest conference will focus on strengthening ties between the equity investment, finance and forest products industries
in Australia and now globally. Timberland investment company New Forests are confirmed at the Principal Conference
Sponsor.
New Zealand’s key industry associations have also indicated their support for this pan-industry meeting.
The list of keynote speakers includes:
• Kevin Mason, Managing Director, Equity Research Associates, BC, Canada
• Gary Myers, Principal, Timberlink – Timber Advisors to Institutional Investors, Georgia, USA
• Brooks Mendell, President, Forisk Consulting, Georgia, USA
The global recession has forced many industries to review their attitudes to risk and industry growth. Meanwhile renewal
in the forest and wood products industry, particularly in Australasia, has brought new opportunities to the fore. Many
of the countries that are key buyers of our wood exports are now beginning to emerge from the recession.
“With many timberland investments around the globe continued to perform well during the global financial crisis, equity
investors are now very focused on this investment class. FIEA is bringing some the key timber investment advisors to
Australasia to inform industry leaders of where they need to be positioned to make the most of current changes for their
businesses,” says John Stulen event director for FIEA.
Forestry is also poised to pick up a greater share of the equity investment resources that could make for huge change
and growth in this industry.
“Forest products companies in many countries now have huge export opportunities into China and Asia. It’s about both
investment and market opportunities and it works both ways. The time is right for senior managers in the Australasian
forest products industry to learn more about these. Our speakers are all well-versed in these subjects and are willing
to share their insights”, says Mr Stulen.
“In addition to China’s continued appetite for imported wood it is vital for people to understand how to build
relationships with the key players in Asia and China specifically. We’ve dedicated two key sessions in this high-level
conference to the subject of building relationships between the Australasian and Chinese industries.
New Zealand has surged ahead with wood exports to China and there is a degree of learning that can come from their
people’s experience on that front”, added Stulen, who is the conference organiser.
“Finance and investment industry leaders and executives will also learn a lot from the collection of local experts in
key areas where Australasian forestry has some challenges to solve. We have always attracted a strong group of CEOs and
senior managers to this conference on investment and markets. We’ve worked hard again to bring an informative line-up of
speakers to help people get some real insight for their own strategies and tactics for business growth”, he added.
It’s also vital that investment advisers and financiers are more aware of the global factors that will affect future
forest and forest products developments in New Zealand and Australia. This pan-industry conference will include key
international forestry investment experts who will provide that global view. The conference runs on the 9th & 10th April 2014 at the Crowne Plaza Auckland. In Australia the conference runs on the 14th & 15th April 2014 at the Bayview Eden Hotel in Melbourne. Registration can be done easily by phone on 1800 126 398 or by
going online at www.fimo2014.com
ENDS