AS PROOF OF ITS INTEREST IN ATLANTA AS A CENTER FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INVEST IN FRANCE AGENCY (IFA) HAS RESERVED A LOCAL TELEPHONE NUMBER WHICH WILL REACH ITS REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS IN HOUSTON WITHOUT A CALLER INCURRING ANY LONG DISTANCE CHARGES. THAT NUMBER IS (404) 681-4539.
IFA IS THE FRENCH GOVERNMENTAL BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT AND ITS HOUSTON OFFICE WILL PROVIDE LOCAL COMPANIES WITH INFORMATION AND SERVICES ABOUT THE EUROPEAN MARKET TO ASSIST THEM IN SETTING UP OR EXPANDING OPERATIONS IN FRANCE.
ACCORDING TO CLIFFORD KOUTSKY, DIRECTOR OF IFA’S ACTIVITIES IN THE U.S. SOUTH, THE AGENCY CURRENTLY IS FOCUSING ON PROMOTING FRANCE AS A SOLID BASE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS INCLUDING THE CAPABILITIES OF ITS WORKFORCE AND ITS OWN COMPANIES’ AND UNIVERSITIES’ ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIELD.
DURING HIS MOST RECENT VISIT TO ATLANTA LAST WEEK, MR. KOUTSKY TOLD GLOBALFAX THAT BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF LOCAL COMPANIES INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION RELATED HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS, HE ANTICIPATES THAT HE WILL BE SPENDING MORE TIME HERE THAN EVER.
LAST YEAR, HE SAID, HIS OFFICE WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH LOGISTICS ISSUES AND FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES WITH THE HIGH POINT BEING FEDERAL EXPRESS’ DECISION TO EXPAND ITS EUROPEAN HUB AT PARIS/CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT.
MR. KOUTSKY ALSO DESCRIBED THE SORTS OF INFLUENCE THE AGENCY CAN BRING TO BEAR AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, AS IT DID ON BEHALF OF FEDEX, IN RESOLVING CONCERNS OF U.S. COMPANIES ABOUT EITHER EXPANDING THEIR OPERATIONS OR LOCATING IN FRANCE
MR. KOUTSKY WILL NEXT BE IN ATLANTA TO ATTEND THE NETWORLD + INTEROP CONFERENCE WHICH WILL ATTRACT 50,000 TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS AND INDUSTRY INSIDERS HERE WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18, THROUGH FRIDAY, SEPT. 20, AT THE WORLD CONGRESS CENTER.
HE ENCOURAGED REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES TO CONTACT HIM IN HOUSTON. HE ADDED THAT HE WILL PROVIDE TO ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED THREE NEW STUDIES CONCERNING OPPORTUNITIES IN EUROPE FOR COMPUTER HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKING.
IFA’S FAX NUMBER IN HOUSTON IS (713) 266-9884.