Mangalore: ‘Magnet’ draws business magnates together in the city

Mangalore: ‘Magnet’ draws business magnates together in the city

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April 6, 2014: Rachna Catholic Chamber of Commerce & Industry hosted a world convention of Mangalorean businessmen and entrepreneurs at TMA Pai Convention Centre in the city today.

Aptly called ’Magnet-2014’, the conference was inaugurated by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore diocese. To mark the inauguration of this event which dealt with business and commerce, he opened a little treasure chest brimming with golden coins which spilled out and sprinkled on the floor, creating much dramatic effect. This was to signify abundance of wealth for the community.

 

 

Along with the Bishop, Rachana president Ivan D’Souza, Richard Saldanha, former chairman and CEO of Unilever (Peru), Abraham Chacko, executive director of Federal Bank, Walter D’Souza, convener of Magnet-2014, Derek Lobo, programme committee convener, and Marcel Monteiro, general secretary of Magnet-2014 were present on the dais.

Richard Saldanha delivered the keynote address on the subject, ’Build brands to build international business’. He emphasized the need for brand building to build sound businesses.

In his address Bishop Dr Aloysius D’Souza appreciated the efforts of Rachana in organizing such a mammoth event in the city. He observed that of late Rachana had been helping young entrepreneurs to set up business and the organization’s focus has shifted from celebrating individual success to fostering the growth of the community as a whole.
 
Speaking on ’Exim trade’, Abraham Chacko compared the economies of Kerala, Singapore and also Mangalore and said the city offered plentiful of opportunities for export-import business due to the convergence of all four modes of transport, like road, rail, air and sea.

Two beneficiaries who had availed funding from Rachana Cooperative Society to become entrepreneurs were felicitated on the occasion. The honorees were Anil, who has started Rachana printing press and Joyce Dais who runs homemade products business.

Ivan D’Souza welcomed the gathering and Walter D’Souza highlighted the themes and objectives of ’Magnet-2014’. Marcel Monteiro thanked the gathering.

The convention includes an industrial products exhibition.