• MALTESE CABINET MINISTER PAYS VISIT TO AUSTIN....
• Sada Cumber, Texas Global principal, is appointed as Honorary Consul of Malta ....
• Sada Cumber, Texas Global principal, speaks to world leaders at 2005 Commonwealth Business Forum....
• The Honorable Geoff Connor, Texas Global principal, discusses Texas business opportunities with Japanese political and business leaders ....
• James Viray, Texas Global Senior Consultant, assists in post-tsunami reconstruction in Banda Aceh....

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His Excellency Dr. Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta, with the Honorable Sada Cumber

(AUSTIN, January 24, 2006) — Today, the U. S. Department of State confirmed the appointment of Sada Cumber, Texas Global prinicpal, as Honorary Consul of Malta. “The Embassy of Malta is pleased to recognize Sada Cumber to this position,” said John Lowell, Maltese Ambassador to the United States. “His official duties as an Honorary Consular Officer will be a principal engine for driving growth in the Maltese economy.” In his new position, Cumber will work closely with the Maltese government, the State of Texas and the Texas energy sector to foster increased commercial interaction. Mr. Cumber also seeks to develop a partnership between The University of Malta and The University of Texas that will improve and diversify the educational systems of both institutions.

“I look forward to improving the relationship between the State of Texas and Malta while developing opportunities for the people of both regions,” said Mr. Cumber. “Malta’s strategic location, industrial infrastructure and quality of living make it an ideal entry point for companies looking to do business in the region, particularly many Texas-based companies in the energy and health sectors. “

The Republic of Malta, strategically located and pro-business in spirit, presents significant economic opportunities for Texas-based businesses. Mr. Cumber’s efforts will promote Malta and facilitate its adoption as a business gateway into neighboring, oil-rich Libya — from which the United States has recently lifted trade restrictions. Malta’s political stability, competitive labor costs and well-established healthcare and education systems provide an ideal working environment for professional Americans and their families living abroad. English is an official language in Malta and is very widely spoken.

(AUSTIN, November 2005) — Sada Cumber, Texas Global principal, was a featured speaker at the 2005 Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) held in Malta in November 2005. Over six hundred global business and government leaders, including eleven Heads of State and European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, attended the CBF. Mr. Cumber drew from his expertise on entrepreneur commercialization in the global community to speak on “Access to Markets and Capital” before a Plenary Session of the CBF.

“Collaboration between academia, private and public sectors is important to create high-paying jobs and a strong middle-class. A successful middle-class will nurture civil society, good governance, transparency, capacity and better quality of life for every citizen,” said Cumber in a recent interview at the Austin Technology Incubator in Texas.

The CBF customized eight plenary sessions to a particular sector and enlisted speakers from among the world’s top-echelon business professionals. Mr. Cumber addressed the Plenary Session, “Making Globalization Succeed: Key Issues in the Future.” The session debated issues central in the success of making globalization work in the future and included topics such as energy, technology and access to finance and markets.

Cumber, who was recently appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to the Texas Economic Development Board, highlighted business incubation centers and centers for innovation and commercialization as effective ways to start up and reach critical mass. He mentioned the $200 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund as a good model. Other speakers in the session included Mr. James Smith, Chairman of Shell UK; and Dr. Pascal Dozie, Chairman and CEO of Diamond Bank, Nigeria.

The CBF brought together business leaders and heads of government and senior ministers from around the world to establish new business contacts, review business policies and assess government policies. The Commonwealth is the second-largest trading bloc in the world, exceeding even the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Commonwealth trading bloc has a trade value of two trillion dollars constituting twenty-two percent of all global trade. It links fifty-three countries and 1.7 billion people.

(AUSTIN, December 2005) – The Honorable Geoff Connor, Texas Global principal, traveled to Japan in December 2005 as an official guest of the Ministry of Trade and Commerce. Connor gave a keynote address on international trade and investment at an economic development conference in Matsue. Additionally, Connor met with officials from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Tokyo to discuss business opportunities for Texas and Japanese companies. He followed these talks with tours of businesses and firms interested in the Texas market.

“Texas has been partners with Japan since the first rice farmers arrived here in the 19th Century. Japan has been a top trading partner of Texas for decades and has invested billions in the Texas economy” Connor said.

Assisted by Texas Global, a delegation from Japan’s Shimane Prefecture will visit Texas in February 2006 for business and government appointments.

Connor’s visit marked a continuation of his good relations with Japanese political and business leaders. During his time as Texas Secretary of State, Connor led a trade mission to Japan and worked closely with JETRO to promote economic ties between Texas and Japan. In 2004, Secretary Connor hosted a delegation from Shimane Prefecture led by Governor Sumita. The two officials signed a trade promotion agreement focused on nanotechnology. The program is administered by the Texas Governor's Office.

(AUSTIN, January 2005) — James Viray, Texas Global Senior Consultant, traveled to Indonesia and Sri Lanka in January 2005. Viray provided his international development expertise to an international non-governmental organization (NGO) offering assistance to survivors of the 2004 tsunami.

“You can’t just throw money at a project and expect it to succeed. Including input from the eventual beneficiaries in each community and gaining the support of the relevant government officials are critical to an effective project,” Viray explained.

Viray’s expertise helped design a reconstruction project that emphasized grassroots community participation and coordination with local government officials. The project will eventually provide housing to over ten thousand families in Indonesia’s Aceh province. The Aceh province suffered the most loss among the areas in the tsunami-devastated region.