B2B (business-to-business) brand strategy consulting firm StrategiCom sets foot in Europe with an office in Zurich from 1st March 2006. Leading the consulting team is Principal Consultant, Paolo Seeben. The office is located 15 minutes outside of Zurich in Lake Horgen where most SMEs are located. This move will boost StrategiCom’s presence in Europe and will further enhance the firm’s global coverage. With StrategiCom’s focus sector on SMEs, this launch comes both timely and appropriate as the SME sectors of Switzerland and the regional economies of Germany, Austria, France and Italy are rapidly growing into Asia.

Principal Consultant Paolo Seeben, “Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the country's most important economic center with a strong service industry. Our financial services and technology companies are constantly looking to Asian markets. Global connectivity through our offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore will position us as the ideal and preferred B2B brand consulting company. Burgeoning SMEs are found in the light industry such as machine, textile and technology industries. There is certainly a huge role for us here.”

The Zurich Stock Exchange (SWX Swiss Exchange), established in 1877, is the fourth most prominent stock exchange in the world. Hailed as the world's largest gold trading center, over 6,500 new companies were founded in the canton of Zurich and currently over 6,000 new dwellings are constructed each year. Ten of the country's 50 largest companies have their head offices in Zurich.

Central European SMEs are known to be world-class companies. “There are over 300,000 SMEs in Switzerland providing work for over 70% of the approximate total 3.5 million workforce; forming the backbone of the Swiss economy,” Mr Seeben. Enterprises big and small across the globe are becoming more aware of the value corporate brand strategies can provide. It is about creating unique identities and positions for the business as a whole and distinguishing from competitors.

It is StrategiCom’s corporate belief that while strategy and execution are both important for a brand’s success, strategy must take lead because a flawed strategy, no matter how brilliantly executed, will not generate positive results. As such, StrategiCom across the world uses a common and structured process within our proprietary methodologies specifically designed for the B2B companies for the development of corporate and product brands.

“Our methodologies and processes, when applied to an organisation, reveal perception gaps in the minds of customers which the organisation can take advantage of in finding white spaces (uncontested territory) and further maneuver their brand; filling those critical gaps. These rigorous processes will also validate strategies before they are implemented to ensure that companies are executing sound strategies. This will be our focus in Central Europe going forward. This is what StrategiCom stands for,” said Mr Seeben.