UKTI has helped The Luxury Network International become a world leader in luxury brand partnership marketing.

The Luxury Network International (TLN) is the world’s leading luxury affinity marketing, partnerships and events group is private invitation only, business-to-business club of luxury brands and high-end service providers now has over 500 members worldwide and operates within 27 international regions.

Members at senior director level work together for mutual business and client development across all areas of the top end market to access each other’s pre qualified high net worth private clients.

In 2010, fuelled by the dramatic rise of emerging luxury markets around the world and having been approached by several overseas organisations, The Luxury Network decided to ask UKTI for help with research into the global marketplace and advice on how to build international credibility for TLN’s new franchise business.

“The luxury market attracts many unscrupulous companies and global investors are naturally wary of entering into new ventures with an unknown business. I knew that working with a professional government agency such as UKTI would give us credibility abroad and encourage more potential franchise partners to trust and work closely with us,” explains Fares Ghattas, Global CEO.

An initial meeting with trade adviser Anton Rudgalvis led to an ongoing seven-year relationship with UKTI through which TLN has commissioned over 20 Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) reports.

“The OMIS is a bespoke business tool, which lets UK companies make use of the services of trade teams, located in our embassies, high commissions and consulates across the world, to benefit their business,” explains Anton.

“It gives companies good, impartial market information and in TLN’s case it provided valuable insights into the numerous companies supplying luxury products and services in those countries.”

In 2013 an OMIS focused on Singapore and a subsequent launch party co hosted with UKTI support provided a significant breakthrough for TLN resulting in 45 new members including big names such as Audi, Savills and Ferrari.

Anton explains: “TLN gave us a list of product groups they wanted to target in Singapore. Using the Commercial Officers in the British High Commission a list of 100 key contacts was produced in target sectors and each company was personally contacted.

“A letter was sent on High Commission embossed letterhead, introducing TLN and inviting each company to attend a launch event in Singapore in November 2013. The event was a huge success with over 350 guests and was attended by the British High Commissioner of Singapore who acted as an ambassador for the organisation.”

“The British High Commissioner made a wonderful speech and then stayed to talk with my guests for over two hours. You can’t buy that sort of credible third party endorsement.”

Thanks to further support from UKTI, TLN is soon to open new offices in Hong Kong, Miami, Singapore, Shanghai, Istanbul, The Caribbean, Oslo and Madrid in the next six months and its membership is growing by 5-10 new members per month around the world.

“Our trade adviser Anton is extremely knowledgeable. He has lived abroad and travelled extensively and the network of contacts he has built up has proven invaluable to my business,” said Irene Ho, TLN Singapore Ceo adding: “I will definitely work with UKTI going forward in Singapore.”

To find out more about UK Trade and Investment services in the East of England contact your local International Trade team:

Tel: 0845 641 9955

Email: info@uktieast.org.uk

Website: www.ukti.gov.uk

* This article is also published at the Business Weekly website.