Exotic new business venture for Yorkshire entrepreneur

A TRIP to exotic Mauritius to open a new overseas office has marked the birth of yet another venture for Yorkshire entrepreneur Jim Hart.

Mr Hart, who is chief executive of Saltaire-based The European Marketing Agency (TEMA), was on the island to open a new IT spare parts service.

The branch will represent one of the world’s largest IT suppliers and aims to cutt current supply times by half.

The island’s refreshing atmosphere and relaxed approach to business gave Mr Hart the idea for a new business – Business Holidays Indian Ocean Islands – which will enable business leaders across the world to connect.

The first exclusive event will be aimed at the information communication technology (ICT) industry and is expected to take place in the first week of November.

The three day conference will bring together the most influential business leaders with several inspirational speakers focused on the topic of growth markets.

Mr Hart is urging other UK firms to consider setting up business on an Indian Ocean island following his experience.

“You need a plane ticket, a few formal papers and a Mauritanian resident director,” he said.

“Places like Mauritius, Madagascar and the Seychelles provide an amazing location for meeting other business people and venturing out to the market.”

TEMA is set to open further overseas offices in countries such as India, Senegal, Cameroon and Russia.

Sales for the group are expected to increase by 30% by the year end.

TEMA offers a multi-lingual operation offering PR, marketing and advertising support to firms that either want to break into Europe and markets or expand their business there as well as sales support and handle telephone calls and e-mail enquiries for clients in their customers’ languages.

Mr Hart also heads the Queen’s Award-winning business Europlus Direct, an IT services company with an international workforce from 11 countries.