Frontier Strategy Group - Emerging Market Insights: Recent Episodes
Frontier Strategy Group
Frontier Strategy Group (FSG) is the leading information services provider for emerging markets executives. Through a robust offering of research, analytics, data and network of expertise, FSG partners with business leaders at over 200 multinationals to power their emerging markets business strategies. FSG's Emerging Markets Insights podcast series provides 20 to 30 minute briefings on markets, emerging issues, and strategic business analysis. If you would like more information about FSG's services, please send an e-mail to info@frontierstrategygroup.com
DuckerFrontier's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Analyst for Southeast Asia, Ashu Agarwal, discuss the research report on “Channel Design in ASEAN”, including how Southeast Asia fits within MNCs APAC portfolio, key factors to identify an ideal go-to-market strategy for the ASEAN markets, and common approaches to boost channel effectiveness.
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Practice Leader for South Asia, Pratima Singh, discuss the recently released report on “Winning in a More Competitive India”, including the current outlook for the economy, the four key factors driving increased competition, FSG’s Four P’s strategic framework, and 10 tactics that help MNCs outperform in an increasingly competitive India.
Mark McNamee - Europe Practice Leader, Athanasia Kokkinogeni - WEUR Analyst and Martin Belchev - CEE Analyst discuss if MNCs should consider populism a risk, an opportunity or business-as-usual for their firms across Europe
Rising competition and payer budget challenges have resulted in continuously increasing pricing pressures for multinational healthcare (HC) companies operating in emerging markets. While investment in R&D and further sector consolidation will be important to continue driving revenue and profit growth, multinational healthcare companies have also begun looking more at how they can drive additional differentiation (and therefore improve commercial results) by providing value-added services (VAS). In this podcast, we explore some of the types of value-added services healthcare companies can provide, what the major challenges are for monetizing these services, and what the future of integrated healthcare solutions might look like.
FSG’s CEO, Rich Leggett, and Practice Leader for SSA, Will Attwell, discuss how multinationals can improve their performance in SSA by selling to the region’s largest customers – those in the public sector. They assess opportunities to drive new sales to this relatively under-penetrated segment, unpack the challenges and complexities involved, and point to approaches executives can use to target their efforts and resources more effectively.
North-East Asia Senior Analyst, Josef Jelinek, and Director of Asia Pacific Research, Adam Jarczyk, discuss China's Belt and Road Initiative and its implications for multinational companies. This podcast extracts the key takeaways from FSG's recently published report of the same title, providing clarity on an opaque initiative that will wash over executives' markets, at a time when they are under increasing pressure to hit ever higher targets.
Earlier in April, FSG hosted a client webinar to discuss the latest on US-China trade tensions, NAFTA negotiations, and US steel and aluminum tariffs. This podcast extracts the key takeaways from the webinar, providing clarity on these rapidly moving global events and highlighting and the implications for your business
Earlier in April, FSG hosted a client webinar to discuss the latest on US-China trade tensions, NAFTA negotiations, and US steel and aluminum tariffs. This podcast extracts the key takeaways from the webinar, providing clarity on these rapidly moving global events and highlighting and the implications for your business
Western Europe Analyst, Athanasia Kokkinogeni, and Practice Leader for Europe, Mark McNamee, discuss Brexit and its implications for multinational companies. Regardless of its final outcome, the UK’s exit from the European Union will reshape the operating environment for MNCs in the UK.
Western Europe Analyst, Athanasia Kokkinogeni, and Practice Leader for Europe, Mark McNamee, discuss about the improved WEUR outlook for Q2, sharing strategic insights for executives to win in this market in transition.
Managing Director for FSG’s Global Channel Practice, Ryan Brier, and Practice Leader for South Asia, Pratima Singh, analyze the impact of India’s Goods and Services Tax on multinationals’ channel strategies and discuss how executives can effectively capture the gains from a changing distribution landscape.
FSG's CEO Rich Leggett and Practice Leader for South Asia Pratima Singh discuss the outlook for India over the next several months, the opportunities and risks facing the economy, the newly released government budget, and the implications for MNC executives operating in the country.
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Global Economics Director Antonio Martinez discuss the Events to Watch for 2018 report, including the the methodology behind the report, the events that may disrupt multinational business performance and operations, and the importance of contingency planning in emerging markets
Western European markets will record strong performance in 2018, after risks subsided during 2017. However, multinationals are unlikely to see a considerable acceleration in consumer and business demand in 2018 unless governments implement reforms. As macroeconomic conditions remain favorable, competition will increase. With careful execution and a special focus on customer segmentation and redefinition of value proposition, MNCs can capture the solid opportunities across the region in 2018. This podcast details what companies should expect in the region next year and what opportunities and risks should be on their team's agendas as part of 2018 planning.
FSG held its annual Moscow breakfast with clients in September, where clients indicated their concerns over pressure from corporate to hit rising revenue targets in 2018 after a mild uptick in demand in 2017. However, nearly all firms noted that rising costs were a concern in the market and therefore high pressure on margins causing companies to increasingly focus on getting more value out of their channel in order to improve profitability. In this podcast, FSG's Senior Analyst for Europe Mark McNamee discusses the outlook for the market in 2018 and how companies are preparing to respond to it in their Russia strategies.
FSG's CEO Richard Leggett and MENA Practice Leader Zeynep Kosereisoglu discuss how MNCs must adapt their value offering to their customers in the GCC to manage the region's economic slowdown and its increasingly complicated operating environment
Western European markets will grow by 1.7% YOY in 2017—South Europe will exceed this growth, with Spain and Portugal leading the way. South Europe suffered the most from the 2008/2009 financial and 2012/2013 debt crises, but since then has been recovering because of strong exports—primarily tourism—and consumer demand. South Europe will be an attractive opportunity for B2C and B2B MNCs because of its improving fundamentals and low-cost environment
Ukraine has faced an extremely tumultuous period over the past three years and is beginning to recover and exit its recession. As MNCs are increasingly trying to anticipate the outlook for the market in the coming years and make strategic decisions regarding investments in the country, Ukraine is starting to return to focus. Our Senior Analyst for Europe, Mark McNamee, discusses his latest view on the market and insights from the ground from his most recent trip to Ukraine.
Political uncertainty subsides for the region, and economic fundamentals slowly strengthen, creating additional opportunities for multinationals. However, an acceleration in growth beyond current levels is unlikely, as unemployment remains high and reforms are slow. In this podcast, FSG's Western Europe analyst Athanasia Kokkinogeni discusses the outlook for Western Europe and its impact for multinationals ahead of H2 2017.
China is currently undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime transition to a consumption- and services-based growth model. To facilitate this transition, the government has embarked on an ambitious urbanization drive to turn tens of millions of rural farmers into urban consumers. The government has a detailed blueprint outlining how it intends to implement this project. A key component is targeting city clusters as the country’s core economic structure over the coming years. Companies who familiarize themselves with this program and adopt a clustering strategy of their own will benefit from additional scale and a more efficient use of resources. To that end, FSG has developed a tool that will enable MNCs to identify the cities and clusters of most value to their business. Executives should consider using this tool to align their organization’s approach to China with the government’s city-cluster development model.
FSG's CEO Rich Leggett and Director for Global Economics Antonio Martinez discuss the outlook for the healthcare industry in Latin America, focusing on the short-term outlook, long-term opportunities and challenges, and strategies for success in a changing landscape for pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Western European markets are recovering at a moderate pace as market conditions gradually improve. However, a number of downside risks in the political sphere and the region’s banking sector will weigh on business and consumer confidence during 2017, making planning more complex for multinational companies looking to accelerate growth in the region
Mexico confronts potential disruptions to its economic model due to the renegotiation of NAFTA and the increasing likelihood of a populist president coming to power in 2018. FSG's Director for Global Economics Antonio Martinez discusses what's next for Mexico and how multinationals can prepare for persistent uncertainty over the coming year.
After a turbulent week with a government reshuffle and sovereign ratings downgrades, executives need to adjust expectations about South Africa, but also assess which aspects of the market environment are likely to remain unchanged. In this podcast, FSG's Senior Analyst for Sub-Saharan Africa William Attwell discusses what's next for the market and how multinationals need to adjust.
FSG's CEO Rich Leggett and EMEA Research Managing Director Martina Bozadzhieva discuss the outlook for EMEA over the next several months, and the risks EMEA leadership teams should be monitoring that could derail relatively strong economic performance in Q1 2017. They also cover emerging opportunities across the region, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and industries benefiting from shifts in market conditions.
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Practice Leader for South Asia, Pratima Singh, discuss the India Subnational Prioritization report, including the importance of state-level prioritization in India, the methodology, and the main findings of the state prioritization exercise.
Senior Analyst for Russia, Mark McNamee, and Western Europe Analyst Athanasia Kokkinogeni, discuss Russia's medium-term political and economic outlook. As multinationals review their three- to five-year plans for Russia, it's essential for them to link these macro trends to both the risks and opportunities their businesses would need to navigate over the next several years.
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Southeast Asia Analyst Chua Cheng Siew, discuss the outlook for Vietnam as it implements reforms to improve business conditions. They examine the drivers behind the country's fast growing economy, as well as the trends and risks in an increasingly urbanized Vietnam.
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett and Managing Director for FSG's Global Channel Practice, Ryan Brier, discuss the management interventions that tend to yield the greatest improvements in distributor performance in emerging markets.
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Senior SSA Analyst William Attwell, discuss the outlook for Ethiopia as it recovers following a period of political unrest and severe drought. They assess the drivers behind the country’s robust economic growth, examining how MNCs can capitalize on the country’s 100-million strong population, and the government’s ambitious investment-driven development program.
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Global Economics Practice Leader Antonio Martinez discuss the Events to Watch for 2017 report, including the the methodology behind the report, the events that may disrupt multinational business performance and operations, and the importance of contingency planning in emerging markets
FSG's Middle East & North Africa team discusses the recent economic reforms in Egypt and their impact on MNCs' pricing strategies in the market.
FSG's CEO Richard Leggett and lead MENA Analyst Zeynep Kosereisoglu discuss the implications of the OPEC deal for MENA markets and the Outlook for Qatar in 2017
The market is set to exit its severe slowdown in 2017 thanks to a minimal increase in energy prices and rising public investment. MNCs can get ahead of the competition to capitalize on growing opportunities into 2018 by increasing their focus on their channel and targeting more resilient customer segments
As Russia exits its two-year recession, primarily thanks to the mild rise in energy prices, MNCs will see very gradual improvements in the market in the next 12 months. Consumer and business demand will only increase moderately as inflation slows and industrial activity picks up minimally. Firms should ecxpect increasingly conservative government spending in 2017, as fiscal conditions remain tight
FSG's CEO, Richard Leggett, and Global Economics Practice Leader Antonio Martinez discuss the Global Outlook for 2017, including the trajectory for the emerging global growth drivers, the priority actions for multinationals, and the outlook for major markets and geographies in 2017.
The minor rise in oil prices in 2017 will limit growth across CIS. The major energy exporters will continue to struggle because of their over-reliance on energy revenues while energy importers will see growth rebound more strongly. MNCs should focus on customer segmentation while identifying opportunities in smaller markets with stronger growth potential to offset slower growth elsewhere.
The Philippines is a rising star among the Southeast Asian economies after recording high growth for the past few years. Domestic consumption will be the main growth engine. While the previous administration tried to tackle crime and infrastructure woes with little results, the new president, Rodrigo Duterte, is going all out to change things
Nigeria's economy remains under pressure from currency depreciation, slowing growth, and policy uncertainty. In this podcast, we discuss what MNCs should include in their plans for the market going forward, what risks they should prepare for, and where in the market opportunities remain.
Listen to Anna Rosenberg, Head of FSG's Sub-Saharan Africa practice as she discusses the outlook for Kenya for the next 12 months.
2017 will continue to pose challenges to many SSA markets. Currency volatility, low commodity prices, and slow growth in large markets will continue to put pressure on SSA, but their effect will vary depending on countries' quality of governance. MNCs must revisit their market portfolios and adapt country and subregional strategies, particularly in targeting specific customer segments.
FSG's latest podcast on Kenya's distribution landscape including strategy recomendations to help you optimize your channel in East Africa's most attractive economy.
Currency volatility, competitive pressures, and more price-sensitive customers are pressuring MNCs’ emerging-market pricing processes and strategies. In this podcast, we discuss key insights from FSG's latest research on how companies should adapt their pricing processes to win in this environment.
Despite a mild improvement in market conditions, volatility in EMEA will continue throughout the rest of 2016. FSG's CEO Richard Leggett and head of EMEA research Martina Bozadzhieva discuss the outlook for the EMEA region in H2 2016 and 2017 and the key trends that MNCs need to monitor and adapt to in the coming months.
MNCs are entering Côte d’Ivoire at a rapid pace, attracted by pro-business government policies, sound macroeconomic fundamentals, and a stable political outlook. FSG senior analysts Alexa Lion and Mark McNamee dive into the reasons, past and present, for Côte d’Ivoire's dramatic rise and the opportunities this creates for multinationals.
In this podcast, FSG's Europe Senior Analyst Mark McNamee discusses the potential for Brexit and its implications for the UK and EU business environments. While still unlikely, the odds of Brexit have increased in the weeks leading up to the vote on June 23rd. MNCs need to plan for the day after, assessing the impact on currencies as well as local partners and operations.
As more multinational companies operate across an increasingly diverse portfolio of emerging markets, it is now more important than ever to clearly outline what data can and cannot do.
MNCs are anxious about how Saudi Arabia's ambitious 2030 plan will impact their business. FSG believes the plan can be successful, but it will depend the government's ability to partner with the private sector and maintain buy-in from citizens. This podcast assesses the Vision 2030 plan and outlines tactics that MNCs can use to adjust to the new environment.
As India’s role in multinationals’ emerging-markets portfolio evolves, it’s becoming increasingly important to think strategically about the market and build an effective organization. Use FSG’s four key success drivers to overcome challenges in the market and build an effective organization in India
After a challenging start to 2016, executives need to ensure that their 2016 EMEA startegies lay the ground for strong performance despite what is likely to be a year of volatility. In this podcast, FSG's head of EMEA Research Martina Bozadzhieva and MENA Research Practice Lead Matthew Spivack discuss how businesses should adapt to the region's shifting environment.
MNCs must adjust market expectations and business strategies as China undergoes a structural shift, transitioning from an investment-driven model to a consumption-oriented economy during 2016–2020
Nigeria is facing significant macroeconomic uncertainty, which is creating a tough business environment for MNCs' local partners. Alexa Lion, senior analyst, discusses the major challenges and forward-looking trends in the distribution landscape, which MNCs should assess when protecting their investments and managing their local partners in this environment
The oil price drop in early 2016 has caused substantial volatility, prompting MNCs to re-assess their assumptions and strategies for the year. This podcast discusses FSG's revised 2016 oil price forecasts, their implications for EMEA markets, and actions executives should take.
FSG's Senior Turkey analyst Zeynep Kosereisoglu and head of MENA Research Matthew Spivack discuss the security and political risks executives should factor into their Turkey plans, while highlighting the market's long-term attractiveness and how companies can take advantage of it.
It is critical to understand how sanctions relief impacts doing business in Iran, particularly for capturing opportunities and mitigating risks while building entry or expansion plans for the market. FSG Head of MENA Research Matthew Spivack and expert advisor Doug Jacobson discuss how US sanctions relief impacts US and non-US companies in Iran.
Understanding the validity of Cuban statistics and anticipating the future trajectory of the economy are particularly challenging. FSG CEO Richard Leggett and analyst Alec Lee discuss how multinationals should go about sizing the Cuban opportunity.
Executives have frequently emphasized the critical role that local partners play in driving growth in the Indian market. It is therefore crucial to consider or re-evaluate the role of local partners in your future India strategy. Accordingly, FSG has developed a three-step framework that will help clients to evaluate partnership models in India
Executives have frequently emphasized the critical role that local partners play in driving growth in the Indian market. It is therefore crucial to consider or re-evaluate the role of local partners in your future India strategy. Accordingly, FSG has developed a three-step framework that will help clients to evaluate partnership models in India
Joel Whitaker, SVP Global Research, sits down with Antonio Martinez, FSG's Practice Leader for Latin America Research, to discuss Venezuela’s outlook for 2016, which remains uncertain given the need for major policy changes and the current government’s unwillingness to pursue major reforms.
The Mexican economy is experiencing firm growth despite significant foreign exchange volatility, weak oil prices, and the beginning of major public sector budget cuts that will cap growth expectations going into 2016.
Multinationals’ success in ASEAN will depend heavily on their ability to develop local talent. Unfortunately, few companies have developed talent strategies adapted to the region’s unique landscape. In this podcast, we discuss a recently released report that will help companies tailor their talent management programs to ASEAN’s regional nuances.
Multinationals must manage their sales forces effectively as a critical step toward achieving profitable growth in the Chinese market; however, geographical and demographic complexity, rising wages, and a highly competitive talent market have made sales force management in the country increasingly challenging for multinationals
Belarus will have another difficult year in 2016. Further recession and lack of reforms will complicate the business environment and cloud the country's outlook. MNCs need to prepare for this environment through careful planning now. In this podcast, FSG expert advisor Andrew Wilson discusses what companies should expect from Belarus in 2016.
In the third year of its flagship report, Events to Watch, FSG helps clients to identify key disruptors that should be incorporated into their scenario plans for the coming year. Our experience is that clients that have demonstrated the most resilient performance embed scenario and contingency plans into their strategic planning process.
Rapid decentralization, under which states are becoming key players in policymaking, necessitates a regional opportunity assessment in India. With this in mind, FSG has built a city prioritization framework for India, which categorizes city clusters in India into super, emerging, and frontier clusters. This approach will influence MNCs’ talent, organizational, channel, and product strategies
FSG believes India is shifting toward a higher growth trajectory, and we expect that the country’s GDP will expand by 7.75% annually through 2020. India’s five-year growth forecasts make it the world’s fastest-growing major emerging economy. Executives need to understand how reform expectations and state-level policies will affect strategic plans and resource allocation decisions in India
Azerbaijan is going to face a difficult 2016 and MNCs need to be prepared for a rapidly changing market and adjust expectations. In particular, firms will have to prepare for a significant devaluation of the currency and a sharp downturn in government spending in 2016.
China’s stock market crash has called into question its leaders’ capacity to steer the country through economic transition. While the government has tools to smooth the slowdown in overall growth, bad debt still threatens to destabilize the financial system. In this podcast, we discuss our recent report on these issues and identify markets that are at risk if China takes a turn for the worse.
FSG's CEO, Rich Leggett interviews Lauren Goodwin, Practice Leader of Global Economics on her global outlook in 2016. This podcast summarizes Lauren's recent report and dives into global economic drivers for 2016 and their implications for multinational business strategy and performance.
Southern Africa offers SSA’s best operating environment, and with a nominal GDP of US$ 587 billion in 2014, it is the second-largest region in SSA. MNCs tend to focus on the region’s biggest markets, South Africa and Angola, but as both countries are facing tough economic times, executives need to look beyond for new growth opportunities in the region.
2016 will likely be another volatile year for SSA. A new wave of currency depreciation, low commodity prices, and a subdued global outlook will put pressure on many economies. Listen to FSG's Head of Sub-Saharan Africa research, Anna Rosenberg, talk about the main trends affecting the region in 2016 and how MNCs can plan ahead.
The outlook for EMEA markets in 2016 remains challenging, but MNCs are looking at ways to optimize performance despite headwinds. This podcast summarizes the key themes from FSG's October 7, 2015 executive round table event, highlighting how MNCs are planning to adapt their businesses for success in 2016.
FSG Head of Global Research, Joel Whitaker interviews Pablo Gonzalez, Practice Leader for Latin America on his 2020 business outlook for Brazil. In addition to providing an overview of the long-term view of the Brazilian market, Pablo also shares key takeaways from his recent research trips and discussions with executives on the ground.
Despite the uncertainty in the Ukrainian market, MNCs need to consider selective opportunities as well as careful scenario planning as part of their 2016 Ukraine strategies. This podcast discusses the baseline assumptions MNCs should include in their 2016 Ukraine plans, the primary risks to monitor, and what companies can do to manage the country's difficult operating environment.
As Turkey's November election date nears, political instability, rising insecurity and currency volatility are muting confidence levels among both consumers and businesses. In this podcast, FSG's lead Turkey analyst Zeynep Kosereisoglu discusses the outlook for the market and actions MNCs should take now to adapt to what is likely to be a prolonged period of uncertainty.
Multinationals are increasingly reconsidering their presence in Venezuela and deciding if they should remain committed to the market or exit entirely. In this podcast, FSG's Practice Leader for Latin America Research Antonio Martinez discusses how companies should evaluate their current footprint, the strengths of their local partners, and the long-term attractiveness of the Venezuelan market.
Argentina’s recession continues as a result of years of excessive fiscal spending, which caused a series of macroeconomic imbalances, prompting government interventions that have also significantly impacted the operating environment for MNCs. In this podcast, FSG's Senior Analyst for Latin America Research Mario Gutierrez discusses how multinationals should plan for a recovery in Argentina.
As SSA’s second-largest oil producer, Angola is exposed to volatility resulting from low oil prices. This has led to an economic crisis, but MNCs are nevertheless expanding locally as the government pushes business reforms and economic diversification with a new-found urgency. In this podcast, SSA Senior Analyst Alexa Lion comments on trends MNCs should factor into their 2016 Angola plans.
Tunisia's economic outlook for H2 2015 and 2016 deteriorated after the second terrorist attack in the country. Amid rising risk perceptions, executives must understand the nature of insecurity in the country and ensure their distributors are responding effectively to lower domestic demand
Profitability challenges in Turkey will intensify, as heightened competition and heavy price pressures combine with easing economic growth. To effectively differentiate their product in the market, MNCs must optimize distribution management by strengthening distributor relationships, helping distributors improve sales effectiveness and create additional demand in the market
Executives must brace for prolonged uncertainty in the Turkish market until 2016. Companies will need to ensure they and their partners are prepared for disruptions caused by the country's uncertain post-elections outlook and the risks to the exchange rate and domestic demand these pose. In this podcast, FSG Turkey analyst Zeynep Kosereisoglu analyses the outlook for post-elections Turkey.
Evolving challenges in Venezuela are prompting multinationals to either search for new approaches to solve these challenges, or to begin considering exiting the market entirely. In this podcast, FSG's Associate Practice Leader for Latin America Research Antonio Martinez discusses how multinationals should approach Venezuela's new market reality.
After a disappointing start to the year in developed and emerging markets, corporate strategic planners now face a very difficult macroeconomic environment. In this podcast, FSG's Global Analytics Analyst Lauren Goodwin explains three drivers behind the main dynamic of our global outlook for the remainder of 2015.
As Nigeria’s new political leader Buhari formerly takes control following a historic election, multinationals can expect Nigeria’s macroeconomic environment to improve for the remainder of 2015. In this podcast, FSG’s Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Research Anna Rosenberg covers several trends multinationals should be monitoring as the country muddles through the oil price shock.
Kazakhstan's economic outlook is dimmed by low oil prices, Russia's recession, and looming currency devaluation. Despite these problems, however, executives can find a range of opportunities in the market. FSG's CEE analyst Mark McNamee discusses what businesses should expect in the next year in Kazakhstan and how they can win despite the slowdown.
As South Africa’s economic outlook remains subdued, multinational companies are beginning to look at peripheral opportunities in Southern Africa. Listen to FSG's CEO Richard Leggett moderate a discussion with Anna Rosenberg, head of Sub-Saharan Africa research at FSG, on her latest trip to Southern Africa, including Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
Since the Iran nuclear framework agreement was reached on April 2, we have seen unprecedented interest from MNCs seeking to position for success in the Iranian market. In this podcast, FSG interviews Iran expert Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi to explore issues critical to investment, including the status of nuclear negotiations and how the market could open if there is a final nuclear deal.
Richard Leggett sits down with Private Equity Investing in Emerging Markets author Dr. Roger Leeds to discuss how private equity can play a larger role in development and economic growth in emerging markets. Leeds is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and has over 25 years of experience in international finance.
India’s best decade in terms of overall economic growth lies ahead, and we expect the country’s GDP to expand by 7.7% annually through 2025, the fastest for modern India. This podcast discusses the outlook for India 2025 and what multinationals can expect from one of Asia's largest economies over the next ten years.
MNCs need to prepare for low business and consumer confidence, longer timelines for new laws, uncertainty within government bodies, and shifting focus on defense spending in 2015 in Tunisia. This podcast includes insights from MENA Analyst Zeynep Kosereisoglu's visit in the Tunisian market on how to navigate these challenges.
The normalization of US-Cuba relations and recent economic reforms is generating substantial interest in how the Cuban market is likely to evolve. This podcast provides listeners with an overview of the current state of the Cuban economy and what US-based multinationals can likely expect as the US-Cuba relationship normalizes.
In this podcast, we discuss insights from FSG's Zeynep Kosereisoglu's recent trip to Algeria and the risks the country faces amid low global oil prices. MNCs need to prepare for a restructuring in government finances, currency depreciation, and gradual restrictions on imports, but opportunities in the market remain attractive.
After an unprecedented economic boom in the past three decades, China’s growth is slowing and the country is preparing to embrace its 'new normal' with an expected average growth rate of 6.2% over the next five years. This podcast explains the importance of adapting to China's new normal and identifies opportunities and challenges that MNCs should address in the process.
Low oil prices, a strong dollar, and abundant capital flows have rapidly altered the assumptions on which executives base their market prioritization and operational strategies. This podcast discusses FSG's first global outlook report and the drivers of global performance in 2015.
Brazil’s complex operating environment has led to a highly fragmented and still-unsophisticated distribution industry where finding the right distribution partners can be very challenging. This podcast explains why distribution management is difficult in the region and how companies can better assess their distribution channel strategies in Brazil.
Mexico is becoming an increasingly important market to multinationals, leading companies to reevaluate their go-to-market strategies and assess the coverage and capabilities of their distribution partners. Listen as FSG's Associate Practice Leader for Latin America, Antonio Martinez, discusses the shifting dynamics of Mexico's distribution landscape.
In 2015, Sub-Saharan Africa is poised for growth throughout the region. However, multinationals should be prepared for increased volatility as a result of critical elections, falling oil prices and rising inequality. Listen to FSG's CEO Richard Leggett moderate a discussion with Anna Rosenberg, head of Sub-Saharan Africa research at FSG, on our 2015 outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Distributors in Colombia are both powerful and costly, creating many challenges for multinationals seeking to define their channel strategy in the market. This podcast discusses how to assess the country's distribution landscape and how to overcome some of the challenges in working with distributors.
FSG's senior Western Europe analyst outlines our view on the upcoming disruptions in the region, including quantitative easing, the Greek elections, and the stepping down of Italy's president. Use this quick podcast to get up-to-date with the business implications of what will surely be a volatile few weeks in Europe.
Turkey is facing increased security risks as well as the need to stimulate consumption, production and investments as it enters 2015. In this podcast, we discuss the key external factors that will affect MNCs' performance in Turkey in 2015 and what multinationals can do to be prepared for ongoing volatility in the market.
Rising manufacturing costs and currency depreciation are pushing multinationals to reassess their local production strategies in Brazil. Join FSG's Senior Analyst for Brazil, Pablo Gonzalez, as he discusses things to consider when selecting manufacturing options in Brazil, including information on government incentives, input availability, and industry clusters.
South Africa is facing a difficult year as growth continues to underperform and political volatility increases. In this podcast, we discuss the challenges MNCs will face operating in the market in 2015 and the opportunities that companies can still take advantage of despite the gloomy macroeconomic context.
While the combined ASEAN region is larger than Brazil or India, its relatively small and diverse markets complicate matters for organizational effectiveness. This podcast explains why MNCs need an organizational strategy that leverages economies of scale while allowing deep penetration to ensure growth in ASEAN, including four critical success factors necessary to be effective in the region.
Saudi Arabia is one of EMEA’s top emerging markets, but it is on an unsustainable growth path that threatens long-term prosperity. In addressing this problem through economic diversification, the government will increasingly push MNCs to localize their presence or risk being shut out of the market. This podcast discusses the benefits and challenges of localizing your Saudi business.
Multinationals operating in Southeast Asia’s major emerging markets tend to rely heavily on distributors, and nowhere is this more true than in Vietnam. This podcast discusses effective methods to partner with distributors on the ground and identifies areas you should monitor to anticipate changes in Vietnam's distribution landscape.
West Africa has been suffering in recent months from the outbreak of Ebola, a rising terrorist threat in Nigeria and an economic crisis in Ghana. In this podcast FSG's CEO Richard Leggett and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa research Anna Rosenberg discuss the business environment and the opportunities in the region following Anna's recent trip to Nigeria and Ghana.
As MNCs build their 2015 plans for Russia, they face significant uncertainty in the demand, macroeconomic, financial, and political environment they will face next year. This podcast discusses the latest outlook for the Russian market and what companies should prepare for in the next 6-12 months
In part four of a four-part podcast series on effective customer segmentation in emerging markets, FSG’s Head of Management Excellence Research defines profitability segmentation and provides several case studies on innovative approaches to profitability segmentation strategy.
In part three of a four-part podcast series on effective customer segmentation in emerging markets, FSG’s Head of Management Excellence Research defines behavioral segmentation and provides several case studies on innovative approaches to behavioral segmentation strategy.
In part two of a four-part podcast series on effective customer segmentation in emerging markets, FSG’s Head of Management Excellence Research defines market segmentation and provides several case studies on innovative approaches to market segmentation strategy.
FSG released an in-depth 4-part Emerging Market Customer Segmentation research series. This podcast provides an overview of the three kinds of customer segmentation and how companies perform better in emerging markets when they annually review their customer segmentation priorities, while simultaneously taking into account competitor behavior.
Effective distribution management is often the crux of success for MNCs operating in emerging markets, especially where localized manufacturing is not feasible. In this podcast, Dan Kornfield talks with Rick Bossardt, FSG Expert Advisor and sales professional with over 30 years of experience in creating and building channels to market for multinational companies and how to motivate distributors.
Listen as FSG's CEO Richard Leggett leads a discussion with Sam Osborn, author of FSG's latest financial exchange quarterly report, on how to best manage currency volatility in emerging markets. The podcast provides listeners with an updated outlook for currency volatility in 2014, as well as actions you can take to mitigate the effects of exchange rate volatility on your business performance.
Frank Braeken, former VP of Unilever Africa and FSG expert advisor, shares his experience managing Africa’s data gap, responding to changing consumer behaviors, localizing production and dealing with competitors.
Listen as FSG CEO Richard Leggett interviews Terry Thiele, Director Sustainable Product Strategies at Lubrizol Corporation on the topic of disruptive innovation. This podcast covers the definitions, risks, and opportunities associated with disruptive innovation and the methods of scenario planning to prepare for its effects on global business.
As interest in M&A in emerging markets heats back up, FSG expert advisor Alberto Elli joins Joel Whitaker and Dan Kornfield to discuss post-merger integration, its perils and potential. He covers reasons mergers fail, the building blocks of an effective integration effort, and how to build an integration team.
Listen as FSG's CEO, Rich Leggett, interviews Latin America Research Analyst Christine Herlihy on her recent piece outlining the change management challenges executives are likely to face during the life cycle of the organizational footprint optimization process.
As companies look to expand their presence in Russia's regions, they need to select the right model to do so without sacrificing profitability. In this podcast, CEE Practice Leader Martina Bozadzhieva discusses key findings from FSG's latest report on how companies can overcome this challenge
Leadership constraint is constantly identified as a top business challenge that multinationals face in China. Root causes of the leadership challenge are talent shortage and capability gap. This report has identified key pain points multinationals are facing in China, and also provided tried and tested best practices on how to strengthen your leadership bench on the ground.
LATAM executives are eager to optimize their organizational footprints given rising pressure to reduce costs. However, pinpointing the optimal design can be challenging given rapidly evolving macroeconomic and regulatory conditions. This podcast focuses on evaluating new options for headquarters, shared service centers, and logistics hubs, which FSG expects to gain traction as the region evolves.
Regional executives engaged in high-focus workforce planning outperform their peers in profitability and market share growth. Hear the highlights from FSG's latest research in this field, with management lessons on identifying critical capability gaps, smarter hiring, redeploying the people you already have, and avoiding staff overstretch.
Corruption remains a challenge in Russia, but there are actions executives can take to prevent compliance violations. This podcast summarizes FSG's recommendations about the nine key practices executives should follow to reduce their Russian business's vulnerability to corruption.
In this podcast, FSG Expert Adviser Brandi Moore shares her expertise on building a strong culture of innovation in emerging markets. In the business press, stories of successful emerging markets-led innovation from companies like GE and Unilever dominate headlines, but most companies struggle to achieve similar results. Brandi shares her view on why, and offers practical solutions.
Martina Bozadzhieva, Associate Practice Leader for Central and Eastern Europe, discusses best practices for effectively building the capabilities of CEE distributors
In this podcast, FSG Expert David Hodge shares his experiences and best practices in the realm of post-merger integration. David was a key member of the transaction team for Amcor's 3 largest acquisitions, and has completed M&A transactions in 10 separate countries. He highlights four of the most common pitfalls to avoid, and shares a "strategic growth framework" for capturing the most value.
Anna Rosenberg, Senior Analyst for Sub-Saharan Africa looks at ways companies find, vet and manage distribution partners in Sub-Saharan Africa
Exiting a distribution relationship is often a very painful process, resulting in lengthy disputes, lawsuits and reputation damage. Diminish your exposure to this pain by anticipating a channel transition well ahead of time, allowing you to signal to distributors that change is coming. Identify your position on a 4 stage channel maturity path and consider reviewing your channel strategy annually