The Capital Group—“Business Consulting Group”
Ms. Beata Matecka—President of the Capital Group “Business Consulting Group”, Warsaw.
EU grants
—Ms. President is it worth to apply for EU grants?
—Definitely, it is worth and there are many funds available. Since, the accessions of Poland to the European Union in May 2004, Polish companies have received from the European Union about 6 billion zloty. It is very big amount, even if we will divide it by several thousand of companies, it can be meaningful help to each of the companies. The number of companies that received the EU funding shows the interest of entrepreneurs in getting the funding, especially if we consider the fact that not all who applied have got it. The process of applying for EU funding is long and complicated, requiring very special knowledge, knowledge of European Commission procedures and accounting precision. For this reason it is worth to use the knowledge and experience of such consulting companies like our company.
On the basis of our long experience, we know that the projects does not begin and end with the preparation of the EU grant application form, that the most difficult part of the process is not the receiving of the grant but the proper administration and implementation of the grant.
Therefore the Capital Group “Business Consulting Group” provides full range of services during the whole live of the project. We administer the project, what means that we take care of our clients from the moment of the creating of the project idea through preparation of relevant documentation and controlling until the moment, when the beneficiary receives grant.
—Which of the EU grants arranged by Capital Group BCG was for you the biggest satisfaction?
—No doubt that our biggest success was the grant arranged for the meat industry. It was the grant in 2008 for promotional campaign “Table Full of Tastes” with the budget 10 million Polish Zloty. The campaign was elaborated by our company at the order of the Union of Producers and Employers of the Meat Industry (UPEMI) and approved by the European Commission. The purpose of the campaign was to build and establish a positive image of meat products coming from the European Union on the US and Korean markets.
Poland is the important agricultural country in the European Union. We have excellent food products, however we should present these products in the proper way in distant countries like the South Korea and the United States. Food processors will not be able to establish presence on the new markets without promotion.
We are glad to learn that other companies followed us and got the EU grant for the similar purpose this year.
—According to Forbes magazine ranking of EU fund consulting companies in Poland, the Capital Group “ Business Consulting Group” belongs to leading companies in this field?
—Yes. It makes as very happy, that among hundreds of companies in our field of activities, we got the 9th place according to general classification, 2nd place among Mazovia Province companies, 7th place according to grants for eco projects and 4th place according to applying for EU funds for SME companies. These are very good results, to which all our staff has contributed, with their hard work. 199 million Polish zlotys, as well as, the very high percentage of application approved by the EU, of the whole number of applications made by us is for us and our clients a great satisfaction.
—Does your high place in Forbes ranking resulted in increasing the popularity of your company among the clients?
—Of course, positive opinion about the Capital Group “Business Consulting Group” published in such a renowned and respectable magazine like Forbes caused that some large international corporations have expressed interest in our services.
—What are the sources of your company success?
—The success is not the singular achievement but long term fruitful cooperation with client, who trusts our Capital Group “Business Consulting Group” and entrusts us with consecutive tasks which bring him considerable profits. For this reason we treat each client in very individual way. We offer consultancy, thanks to which our advisers can identify, the client’s needs and offer him the best solutions. We prefer to work together with our clients in decision-making process, since we believe that only in this way optimal effect can be achieved, and the client can continuously monitor and influence our activities. We concentrate on the quality of our services not quantity. Therefore we put our efforts on supporting projects, which are first of all realistic.
On the basis of our experiences, we analyze with our client his needs, and select the best solution suitable for his business and optimize the ways and methods of achieving satisfactory final results.
We build our company culture on the basis of clear principles and very precise targets, what gives us certain competitive advantages and in long term perspective decides about the company success. The client’s success is our success.
—What are the specialties of the BCG Capital Group?
—We have participated in many funds and projects both in present and former financial perspective. At present we work on application from the Operational Programme “Infrastructure and Environment”, Operational Programme “Innovative Economy”, Regional Operational Programs, Operational Programme “Human Capital” and the Rural Areas Development Programme. In the previous financial perspectives up to 2006, we were advising on such programs as SAPARD, PHARE, SPO WKP, SPO ROL, SPO Fishery, ZPORR, SPO RZL, EOG, 6th Framework Program, Promotion agricultural products on third markets.
With success we have got financial support for investment in fish processing industry and food processing industry. Many dynamic food-processing factories were established with our participation. During the last 3 years the amount of financial support arranged by us for our clients in this sector reached 350 million Polish zloty. We are proud that our clients are treating us as their partners, with which they share their ideas and ask us for our further advisory cooperation. Relations, which we have established make us, believe that even after the EU fund will be fully used we shall continue contacts and cooperation, with our clients.
The main our attention is concentrated on the needs of SME and environmental and in particular renewable energy projects.
We are arranging EU grants for many investment projects from Regional Programs. Our high 2nd place in Mazovia Province consulting companies ranking proves our expertise and experience. Great challenges for us are big scale projects, especially within the Operational Programme “Innovative Economy”. Commitments of experts and works on the project require a lot of time and the precision in the process of preparing the application, since the procedures and regulations are very restrictive with regard to the documentation presented for the appraisal of the respective institutions.
We note the growing interest of companies in the implementation of the renewable energy projects, such as biogas, hydro plants and wind energy.
In the last call for application within the activity 9.4 of the Operational Programme “Infrastructure and Environment “ among 29 projects approved for EU grants, there were 6 wind farm projects prepared by us.
We are aware that only EU grant is not enough to implement the investment project, therefore we have established the consortium of companies, which involved in arranging the external financing for developers and investors, as well as, optimizing the cost connected with the development and construction of wind farms. The consortium is using specialized companies that have many years of experience in this field both in Poland and abroad. We have also developed direct relations with the leading wind turbines manufacturers. The consortium will be elaborating investment projects and assisting developers in arranging the necessary equity.
Consortium has also established cooperation with Korea Eximbanks and other banks and financial institutions.
The BCG Capital Group is shareholder of Mazovia Energy Agency, which is responsible for efficient use of energy and introducing new technologies and solutions in Mazovia Province.
The agency will support environmental investments and development of renewable technologies such a solar energy, geothermal energy, biomass and wind and water energy.
Together with the Mazovia Energy Agency the BCG Capital Group will organize seminars and training on renewable energy.
—Do you organize also other seminars and trainings?
—Yes, we do. We organize training and seminars that are linked with our consulting activities. We also offer professional advisory services, through which we tailor the trainings to the needs of our clients. For instance Skills Academy Co., Ltd., which belongs to our group, in January 2010 will organize seminar “EU funds for start and development of e-business”. The purpose of this training will be to inform the participants about the ways and principles of providing financing within the 8.1 and 8.2 POIG program for private person and companies planning to start e-business. In first quarter of 2010 there will be new round of collecting application for funding from POIG 8.1 u-business and 8.2 B2B programs. The competition is very fierce. Therefore it is very important to understand the rules of game, and learn from the trainer, what applications were made in the last round and what mistakes applying entrepreneurs made. Our seminar will be organized in the vivid form of case study of solving the problems on the basis of examples.
Other servises
—Does the Capital Group provide also other services than EU consulting?
Our core business covers six key business areas:
management,
accounting,
fund-raising,
trainings,
public relations,
accounting and financial bookkeeping.
Capitalizing on our expertise and professional competencies, we offer the following range of services:
management and organization of finance and accounting departments of Polish and foreign entities,
credit, financial and operating leasing advising,
financial risk management,
holding management,
finance and accounting services for economic entities and development of financial statements,
tax advising.
—Public private partnership is one of the forms of cooperation within the national economic policy of our country. If so, in what way the BCG Capital Group is participating in the “ppp” implementation?
—We are aware of the importance of the “ppp”—as the investment leverage tool, in particular for the self-governing bodies. We were closely following the parliamentary works on the new law on “ppp” and accompanying law on concessions for construction works or services. Already in 2008 we have established company which was dedicated to such projects, and in Spring last year we have organized the conference: “ The new public -private partnership”.
Since that time, we are constantly monitoring the market, and present our consulting offer.
Our experts are already preparing pre-investment studies for some cities. We wish that this market could develop faster, but it requires certain courage on the self-government side and investment ability on the side of private partners. We hope for the best for the “ppp” and as the experienced consulting company, we see for us the place on the “ppp” market.
—The dialog of business circles with governmental and parliamentary sides should constitute important element of the economic policy. What suggestions or comments with this respect would have the Capital Group BCG led by you?
—The dialog is going on, however not always it brings the sufficient results. On the institutional level it has the form of the Three party Commission, in which the companies like ours are represented by the employers organizations. At the level of current and direct contacts we are in dialogue with the governmental agencies, with which we are linked by our projects such as: the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development and the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency.
Anywhere were dialogue is concrete and based on the will to solve the problem we are able to achieve the agreement.
At the governmental and parliamentary level it is more complicated, since come to questions old civil servants habits, changing interests of parties or even old myths having nothing common with market realities.
—As it is known, on the 1st of July 20011 Poland will take over so called European Union Presidency, i.e. will be organizing the work of the whole EU within the next 6 months. At present the authorities are working on the program and priorities of the Polish Presidency, so our “5 minutes” can be used in the best way. Bearing in mind the experience you have gained in consulting on the EU funding are you in any form participating in the Polish preparations to the Presidency?
—The debate on the Polish Presidency is going on in the media and to some extent within the dialog between the administration and business circles that were mentioned before.
However it does not yet have color, and is not precise enough, although we are talking about the chance of presenting good image of Poland in Europe.
From our perspective it is important to think about EU funds within the framework of financial perspective after the year 2013. Part of Polish experts and politicians emphasize social and cohesive aspects of the funds. From our side we encourage innovative and future oriented attitude, as that which is connected with renewable energy sources. Generally speaking we do not exaggerate de meaning of each of the presidencies, because they interfere
—With the new structure of the European Union, what might cause unexpected dysfunctions?
—It is worth that the European nations look at the European Union as the commonwealth of the free people, and not just the mechanism of subsidies.
Words received by CER editors
