Amsterdam: IT Hub for Europe

October 2008

NFIA India Executive Director, Robert V Schipper, meeting delegates at the Hyderabad seminar

 
Lodewijk Assscher, Vice Mayor of Economic Affairs, Finance, Youth Affairs and Education, City of Amsterdam addresses the audience

Robert Schipper, Executive Director, NFIA; Vikas Chaturvedi, Manager, India Tax Desk of International Tax Services; Martin Delwel, Director Marketing & Sales at Randstad; Gopal Ramanathan, Parter, Global Chairman, KPMG; Rutger Koopmans, Chairman DTB India Working Group and Chairman, NICCT

Important business leaders from Indian IT companies and members of the the City of Amsterdam delegation listen intently

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) in association with Amsterdam Metropolitan Area and NASSCOM, in an effort to increase its interaction with India's leading IT corporates in Hyderabad and Bangalore, initiated executive briefings titled - 'Amsterdam - IT Hub for Europe'. The seminars were held on October 14th 2008 & October 16th 2008 in Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively.
The executive briefing showcased the strengths and advantages that the Netherlands offers as a strategic business destination for Indian technology corporates who want to establish or expand their operations in Europe. Amsterdam in particular is known as the technology hub of Europe with the  largest Internet Exchange in the world, as well as the largest presence of Indian IT companies on the European continent.

Many leading Indian corporations such as TCS, Tata Steel, Wipro, Suzlon Energy, Genpact, Moser Baer, Infosys, Aurobindo Pharma, and Polaris Software, have already taken advantage of the benefits the Netherlands offers in this respect.

The executive briefing included a keynote address by NASSCOM and a presentation by Mr. Lodewijk Asscher, Vice Mayor, City of Amsterdam on 'Think IT, Think Amsterdam'. 

The strengths of the Netherlands as a bridge-head to Europe were exemplified through first hand experiences of leading Indian and global multinationals - TCS, Satyam, Wipro and Cisco Systems. 

This was followed by a panel discussion to highlight how Indian companies can set up IT business operations in the Netherlands and where they can get assistance and advice on such important issues as registration of a branch or subsidiary, taxation, visa and immigration.