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Designed to Highlight Opportunities and Mitigate Misconceptions


Financed by Private and / or Public Sector Sources


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Syndication Opportunities

Introducing CFI.co

Country Reports

Capital Finance International (CFI.co) is developing a fresh approach to country reports. This follows a ministerial request from a GCC country to use our extensive network of contacts to provide credible reporting that would bring engagement with potential investors and trading partners.

We are now looking to work with other select countries where we feel our approach would be beneficial and bring noteworthy advantages in communicating essential and important messages.
CFI.co’s country intelligence unit has been surveying business leaders to identify their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of various investment markets. Whilst our research indicates that many senior executives are well informed in this regard, a significant number of business leaders have serious and often outdated misconceptions. We seek to address any misunderstandings and ensure decision-makers are aware of positive developments.

CFI.co has built strong working relationships with many of the world’s most trusted organisations, including the World Bank Group, UN bodies and global consultancies. We have been helping these organisations to deliver their messages, and this puts us in a strong position to draw on these impeccable sources in our country reports – providing trusted and authoritative comment whilst highlighting opportunities and addressing misconceptions. These sources will help to differentiate a CFI.co country report from traditional reports that are often perceived as achieving little more than a whitewashing of the facts – and, as such, fail to deliver.
How

It Works

The first stage is for the CFI.co intelligence unit to determine that a country would benefit from the production of a report. Then we must establish that the country report is commercially viable. If these criteria are met, the country report team will produce an initial brief to be considered by a prospect country’s appropriate government ministry. We would then plan an exploratory trip to the country in question to better understand its objectives and create a mission statement with the help of its senior advisers. This will enable us to focus on the messages we wish to share with our various audiences.

After this, our experienced in-house editorial team, specialist contributors, and external correspondents will start to build an editorial plan for the report.

Otaviano Canuto, now principal of the Center for Macroeconomics and Development, is a former executive director of the World Bank (until 2018) and the IMF. For the past six years, he has been a regular columnist for our quarterly magazine. Otaviano, as our economic adviser and liaison with the multilaterals, will draw not only on the 600 World Bank economists that reported to him, but also on his many other specialist contacts — making him ideal to fulfil the role of objective reporter and analyst. In addition, our team includes Lord Waverley (JD), an active member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords and regular contributor to CFI.co. He fulfils the role of our international trade and development adviser, and has long experience in working with countries across the globe. Otaviano and JD will both add their considerable experience to the shaping of the plan.

Once the editorial plan has been agreed with the country concerned, we shall start to produce the report. We will aim to complete the work within three months of this agreement. We will always strive to achieve editorial balance, and when there is a need to comment on problematic issues, we will ensure that the reader is fully aware of the challenges identified, and what is being done to mitigate any perceived risk. Transparency and openness are our bywords. We will be seeking to accentuate the positive and explain and showcase national achievements, aspirations and potential. To achieve this, members of the CFI.co editorial team will visit the country report destination and take all necessary steps to ensure that the final work meets, and exceeds, expectations. We would of course expect the host country to facilitate any visa requirements. Whilst we shall seek appropriate assistance in the countries we profile, the greater part of the work will be conducted by our staff. All in-country expenses will be absorbed by us.
We would be able to produce several versions of the report: a standalone publication, an insert for CFI.co or other publications, a highlights version for newspaper syndication, and a dedicated microsite.

These versions of CFI.co country reports will deliver the country’s message through our various channels to a wide and influential global audience. We will also target relevant executives via our database, which covers over 70,000 active businesses, including the majority of the 45,000 trading companies listed on the world’s exchanges.

The relevant government department(s) will be given the opportunity to contribute and comment on all proposed editorial, and will be asked to sign-off on the final versions of any content generated from government sources, including interviews.
CFI.co

Funding

An effective country report will require funding to cover production and distribution costs. Funding sources can include government, commercial advertisers, and sponsorship. We realise that government budgets can be limited, and we would only see a need for government funding if a decision was made to syndicate the report, or if a government elected for a report to carry no advertising.

We will ask countries that we are reporting on to provide an endorsement of the country report from the highest possible level as an introduction to potential advertisers or sponsors. In the case of sponsors, we would only approach companies approved by the government of a participating country.

CFI.co is proud of its in-house resources to produce informative, interesting and entertaining editorial. We strive to be an important component in attracting investment to countries on which we report.
Many country reports historically have been perceived as whitewashing exercises and therefore not to be taken seriously. CFI.co will avoid this. By including content from independent and trusted sources and being prepared to discuss risks and misconceptions in a constructive manner, we are of the firm belief that our reports will help attract trade and investment. While we will always strive to accommodate editorial concerns countries may have, in cases where we are unable to reach agreement, countries have the opportunity to discuss any content that is felt does not contribute positively to achieving their objectives.

Once we have met with you and an agreement is in place, the CFI.co editorial team will visit the country report destination and take all necessary steps to ensure that the final work meets and exceeds expectations. Whilst we shall seek any appropriate assistance in the countries we profile, the greater part of the work will be conducted by our staff. All in-country expenses will be absorbed by us.

CFI.co is proud of its in-house resources to produce informative, interesting and entertaining profiles. We wish to be an important component of a country report renaissance and eager to do full justice to the countries we showcase.
CFI.co

Team

Otaviano Canuto

Principal of the Center for Macroeconomics & Development

Otaviano is a former executive director of both the World Bank (until 2018) and the IMF - and for the past six years a regular columnist for CFI.co magazine.

Otaviano is CFI.co country reports economic adviser.

World Bank Profile of Otaviano Canuto, October 2018

Lord Waverley

Member, House of Lords, London

Lord Waverley is the Founder and Chairman of SupplyFinder (www.supplyfinder.com), which connects the worlds professionals & organizations with opportunities, investments, industry news & sector specific information, and is publisher of Showcase International (www.showcaseinternational.co). He advises the Chairman of the CCC Group (www.ccc.gr) on strategic development globally & established and co-coordinated the Aktau Declaration on Joint Actions (www.aktaudeclaration.org) of the major oil and gas operators in Kazakhstan.