SigmaBleyzer created a business-unit for providing the local administration with instruments to create favorable conditions for investment activity. The new business-unit, SB Solutions, provides a new range of consulting on conducting business in Ukraine, from evaluation of opportunities and strategy development to its realization.

Development of this system and adapting it for conditions of specific regions is the continuation of a long-term successful activity of SigmaBleyzer aimed at improving the investment climate in Ukraine. Brian Best, Director of SigmaBleyzer and Head of this business-unit, noted when addressing to the region representatives at the VIII Ukrainian Municipal Hearings “Resources of local and regional development: national and international aspects”, in Sudak (Crimea): “Today, our company is ready to provide local administrations with instruments to create favorable conditions for investment activity in the regions, which are universal for countries with transition economies, and to assist in their efficient implementation”. Brian Best believes that it is the local administrations that have to take adequate measures to attract investments and improve the investment climate in the regions.

The work of the investment activity section at the hearings helped create a partnership between the region representatives and foreign investors. It was the first contact of representatives of local administrations with a real investor of such a level. It became clear that the points of view on attraction of investments are somewhat different, so this meeting is only a first step on the road of cooperation, and both sides are disposed to reach the destination.

In the process of work of the section, a number of tactical schemes were developed. The local leaders expressed an interest to get to know the ways to attract investments into the regions. Victor Gekker, Director of The Bleyzer Foundation, a non-government organization promoting modern approaches in the area of investment activity, suggested to organize special meetings with business and political elite of every region, who could participate in developing the strategy to create favorable investment conditions using modern methods and advanced international experience. Answering questions about the main problem of this area, Mr. Gekker noted: “Ukraine deserves an inflow of great amounts of money. However, this requires transparency. The investor do not like nontransparent environment. It means that we need transparent, simple, predictable policies. These three conditions must be fulfilled on every level, both national and regional”.

The participants of the section decided to start a joint work on implementing targeted investment policies oriented towards local and regional development projects, attracting real investors. The ideological basis for this process will be the recommendations of the International Private Task Force (IPCTF), which identify the main factors to improve the investment climate both on national and regional levels.