Trade Connections International

Recent and upcoming events

2020-01-01T18:17:00.016-05:00

Week of June 20, 2011 (Chicago, IL)

Trade Connections International's President Philip H. de Leon will be attending the 47th Annual Meeting of the Drug Information Association

Week of March 28, 2011 (Phoenix, AZ)

Trade Connections International's President Philip H. de Leon participated in the 20th Partnerships in Clinical Trials as Vice President of Business Development for a client with EDC/CTMS solutions.

Week of February 14, 2011 (Budapest, Hungary)

Trade Connections International accompanied a client to a conference in Budapest, Hungary.

Week of December 13, 2010 (Washington, DC)

Trade Connections International's President gave a presentation at the Kennan Institute in Washington, DC on the Emerging Trends in Russian-American Trade Relations.

Weeks of November 29 and December 6, 2010 (Dushanbe, Tajikistan)

Trade Connections International's President visited Tajikistan with a business partner in a fact finding mission to prepare a comprehensive report on this lesser known country of Central Asia. The visit included a meeting with H.E. President Emomali Rahmon (see site of the President of Tajikistan) as well as with many government officials and representatives of the private sector, foreign diplomatic representations, and international financial institutions. The report will be available in February/March 2011.

Week of August 30, 2010 (Washington, DC)

Trade Connections International assists its client, a Russian software development company with strong expertise in the Health Care/Life Sciences sector, to sign a contract with the British office of a U.S. company.

Week of July 19, 2010 (Farnborough, UK)

Trade Connections International organized a meeting with a Fortune 100 companies for one of its Eastern European clients at the Farnborough Air Show.

Week of June 7 , 2010 (Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA)

Trade Connections International represented a client at the Drug Information Association 46th Annual Meeting and made a presentation at Temple University on how the private sector is involved in US trade policy shaping/making.

Week of April 19, 2010 (Washington, DC)

Trade Connections International was represented at the Jordan - US Investment and Trade Forum and held several meetings. re. projects in the Middle East.

Week of March 8, 2010 (Washington, DC)

Trade Connections International was represented at the U.S. Export-Import Bank Annual Meeting that took place on March 11-12, 2010 with President Barack Obama as one of the main speakers.

Week of February 8, 2010 (Moscow, Russian Federation)

Trade Connections International attended the 3rd Annual Russia & Eurasia Trade and Investment Forum in Moscow, Russian Federation, February 8-9. Meetings with existing and potential clients were conducted during the week.

Country Report on Tajikistan

2011-04-13T14:26:00.004-04:00

In April 2011, a 20-page report on Tajikistan was published by the Washington Diplomat. The report, written by Trade Connections International LLC's President Philip H. de Leon, aims to raise the visibility of Tajikistan in the United States and abroad. The report contains interviews with the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamrokhon Zarifi, the ambassadors of Tajikistan - the United States - and France, as well as articles on history, hydropower, banking, investment, transportation, tourism, development and internet resources.

This country report was written for and published by The Washington Diplomat. Click here to go to The Washington Diplomat website and here to go to the Tajikistan Report.

A Trade Expert's Wish List for Good Commercial Diplomacy

2011-01-08T14:40:00.003-05:00

This article focuses on how embassies in Washington, DC spare no efforts to promote their country but oftentimes will fail to capitalize on the interest they generated and to provide practical information once importers, exporters, business development managers or investors are hooked. This article goes over some of the issues and offers practical and easily actionable solutions.

This article was written for and published by the Diplomatic Courier. Click HERE to go to the Diplomatic Courier website.

US Protests Lack French Fire

2011-01-08T14:32:00.002-05:00

RTAmerica - October 21, 2010 - France is paralyzed by protests around the country due to a proposal to raise the national retirement age. The country is coming to a complete stand still because of rioting citizens, could this ever happen in the United States?

Rusnano: is the nanotechnology boost generating results?

2010-06-07T09:44:00.004-04:00

This article elaborates on the achievements of Rusnano (Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies) which was created in 2007 by President Vladimir Putin to give Russia a leading position in the world market of nanotechnology products.

This article was published by MarchmontNews.com. Click HERE to read this article.

Tajikistan Energy Opportunities - An Interview with Tajikistan’s Ambassador to the United States

2010-06-07T09:38:00.001-04:00

On 26 May, Tajikistan's Ambassador to the United States Abdujabbor Shirinov spoke openly about the energy and water shortages impacting the region, joint collaboration between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, the construction of a large hydro-power key to Tajikistan's energy security, and oil and gas exploration where preliminary assessments tend to show an untapped potential that could lead to the country's energy independence.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

Revolution in Central Asia: Who's Next?

2010-04-26T17:42:00.003-04:00

Answering that question can be seen as a wild guess. However, understanding the reality of each of the five Central Asian countries can help the reader assess the present day situation and reach his own conclusion.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

NORD: Pipedream No More

2010-04-10T18:52:00.000-04:00

RTAmerica - April 9, 2010 - The much talked about NORD stream pipeline started production today, a move that is seen by many as a Bush failed policy. The Bush administration was opposed to the pipeline from the beginning and even members of congress lobbied against this. However, under Barack Obamas administration there seems to be a more relaxed approach to this topic.

Salesmen in Chief: Obama & Sarkozy

2010-03-30T16:00:00.001-04:00

RTAmerica - March 30, 2010 - Two very different visions on how to regulate markets and prevent the next world economic crisis will clash when President Obama hosts French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the White House on Tuesday. Mr. Sarkozy arrived in Washington amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Europe over trade protectionism and financial regulatory reform in the wake of the deepest global economic downturn since the Great Depression.

The Hydropower Solution in Central Asia: Yes But...

2010-03-29T16:21:00.000-04:00

This article is a case study on how a Central Asian country (Tajikistan) is trying to surf the the wave of the hype for renewable energy such as hydropower and to get involved in the efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. In the process, Tajikistan is bringing back to the table the Rogun hydropower dam project as it is a central element for its energy independence and a source of severely needed foreign currencies that could be earned through the export of electricity. However, a lot of challenges exist.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

Libya: The Energy Player Not To Be Dismissed

2010-03-09T11:28:00.000-05:00

This article highlights the formidable energy potential of Libya and the dilemma Western countries face when trying to secure new energy supplies while interacting with an unpredictable leader.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

Has China begun economic warfare?

2010-02-15T10:57:00.001-05:00

RT - February 16, 2010 - New evidence show that Japan has replaced China as the top holder of American debt. Chinas military has called for the government to punish the US because of a potential meeting with the Dalai Lama. China's holding of US Treasury bonds has tumbled, according to US Treasury data released Tuesday, after Beijing expressed concern over the swelling US deficit and amid new US-China tensions.

China threatening sanctions on US for supplying arms to Taiwan

2010-02-01T21:18:00.002-05:00

RT - February 1, 2010 - President Obama approved a $6 billion arms sale to China, for the first time in the history of Chinese - US relations. The Communist State is threatening to impose sanctions against US companies that supply Taiwan with arms. Dina Gusovsky discuss the new arms deal with Philip de Leon, who says this is a part of a cycle; from calm to tense relations between the two nations.

US companies face challenges in China

2010-02-01T12:05:00.001-05:00

RT - January 29, 2010 - US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke told a meeting of the US China Business Council in Washington that "Recent events, specifically the well-publicized Google incident, have reminded us of the continued challenges faced by foreign and US companies operating in China". But the Chinese Government made it clear that it's not going to make any exceptions for foreign investors who operate in the country. So can we face a trade war between the two countries?

Gazprom: Angel or Demon?

2010-01-31T09:51:00.000-05:00

This article takes a deeper look at the Russian gaz giant Gazprom and focuses on how it fits in the global energy game that is being played by all nations.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

China's Rebound may cause Inflation

2010-01-21T12:27:00.001-05:00

RT - February 19, 2010 - China's economy is soaring! In the final quarter of last year, it ranked as the world's second-biggest economy. However, critics fear inflation is right around the corner for China. RTs Kristine Frazao talked with President of Trade Connections International, Philip de Leon.

Land-locked Central Asian Oil Country Plays Important Role from Vancouver to Vladivostok

2010-01-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

This article focuses on the fact that Kazakhstan will hold the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for in 2010. With 56 participating States from Europe, Central Asia and North America, the OSCE is the largest regional security organization in the world.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

The Two Paths to Doing Business in Central Asia: Which Way to Go?

2009-12-31T13:11:00.000-05:00

Anyone interested in doing business in Central Asia will be confronted with two parallel worlds: the world of "this is how business is done here" and the world of "best business practices."This article elaborates on the challenges of doing business in Central Asia and on the importance of staying true to key principles such as transparency and accountability.

This article was written for and published by The Caspian Business Journal (www.caspibiz.com). Click HERE to read this article.

China Secures Gas Supply From Turkmenistan: Who's the True Winner?

2009-12-30T12:47:00.000-05:00

This article focuses on the launch of a new gas pipeline linking Turkmenistan to China via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Several countries benefit from this pipeline while another one loses some of its monopoly over Central Asia's energy export routes. These events are leading to a shift of power worth paying attention to.

This article was syndicated and can be found online at several news sites. Click HERE to see a listing of article sources.

Climate Change: Clean Coal, Nuclear Energy or Simply Energy Savings?

2009-12-29T13:04:00.000-05:00

This article goes over the strong push made in favor of Clean Goal, even though the technology is far from fully operational. Attention is given to nuclear energy, which may be the best solution to promptly respond to raising electricity needs without generating CO2 emissions.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

Great Geopolitical Battle Over Energy Transit Routes

2009-12-01T13:16:00.000-05:00

This article explains the ongoing battle over energy transit routes by entangling the web of geopolitical interconnections between the different players to understand what ultimately is at stake for each player.

This article was syndicated and can be found online at several news sites. Click HERE to see a listing of article sources.

Growth Obstacles Facing Financial Outsourcing

2009-11-30T13:21:00.000-05:00

In a world of globalization, some countries that are losing their competitiveness and feeling that their national security is at stake are resorting to protectionism. This article focuses on the need to have outsourcing, such as financial outsourcing, to be seen as a positive development and stresses the need to establish safeguards to prevent defense mechanisms from being used such as protectionism.

This article was written for and published by the Chinese publication Global Outsourcing Resources. Click HERE to read this article.

Interdependence, Integration and Investment: The Ineluctable Need to Find New Emerging Oil Players

2009-11-29T10:23:00.000-05:00

This article elaborates on why oil is here to stay and on the world's on-going efforts to find new oil partners.

This article was written for and published by OilPrice.com. Click HERE to read this article.

CrossTalk: Obama takes on Chinese Red Dragon

2009-11-20T13:20:00.001-05:00

RT - November 20, 2009 - China has arrived in a big way. Peter Lavelle asks his guests whether the world should embrace China's rising or whether we should expect a major reordering of the international system.

de Leon: It's all a gas game

2009-11-20T12:43:00.001-05:00

The United States wants to create a committee that would regulate energy transactions between the European Union and Russia to determine whether or not certain deals are legal. RT's Dina Gusovsky speaks to Trade Connections International president Philip de Leon about why the U.S. is involving itself in this process.

Russia: Then and Now

2009-11-07T18:00:00.000-05:00

Philip H. de Leon spent ten years with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States (BISNIS) in Washington, DC rising to the position of Director. He is now President of Trade Connections International, a Washington, DC based international trade & business development consultancy that assists companies work abroad and foreign companies work in the United States. In his presentation, he elaborates on the dramatic changes Russia has experienced since the break-up of the Soviet Union and on the evolution of the business environment.

C.S.I Russia: Then and Now 2/5 Philip H. de Leon from Arwa Badri on Vimeo.

Discussion panel on Russia: Then & Now

2009-11-01T11:27:00.000-05:00

Washington, DC - November 2009

Tajikistan Strives for New Transparency

2009-10-10T10:31:00.003-04:00

This article on the Central Asian country of Tajikistan focuses on the latest developments in the economic sector and on the potential growing regional role it could play due to its close proximity to Afghanistan.

This article was published in Global Trade Review magazine. To purchase the September/October issue or to subscribe, please go to: www.gtreview.com

International Outsourcing Business Development Summit, MOU Signing

2009-05-01T11:34:00.000-04:00

Hangzhou, China - May 2009

Meeting with Hamrokhon Zarifi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan

2009-04-01T11:28:00.000-04:00

Dushanbe, Tajikistan - April 2009

Contact TCI

2008-01-01T21:00:00.001-05:00

Thank you for your interest in TCI. Here is how to contact us:

Philip H. de Leon

eMail: philip@tradeconnectionsinternational.com
Phone: +1 (202) 285-3983

Project Portfolio

2008-01-01T12:10:00.002-05:00

Our clients include trading companies, large industrial manufacturers and suppliers, event producers, publishers, consultancies, an outsourcing company, etc. They employ between 10 to 40,000 employees and are located in the United States, Europe, Eurasia and China.

Ongoing projects for 2010:

- Assistance to several companies interested in entering emerging markets as well as the United States and Europe;

- Marketing and Public Relations guidance to foreign companies that are considering entering the U.S. and foreign market or are eager to find U.S. and foreign partners or suppliers;

- Business development for a top Russian outsourcing company.

Completed projects (2009):

- Preparation of a conference on trade and investment in Russia & Eurasia;

- Articles on energy issues in Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East; Article on the intricacies of doing business in Central Asia;

- Market research reports on business opportunities in the oil & gas, infrastructure, and telecommunications sectors in Kazakhstan;

- Marketing document for a private company to enable it to approach multilateral financial institutions for potential financing;

- Promotion of the interest of a small company both in Washington, DC and during international travels and meetings;

- Research on behalf of a large Russian manufacturer to determine if a certain development strategy was implementable;

- Signature of a Memorandum of Understanding with a Chinese company during a business trip to China to develop its business interaction with U.S. companies; and

- Articles for British financial magazines on Eurasia, Eastern Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Consulting Services

2008-01-01T12:02:00.002-05:00

- Public Relations for companies, notably from emerging markets, to help them break the cultural barrier and convey their message in a Western manner and style;

- Market Research Reports (MRR's) on countries and industries with a focus on business opportunities and practical suggestions on how to best take advantage of them;

- Facilitation of export-import transactions, notably by identifying buyers for sellers of goods and services and vice-versa as well as sources of financing and investors;

- Elaboration of marketing strategies to promote companies and countries;

- Organizations of international conferences with a focus on emerging markets, trade & export finance, and investments;

- Representation of companies that are interested in developing their trading operations with emerging markets or the United States; and

- Publication of articles on energy, finance and IT issues with a focus on emerging markets.

Management & Team

2008-01-01T11:24:00.002-05:00

Mr. Philip de Leon

Mr. de Leon is President of Trade Connections International LLC (www.tradeconnectionsinternational.com) a Washington, DC based international trade & business development consultant who assists companies work abroad and foreign companies work in the United States. Mr. de Leon elaborates business, marketing, project management and public relations strategies, seeks financing for projects, and gathers critical information for his clients.

Mr. de Leon spent ten years with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States (BISNIS) in Washington, DC rising to the position of Director. BISNIS was part of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service and served as the U.S. Government’s primary market information center for U.S. companies exploring export and investment opportunities in Russia and Eurasia. Since its opening in 1992, BISNIS facilitated more than $4.5 billion worth of U.S. exports and overseas investments.

Mr. de Leon is a regular commentator on RT TV on U.S. relations with China and France and on energy issues. Mr. de Leon is also speaker at conferences and a contributor to finance, energy and IT publications and websites, writing on business opportunities, geo-strategic issues and on attracting export financing for Eurasian transactions. His recent contributions on Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine were for Global Trade Review (www.GTReview.com), Marchmont News (Marchmontnews.com) and Trade Finance Magazine (www.tradefinancemagazine.com). His articles on energy topics have been syndicated but can also be found at www.oilprice.com.

Mr. de Leon was educated in France where he earned a law degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris as well as a graduate degree in Russian Language and Studies from the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris. In 1996 he earned a Master’s Degree (LLM) in International Law from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Law.

Mr. de Leon has traveled extensively to Russia and Central Asia since 1983. In 2004, he organized conferences in Moscow and St. Petersburg on doing business in Russia’s regions; in 2005 he ran conferences in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan on doing business in Central Asia. For this work, he was awarded the Department of Commerce’s Bronze Award for Superior Federal Service in 2005. Most recently, the events he worked on focused on Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Mr. de Leon is fluent in English, French and Russian and is conversant in Spanish.

Mr. Mark Shulgov

Mr. Shulgov, President of Foreign Trade Alliance LLC - a consultancy agency based in Tomsk, Siberia - became in 2009 an Affiliated Partner of Trade Connections International LLC for Siberia, Russia.

A few years earlier Mr. Shulgov worked under Mr. de Leon's lead as a Representative in Russia for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s BISNIS. He possesses more than ten years of diversified experience in international trade, market analysis, investment and development consulting, including positions in public and private institutions.

During more than four years of service with BISNIS, Mr. Shulgov provided business consulting to US and Russian companies interested in economic collaboration, identified and processed trade and search for partner leads, organized visits of US government officials and businessmen, and on monthly basis updated commercial newsletters. He facilitated a number of international transactions and investment projects, prepared over 40 articles on commercial and investment opportunities in Russia, trained new BISNIS Representatives, and made public presentations during US and Russian outreaches.

After BISNIS, Mr. Shulgov was invited back to the Regional Administration, where he took the lead of the Inter-Regional Relations Committee. He was engaged in the development and implementation of the territory's interregional relations strategy. Mr. Shulgov also dealt with protocol and negotiation issues and prepared collaboration agreements between regions of Russia and Asia. Since 2008 he has been occupying the position of Commercial Director in a small Russian machine building holding engaged in engineering and custom manufacturing of technological equipment and metal ware.

In the early 2000s Mr. Shulgov served as Deputy Chief for External Relations in a mid-size Siberian company engaged in commercialization of scientific developments in medicine, and later occupied Senior Expert's position in Foreign Relations of the Government of the Tomsk region, where he dealt with analysis and coordination of international economic activities of local companies.

In 1997 Mr. Shulgov graduated with distinctions in international relations and foreign languages from the Tomsk State University, and started his career in marketing and sales of the Siberian Group of Chemical Enterprises, a flagship of the Russian nuclear complex. There he managed the fulfillment of international and domestic contracts for high-tech chemical products, being also responsible for marketing research and advertisement. At the same time Mr. Shulgov continued his studies and in addition to taking a number of business and foreign language courses, he pursued a one-year long specialized professional course in economy and management under the Russian President's Management Training Initiative from the Moscow State Institute of Engineering and Physics. Mr. Shulgov also received some business training in the UK.

Mr. Shulgov is fluent in Russian and English, and is conversant in Japanese.

Additional Partners

Trade Connections International LLC maintains a network of highly skilled business partners including attorneys, bankers, investors, translators, etc. that can easily be brought on board for specific projects to address all relevant issues.

Mission Statement

2008-01-01T11:22:00.000-05:00

Trade Connections International LLC is a Washington, DC based international trade & business development consultancy that assists companies take advantage of business opportunities abroad and facilitates export-import transactions of goods and services. Trade Connections International LLC elaborates business, marketing, project management and public relations strategies, seeks financing for projects, and gathers critical information for its clients.

Through its business network built over the years, Trade Connections International LLC strives to advance the interests of its clients by offering individualized services while remaining sensitive to their needs to keep costs under control.

American - Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce Annual Conference

2007-01-01T11:40:00.000-05:00

Washington, DC - 2007