OVERSEAS entrepreneurs have been given an insight into UK business culture and made new contacts, during a visit to the

North-East.

The North East Business and Innovation centre (BIC) in Sunderland welcomed Eman Nasr from Egypt and Meriem Debbagh from Morocco, both keen to explore the UK business markets.

Both entrepreneurs have established businesses in their own countries; Eman is managing director of NoooN, producing green car accessories using agricultural waste, such as an air freshener made of rice straw and a trash bin. Currently her clients include Mitsubishi and Volkswagen.

Eman started her ethical business one month after the revolution in Egypt. The company supports a network of women who are keen to work but find it challenging to work outside their home. Eman provides these women with textile manufacturing equipment and daily orders to ensure they have are self sufficient. Eman said: “I came to the BIC to look for exporting opportunities, new distributers and retailers and also to understand the UK business community.”

Special projects manager, Lilla Preston, organised the visit after attending the European Business Network (EBN) conference in the summers. She said: “The BIC received their EBN accreditation 20 years ago and are maximising all the links it has established over the years to ensure we support overseas entrepreneurs wanting to develop in the UK and provide new products and services for our own clients here in the North-East.

“It has been a wonderful experience to welcome Eman and Meriem and I hope to see the success they have in their own countries replicated here in the UK soon.”