Sales Nova & Apricot Partnership Opens Up Japan & UK Market Access for Growing Companies

Sales Nova, the senior commercial executive interim business based in Worcestershire, UK, is delighted to announce a partnership with counterpart organisation Apricot Japan Limited based in Tokyo, Japan.

The partnership creates a fluent English speaking and fluent Japanese speaking market access channel through which UK businesses can explore and enter the Japanese market, and Japanese companies can explore and enter the UK and wider EU market.

Both Apricot and Sales Nova are staffed by commercial executives highly experienced in the assessment of and entry into international markets, holding MBAs and Doctorates in natural sciences. They are experienced with both early stage venture capital and private equity backed companies, and mature organisations seeking to enter new markets.

The CEO of Apricot Japan Limited is Antony Ford, who has lived and worked in Japan for over 25 years and speaks fluent Japanese, having passed the Japan Foundation proficiency exams in native fluency.   Antony was a senior member of Oxford Instruments in Japan and for the last six years has been helping a wide range of technology, biotechnology, engineering and materials businesses to evaluate and enter the Japanese markets.  Antony holds a BA in Mathematics from Cardiff University and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University.

The CEO of Sales Nova Limited is Dr David Gillett, who has led the internationalisation of high technology and engineering businesses for over 25 years, including Oxford Instruments; VC-backed startup Highwave Optical Technologies; Coherent Inc; and private equity backed Egbert Taylor.  He has led the UK market entry & channel arrangements for numerous overseas companies.  David speaks Mandarin, French and German and has lived and worked in France, Germany, and North America. He holds MA and D.Phil degrees in Chemistry from the University of Oxford.

The partnership offers the following services to companies for the Japanese & UK markets:

  • Market size and environment assessment;
  • Identification of key target customers & opportunity assessment;
  • Export market strategy & channel access strategy;
  • Representation at trade exhibitions and conferences;
  • Initiation of business including application tests & trials, and securing of first orders & payment;
  • The development of longer-term in-market presence through the selection & appointment of Agents & Distributors, or the direct opening of an office in the market.

Antony Ford, CEO of Apricot Japan, commented “Our team have a proven track record of developing lucrative business and facilitating investment for companies coming into the Japanese market. We provide feet on the ground at attractive rates and are delighted to form the partnership with Sales Nova”

Dr David Gillett, CEO of Sales Nova, commented “Our partnership with Apricot Japan allows British and Japanese companies to achieve entry into each other’s markets more simply, faster and at significantly lower cost than doing so themselves.  That avoids depriving a growing business of the presence of key people at a critical point in its life cycle.  The Sales Nova team’s market knowledge and commercial judgement is proven in securing profitable new business by opening senior commercial and technical doors at customers across the UK’s industrial, technology, biotechnology, government & academic sectors. ”

In a joint statement, Antony & David said, “The Japanese and British markets are highly rewarding ones for companies that are willing to work to establish credibility and trust with customers.  Once acquired, and provided customers are well supported, enduring and profitable business is often created.”

For further information contact:

         For more information on Sales Nova  See Here

https://www.apricotjapan.com/