Learn from the experts in Shanghai

Well-known industry identities, Greg Grace and Stan Solomidis, will present on a number of finance and marketing-related topics in their seminars from March 11 to 16. Print industry professionals from over the world are set to gather in the bustling Chinese city to learn from the experts.

Greg Grace originally began his career as a lithographic printer and platemaker and has since worked for Heidelberg Australia as a consultant on production, print quality improvements and training. His seminars for this year are entitled ‘From marketing to technology’; ‘Print calculation’ (in conjunction with Karl Kowalczyk); ‘De-mystifying integrated workflows’; ‘General introduction to PSO’ (also with Kowalczyk); ‘Print colour management virtual prinect experience tour’ (also with Kowalczyk); ‘Making money by adopting quality’ and ‘Maximising the impact of print production’.

“I’m looking at the different trends within the graphic arts industries and some of the models, like niche marketing, traditional type printing,” he said.

Stan Solomidis started by working in senior management positions at Citicorp Australia and Associated Midland Corporation. He is now working as a freelance consultant for the print media industry. His seminars are called ‘Lateral marketing’; ‘Marketing – a holistic approach’; ‘Managing for continuity and performance’; ‘Management: optimising your enterprise’; ‘Financial controlling – the need for transparency and prudent financing’ and ‘Financial controlling’. Solomidis says that these seminars will cover marketing, finance and management as it relates to both the graphic and visual arts industries.

“The particular emphasis is that a lot of companies are trying to improve their performance and that’s what I do; I help companies improve their businesses and strategies which also include exit strategies,” he said. Solomidis said that those organising the Winter University wanted a speaker with “industry experience, not just someone from Heidelberg.”

After speaking at the Winter University in Dubai 2006, Grace said that he was particularly looking forward to speaking again this year. “It was a great experience. Dubai was a melting pot of people right around the world,” he said. “The thing I particularly liked was the questioning: there were really interesting questions. It should be the same this year.”

It is expected that a number of Australian students will travel to Shanghai to attend the Winter University seminars. More info: Melanie Dooley