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David B. Kouidri, Director
Mr. Kouidri has far reaching experience in international market development, strategic marketing, special project management, and network facilitation. He has worked for 20 years in the private and public sectors as an innovator of promotional efforts with particular success in international marketing and high technology. He holds an MBA, is fluent in German and French, and has extensive international exposure including a 13 year residence in Europe.
Currently, as President of Polydec International, Mr. Kouidri is responsible for building up the international office of a Swiss micro-technology manufacturer with jurisdiction over North and South America as well as Asia. Under his leadership, Polydec has experienced a 45% growth rate in new markets within his jurisdiction. Prior to Polydec, he served the Swiss Government for seven years as Trade Commissioner based in Chicago, where, among other tasks, he advised over 60 Swiss companies on entry strategy and implemented numerous promotional efforts, such as co-initiated the Cows on Parade® program (1999), the Swissnanotech® initiative (2001 – 2005), the Swissmedtech® initiative (2004 – 2005), and the Swiss Week™ celebration (1998 – 1999). He remains a Special Advisor to the Swiss government in the field of nanotechnology where he advises the Minister for Trade Promotion on opportunities and challenges affecting the Swiss industry. While in the private sector, he successfully introduced high-end recordable equipment into Central Europe as a product manager and assisted Fortune 500 companies enter the Middle East and North African markets as a program coordinator.
Mr. Kouidri has published papers including “Technology Transfer and the Inefficiencies of Interactions”, “The New Role of Government in the Innovation Cycle”, as well as numerous analyses of markets and their dynamics. He has lectured on international market entry strategies, new industry creation models, and numerous other topics in Europe, the US, and China.
His appointments include Member, DePaul University Department of Management Advisory Committee; Member, Board of the Swiss American Business Council; Member, Board of the International Trade Association of Greater Chicago; Member, Advisory Committee of the International Trade Club of Chicago; Member, Global Connect Council – Chicagoland Chamber; and past Chair of the Chicago International Trade Commissioners Association, a group of all foreign government trade missions in the Midwest, among others.
Mr. Kouidri can be reached at dkouidri@sbcglobal.net.
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