Expand your business internationally

Many countries attract international business people by making their corporate laws friendly to certain types of industries and sectors. When you set up businesses in foreign countries they can generally carry out the same business activities, have similar management structures, and pay dividends to shareholders, but the differences come in when you consider tax structures, legal and compliance issues, and making payments.

That’s why a well thought-out financing structure is essential to fund expansion.

Tax considerations and business structuring

Of the main legal areas to consider when it comes to doing international business, tax compliance is perhaps the most crucial. When it comes to taxes, you will need to consider the following:

• Company tax 
• Property tax 
• Employment 
• Import restrictions and tariffs
• Company structuring 
• Double taxation agreements 
• Withholding taxes 
• General sales tax (GST)

It’s advisable to employ the services of local tax professionals who understand each country’s requirements when it comes to complex matters like reporting, accounting and tax requirements. At home, you will also need expert advice to help you manage the implications of your international business activities and how they will impact your local tax payments.

Legal considerations and compliance

The ethics of doing business are much the same in most countries, but the laws pertaining to doing business vary. The regulatory environment is usually a solid reflection of the ease of doing business and how receptive the country in question is to foreign-owned businesses.

A thorough understanding of the tax laws, customs laws, import/export restrictions, corporate laws, and liability laws is essential as this will help you to decide whether the cost of market penetration is worth the potential benefits of venturing into a new territory.

Remember to consider:

• The legal framework
• Liability laws
• Foreign investment restrictions
•  Dispute resolution
• Contracts
• IP protection
• Labour laws

Financing for global expansion

Financing is one of the biggest challenges facing companies that want to expand into new markets. Financial institutions can help you expand internationally, but it’s important to consider a bank with international presence that can offer local expertise and support coupled with cross border banking requirements.

Standard Bank Wealth International, headquartered in Jersey and with key offices in the Isle of Man and Mauritius, offers clients banking and wealth management solutions – including offshore banking, institutional banking, fiduciary services and asset management – designed to support the requirements of African companies with global ambitions.

Universal payment methods

Today's world offers numerous payment options. It’s important to understand that your clients and customers probably expect multiple payment options. Payment methods that are commonly accepted in your home market might not be available abroad. You will need to find out more about acceptable payment methods, and secure processing. These are critical considerations if you seek trade internationally. Typical payment methods today include credit or debit cards, money orders, bank transfers and online payment services such as PayPal.

Purchasing business property

Loans can be made available for many purposes and structured appropriately, but our main interest is in property and investment portfolio backed facilities.

Should you be seeking to buy property for investment purposes, we offer a lending solution that provides short- to medium-term finance. Our locally managed credit process means that communication lines are short, allowing us to provide speedy responses, and we pride ourselves on our ability to provide flexible, tailored solutions to a wide variety of borrowers.