Native takes root in Poland with opening of new office in Wroclaw

Feb 8 2008

Since Poland joined the EU, Scotland has welcomed thousands of people from Poland looking to find work or start a new business.

But one company has turned the tide and is moving to Poland for work.

Edinburgh strategic marketing agency Native has opened an office in Wroclaw, in addition to offices already based in Dubai and NewYork.

"Our story is we have Polish people working in our business," said group CEO Iain Stirling.

"One wanted to go back home, and rather than lose him we asked if he'd go open our office in Poland."

When Native's Chris Baran, who studied in Wroclaw, worked up the nerve to tell his boss he was pining for home, Stirling didn't look at all put out. Instead he immediately told him he thought it was great he was leaving.

"At which point he was very insulted," recalls Stirling. He had to explain to the shocked Pole that rather than losing an employee, Stirling immediately realised he was gaining a new Polish office.

"I'll always remember what his eyes looked like. It was fantastic," said Stirling.

Stirling recently travelled to Poland as part of a trade mission with the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI).

"Having been out to see it, I shouldn't be telling anyone this, we've got the right location. I'm very pleased about that."

Stirling admits Poland isn't as strategically important as its other offices, but says that its potential is hard to refute. Clients of the agency like soup group Baxters and spirits giant Diageo are already based in the region or in neighbouring countries which makes a persuasive case for Stirling.

"There are more flights going to Poland per day than there is to US. For me that means there's business there. There's a generation of young entrepreneurs in Poland who will emerge soon. They are already emerging in Scotland. They set up loads of businesses here already. Why not help something grow that is already growing?

"We're a global business, you go where the business is, not the other way around.

"It gives consistency to clients, like Baxters who we work with in the Middle East have just located into Lower Silesia as well."