 MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA |
Nepali Times: How important is the South Asian market for Sony compared to, say, Southeast Asia?
Chang Seng Hock: As penetration of digital still cameras are still low in developing countries, Nepal will be one of the key markets in South Asia for Sony as growth is expected to be healthy. From the leading research company Gfk, Sony's Cyber-shot is Asia's No 1 best selling compact digital camera in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam. Although there is no independent report for market size and share for digital still cameras, from our market study, Sony is the clear market leader in Nepal.
Which are the growth areas that you see-is it consumer electronics or the content side of Sony products?
For Nepal, growth areas are in consumer electronics, like digital still cameras, hi-fi systems, as well as LCD TVs.
Where exactly does Nepal fit into your future growth strategy in the region?
Working closely with our distributor, besides expanding the range and product model offerings, we are refitting Sony showrooms so as to allow consumers more hands-on experience and better understanding of our products and value proposition. Currently our distributor is operating a service center at Kantipath Showroom. We
are reviewing the service network to reach out to more Nepali consumers.
What is the reason for your visit to Nepal, and from what you have heard what do you feel about the investment climate here?
I am happy to be in Nepal and together with our official distributor, Nepa Hima Trade Link, to launch the latest Cyber-shot 'SMILE Campaign'. Dealers say they have seen good growth in sales versus previous years and with the political situation improving, we believe the investment climate will improve as well.
What advice would you have for businesses here?
Be optimistic. I believe things will get better once there is political stability in the country.
