Franchise 'Guru' advises MRI on going Japanese
09 March 2004
FFW advised MRI Inc., the world's largest managerial, technical
and executive search company, on the granting of its Master
Franchise License to FujiStaff Inc., a large Japanese staffing
business.
The $ multi-million, 15 year agreement represents yet another step
forward in MRI’s internationalisation and will give it a further
strong foothold into the Asian recruitment market, in addition to
the existing offices in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia,
Philippines, Thailand, and South Korea. MRI-Japan KK (owned by
FujiStaff) will hold the Master Franchise License in Japan. It
plans to open 100 franchise offices and build four company owned
offices in Japan during the next five years.
MRI Inc. is a subsidiary of CDI Corp, a Fortune 1000 Company
(see notes for editors).
The FFW team, led by Mark Abell, Head of Franchising and Licensing,
provided a typically comprehensive, “one-stop-shop” legal service.
It offered both strategic and commercial advice; the UK’s leading
franchise and trade mark practices proving a winning
combination.
This is one of a string of transactions in MRI’s global rollout
that FFW have advised upon. It has seen rollouts in Germany, Spain,
Sweden and throughout the Far East.
Mark Abell, himself fluent in Japanese, says:
“This important transaction had all the complexities that we
usually associate with a multi-jurisdictional transaction; complex
tax and branding issues revolving around a cross border flow of
income streams. Not only were we seeking to balance the competing
demands of three very different legal jurisdictions (US, UK and
Japan), we also had to work within the, sometimes conflicting,
parameters laid down by a differing business culture.”
Steve Mills, Senior Vice President of MRI Inc., says:
“This was the culmination of many months of hard work and detailed
negotiations. While we had established a great working relationship
with FujiStaff, the legal and financial discussions had the
potential to unravel the whole deal. We have established a great
working relationship with Mark and his team over many years and
knew that they would handle the details with great sensitivity and
diplomacy, but would also protect our interests.
Mark and his team are a rarity in the legal arena, they look at
the commercial aspects of a deal and advise us how to achieve what
we are trying to make happen. They don’t tell us all the things we
can’t do.
We value the relationship and, as we embark on our next major
project to establish a master licencee in India, it is good to know
that we will have their guidance and counsel.”
For further press information please contact:
Ben Girdlestone, Communications Manager on 020 7861 4968
Louise Eckersley, PR Executive on 020 7861 4120