Pictured above: drpgroup managing director, Dale Parmenter and IVCA CEO, Marco Forgione

Communications and events managements specialists the drpgroup has hosted a seminar and networking event in conjunction with the International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) to help build ties between the UK corporate visual comms industry and its Chinese counterparts.

The event, held in early January, saw professionals from UK businesses and representatives from Chinese companies XL Stobo, China Guanghua Science and Technology Foundation and Cultural and Creative Industry Foundation and the China Image Film Festival come together at the drplondon offices for presentations on the future collaboration of the two nation's industries.

Speakers included the IVCA's CEO Marco Forgione and China Guanghua Foundation's Zheng Wenjun who spoke about the immense potential for collaboration between the UK and Chinese comms industries and the huge benefits of partnerships in one of the world's fastest growing and most important new marketplaces.

The IVCA has launched a number of trade missions to China and has hosted Chinese government officials in conjunction with the China-Britain Business council, while this was the second networking event hosted by the drpgroup.

The drpgroup is also sponsoring the newly-announced IVCA China Awards, which will form part of the IVCA Award Ceremony 2011. The awards, announced at The China Creative Awards in Beijing, will recognise excellence in Chinese creativity in four categories - Film/DVD, Live Events, Digital and Animation.

Dale Parmenter, drpgroup managing director, commented on the continued development of relationships between the two nation's industries: "Communication in business is a necessity understood by professionals across the globe. Holding events like this is an invaluable way for both countries to gain an understanding of how the other approaches the same issues of corporate communication and employee engagement.

"Although drpgroup is delighted to host events such as these, it is important that the whole UK comms industry gets behind initiatives spearheaded by the IVCA so we can all benefit from the partnerships and relationships developed between our two nations."

drpgroup is an integrated full-service communications agency, designing and producing communications solutions globally. The group assists a wide range of corporate clients to effectively communicate to internal or external audiences, through award winning video, events, print, interactive media and team development solutions.