CESL Asia partners with CDB to provide expertise for D-Fund

Macau’s CESL Asia, a company known for providing a wide range of services and technology solutions, has partnered with the China Development Bank (CDB) in a strategic cooperation agreement that aims to develop investments regarding the China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Cooperation and Development Fund (CPD Fund or D-Fund).

The agreement was one of the highlights of the 8th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF) opening ceremony held last week in Macau.

According to António Trindade, president and chief executive officer of CESL Asia, the agreement aims to add expertise and market know-how to project selection, investment, and development.

The accumulated expertise of CESL Asia in the development and management of major infrastructure projects in the region and abroad, both public and private, will be used to tackle various problems – such as post-contract-signing difficulties faced by Chinese companies operating in the Portuguese-speaking countries, Trindade stated.

“Experience tells us that there are problems with the execution of the contracts, mostly due to differences in perception, not in science or technical capabilities, but the inexperience of working in [diverse] administrative environments,” he said.

“[There are also problems with] the [implementation] of project regulations and the issue with communication which sometimes can cause conflicts.”

Trindade noted that the above were all “matters that have been satisfactorily solved in Macau”, remarking that Chinese companies operated similarly in Macau and Portuguese-speaking countries, but faced few difficulties in the former.

CESL Asia’s many years of experience “have contributed to the signing of the agreement” that has the local company working side-by-side with the CPD Fund.

“This will be the role that is being shared between CESL Asia and the [Fund], as [the Fund] does not have enough expertise to analyze the projects,” the company CEO told the Times.

When questioned on his perspective on the latest developments regarding the cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as Macau’s role as a platform that links the parties involved, Trindade assured that “never before has Macau participated directly in the investments of China in the Portuguese-speaking countries, but recently (in the last two years) the involvement of Macau with the government[s] has been resulting in the materialization of an active role of Macau in the commercial and investment relations with the PSC.”

“We are assisting the effective materialization of goals and the vision of the “Macau platform role”, which for a long time was only expressed in words and wishes – but is now going from idea to accomplishment,” he said.

Trindade concluded by saying that CESL Asia demonstrates that Macau has the capability and expertise to assume such a role, noting the contributions of over 500 professionals in different fields that have been “contributing to the economic and social development of Macau for the last 30 years.”