The BCM monthly meeting on September 27, with Mr. Laurenz Melchers in the Chair, was attended by 85 members. Executive Director Jim Dwyer welcomed the three new members since the last meeting. They are Resource Investment Capital, better known as ResCap, Wagner Global Services, and Red Hill Mongolia, a unit of Prophecy Resource. Membership now stands at 163, and the steady rise in numbers every year is reason for optimism that 200-plus will be reached before BCM is five years old in 2012. However, this will be possible only if failure to renew memberships is kept at a minimum.

Mr. N. Algaa, Executive Director, Mongolian National Mining Association, provided an update on developments in the mining sector. The General Customs Authority have stuck to their decision to raise certain mineral export duties by ten times and an appeal will now be made to the Government to see reason. The MNMA continues to be unhappy that the Government does not seek its views, or of businesses in general, before taking measures that affect the industry.

Mr. Tomas Petrzela, Vice President-Incoming Exchange, AIESEC Mongolia, described how the AIESEC internship program is expanding here. Total incoming interns this year have numbered 16, while 18 Mongolians were placed in other countries. The target for next year is 24 and 35 respectively. He urged member concerns to take in more interns, for any period from 6 weeks to 18 months, from the 108 countries where AIESEC is present.

Mr. Tim Baitch, Operations Manager-Mongolia, Runge, said even though the company opened an office in Ulaanbaatar only recently, it has been active in Mongolia for longer, having completed around 50 assignments in the mining and related services industries sector in the past few years.

Mr. Dan Feder, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the Big Four professional services firms in the world, and the first to open a full-service office in Mongolia, listed the services it offers in assurance, tax and advisory.