EUROPESERVICING 2006
DIRECTOR'S CUT: DAY 2 SESSION 1


Lost in Translation, a beautiful and subtle film about the alientation that road warriors feel in a foreign society, questions the meaning of life when one loses their direction.

An American film actor past his prime meets a neglected newlywed in Tokyo. The two make improbable but perfect travel companions. According to the film's tagline, "Everyone wants to be found."

Despite the proven economic benefits of outsourcing, firms that choose this path often struggle to define their core purpose and must overcome the fear the loss of both jobs and overall corporate identity. Offshoring is an even deeper professional and political struggle with no clear answer. In a globalised, free-market economy, countries with lower labor costs want to be found.

Despite critical acclaim and Academy Awards, on a surface level many see the film as plotless, pointless and boring. Those who appreciate the film – like those who navigate the difficult waters of outsourcing and offshoring – will recognize that success is about getting out of something what you put into it. The question of how an individual translates their own life in comparison to others is as difficult as defining where today’s company begins and ends. The answer differs according to where a person (or company) is in their life (or stage of corporate growth and development).

In case you think we missed an opportunity here in theming this session with A Passage to India, Roger & Me did consider it but decided that the wit of the title detracted from the seriousness of the debate. Darn.

The "director's cut" or "notes" were written by EuropeServicing's chief architect and host, Toni Moss, CEO of EuroCatalyst. Because the event is being held at the famous 195 Piccadilly, the home of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, EuroCatalyst has chosen to use movie titles to theme each session. While some see films as entertainment, others recognise the art of cinema as a record of the human condition. EuroCatalyst chose titles and short clips of films to theme and inspire discussion as we bring the triumph and struggles of the European servicing sector to life over the course of the two-day EuropeServicing event. Even if you have not seen any of the films mentioned, the simple titles should tell you everything you need to know. Moss and her guest hosts look forward to interviewing the lineup of panellists who represent the best that the European servicing industry has to offer, and hope to change your perspectives about the role and importance of servicing as the stage upon which the European mortgage industry is set.