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AMentorinNeed

時間:2024-10-26 09:39:41

OldAfricahandpoisedtosetupanAfricaCenterinChina’sfamedportcity

BySudeshnaSarkar

Whentheforeigninvestmentbugbithim,SimonShenwentaboutchoosinghisdestinationabroadwiththemethodicalnessofascientistundertakinganewexperimentthatthoughriskycouldyieldgold.

Itwasinthe1990sandtheconsumergoodstraderfromXiamen,amajorportcityinsoutheastChina,wasworriedbyhisfallingexports.HewassellingshoesandclothingmanufacturedinChinatoEasternEurope,butthemarketthereplummeted.

“Themarketstoppeddevelopingandthecurrencieswerefalling,”the50-year-oldsaid,thegoldentanofhisrecentAfricansojournmarredbyfrownsofrecollection.“Irealizeditwasbettertolookatotherplaces.”

UnlikeEurope,Africa,followingtheendofcolonization,waslookingupasaninvestmentdestinationinurgentneedofinfrastructure.Soin1995,Shenwentonareconnaissancebinge,visitingfourAfricancountrieshehadshortlisted:Nigeria,Egypt,KenyaandSouthAfrica.

TurningtoAfrica

ThetripconvincedhimthatSouthAfricawaswherehisfuturelay.“TherewasabigchangeinSouthAfrica,”heexplained.“Apartheidhadended,internationaleconomicsanctionshadbeenliftedandanelectionhadbeenheld.Togettheeconomyoffthegroundafterbeingisolatedfortwotothreedecades,thenewgovernmentwasencouragingforeignbusinessesandinvestments.”

Atthesametime,SouthAfricaalsohadtheinfrastructureandbusinesscultureforeigninvestorslookedfor,comparedtosomeofitspeerswhichwereeitherfacingcivilwaroradministrativechaos.SothediewascastforShenandin1998,UnionColorCo.,thecompanyheregisteredinJohannesburgwithalocalpartner,beganoperations.

Thistime,thefocuswasonbuildingmaterialsasAfricawasonaconstructiondrive.Gradually,headdedinteriordecorationitemsandthen,afterbecomingfamiliarwiththegraniteminesinSouthAfrica,includedthatinhislistaswell.In2012,hegotacontracttosupplygraniteforaprojectbutcouldnotfindenoughsuppliesinSouthAfrica.AbusinessacquaintancetoldhimaboutthegraniteminesinMozambiqueandthatishowhebranchedinthatsoutheastAfricancountry,findingalocalpartnertogointobusinesswith.

Today,UnionColorCo.hasover200employees,mostofwhomarelocals.ShenisemphaticthatitisanAfricancompany.“XiameninChinaismyhometownandmyrootsaretherebutmybusinessisbasedinAfrica,”hesaid.

Planningthefuture

WhatmakesShen’sstorydifferentfromthatofmanyChinesecompaniessuccessfullydoingbusinessinAfricaishisstrategyforthefuture.HeisnotinterestedinexpandingtomoreAfricancountries.“Ihavealreadyovercomemanydifficulties,”hesaidwithasmile.“Attheageof50,youknowyourdestiny.”

Heseeshisdestinynowasamentor,sharinghisknowledgeoftheAfricanmarketwithChinesecompaniesinterestedinforayingintothecontinent.HeisalsoreadytoprovideChinaknowhowtoAfricancompaniesseekingtodobusinessinorwithChina.

HethinksChinesePresidentXiJinping’sannouncementoftheSilkRoadEconomicBeltandthe21stCenturyMaritimeSilkRoadInitiative-aglobalnetworkofinfrastructure,transportandmarketsforamorevibranteconomyinAsia,EuropeandAfrica-hasenergizedChinesecompanies.“Thethoughtoftheindustrial,infrastructuralandagriculturalnetworksinthethreecontinentscomingtogetherhasencouragedChinesecompanies,”hesaid.“Fromgovernmentstoindividuals,peoplearepayingmoreattentiontoAfrica.Lotsofpeoplearecomingtometoaskforadvice.ItmademethinkmaybeIshouldnotrunmyownbusinessnowbutadvisepeople,helpthemtodevelopinAfricanmarket.”

It’sataskforwhichhe’swellqualified.ShenisalsoontheXiamenCommitteeoftheChinaCouncilforthePromotionofInternationalTradeandanofficialoftheXiamenChamberofInternationalCommerce’sSouthAfricaLiaisonOffice.

Xiamen,oneofthefirstChinesecitiestoopenuptotheoutsideworld,hasavibrantexhibitioneconomyandhostsaseriesofinternationalexposeveryyear.TheChinaInternationalFairforInvestmentandTrade,intoits20theditionthisyear,hasbeenattractingdelegationsfromagrowingnumberofAfricancountries.

“WeneedtothinkhowtomakethisfairmoreattractiveforAfricancountries,”Shensaid.“Becauseofthedistanceandthedifferencesincultureandtime,itisdifficultforChinesecompaniestodobusinessinAfricaandviceversa.Weneedconstantfollow-upforthat.”

That’showtheideaofestablishinganAfricaCentercameintohismind.Hepitchedtheconceptlastyearataround-tableconferenceorganizedbytheXiamenCouncilforthePromotionofInternationalTradethemed“GotoAfrica”whereitmetwithenthusiasm.Thecenterisexpectedtocomeupbythisyear,possiblyintheXiamenFreeTradeZone.

“Atthetradefair,Africandelegationscomeforfourdays.Butthecenterwillbeopen365daysayear,”Shensaid.CA

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Business

SimonShen’sApproachtoAfrica

»TodobusinesssuccessfullyinAfrica,youhavetobepatient.Youwillmeetmorechallengesanddifficultiesthanyouanticipated.

»Youmusthavetherightpeople.Besidesthelocalstaff,youneedtherightsupportfromChinabecauseskilledpeopleareverydifficulttofind.There’snoconflictinthis.Getacoreofskilledpeoplefromyourowncountry,thencreatejobsandhirelocally.Thecoreteamcantrainthelocalstaff.

»Doyourpreparationsandestimationscarefully.ForaprojectinAfrica,allocatedoubletimeandcostthanwhatyouwouldneedinChina.

»It’salwaysbettertohavealocalpartnerinAfrica.Alocalpartnerwillknowthelocallaw,cultureandpeopleandmakeyourlifeeasier.

»Respectthelocalculture,lawandpeople.That’sveryimportant.SomecompaniesareverysuccessfulinChinaandelsewherebutfailinAfricabecausetheyfailtoheedthis.

SimonShen(left)withJoaquimAlbertoChissano,formerPresidentofMozambiquePhotoscourtesyofSimonShenAcraneoperatesinaquarryinManica,aprovinceincentralMozambique
   

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