British PR consultant translates time in China into gains for Chinese companies looking to expand abroad

When George Hudson first visited Beijing in 1995, bicycles filled city streets, the public was getting its first taste of the Internet, and exchanging foreign currency into yuan was still a difficult process.

Despite all the challenges, he says he foresaw seismic changes about to take place.

"Back then, very few people had a disposable income or had traveled abroad, but their willingness to engage with foreigners was noteworthy," says Hudson. The inquisitiveness of his Chinese friends, classmates and colleagues made a deep impression on him during his time in China, he says.

"They wanted to find out about me and what I knew about China's economic, political and cultural makeup. They also wanted to know what was happening outside China, including Western food, film and television and books," he says.

Hudson's interest in China began when he gained his bachelor's degree in politics (specializing in Chinese politics and economics) at Newcastle University in 1995 with a dissertation on China's special economic zones.

After graduating, he decided to see China's rapid evolution for himself.

"I had an inspiring tutor at university, and that got me interested in China's economic and political situations. Being brought up in London and then learning about China's economy with the dragon awakening provided a different perspective.

"I love traveling and being exposed to different cultures and societies and experiencing different things. As such, China was, and remains, a country I can't ignore."

Hudson says that at the time, China's reform and opening-up fascinated him, especially the way in which the country's leader Deng Xiaoping was able to successfully motivate Chinese people to be independent and entrepreneurial.

"Living in China was an opportunity to witness the significant changes in China's society first-hand as the government was embracing significant economic transformation. The level of foreign direct investment into China in the mid-1990s was on the rise, which worked well with Chinese people's willingness to work hard."

In contrast, the United Kingdom in 1995 began emerging out of a recession that was characterized by a lack of dynamism and energy. Hudson says comparing the two economies allowed him to appreciate the unique characteristics of China's growth phenomenon.

He arrived in Beijing in 1995 to study Mandarin for six months at the Beijing International Language and Culture Studies Center that is affiliated with the Beijing Forestry University. After finishing his studies, he worked for half a year at a consultancy based in the capital.

In 1996, he moved to Hong Kong, working as an equity research analyst covering the hotel sector for 18 months at UK stockbroker Cazenove & Co.

After leaving Cazenove, he joined the Hong Kong office of financial public relations agency Gavin Anderson & Co before returning to the UK in 1999.

Hudson says most expats in China either stay for a few years or decide to stay for a long time and make the country their home. His brother, for example, moved to Hong Kong more than 20 years ago to work as a fund manager and has stayed there since.

Since his return, Hudson has used the knowledge and expertise he gained in China to help Chinese clients in their UK expansion plans.

"The fact that I had worked in China and provided strategic communications advice to Chinese corporations going global was appealing to firms I have worked for as it demonstrated that I had a niche expertise which could be leveraged to their advantage Being able to have a balanced view of the outbound mergers and acquisitions activity of the likes of Fosun, Bright Food Group, Wahaha and Chinalco has been a valuable asset."

During Hudson's years in China, he saw incredible changes as a result of the country's rapid urbanization.

"In Beijing, hutong sadly disappeared, the financial district was being built out of nowhere and the noise of construction crews was relentless.

The speed and scale of the infrastructure development in China has been unprecedented if one looks at what has been achieved with the comprehensive high-speed rail and motorway network, plus the rollout of the multiple new international airports.

Through these transformations, he also recognized the efficiency of having a one-party government, which can make and execute decisions quickly.

These observations have been important in helping him understand Chinese clients and what they hope to achieve in Europe, and how their actions fit into China's global aspirations and ambitions.

"I can explain to my colleagues about the changes that have taken place and are ongoing in China - its political, economic, social and financial backdrop.

"But I also can contextualize trends and behavior, ranging from Chinese corporate M&A strategy to the more mundane, such as why Chinese people like shopping in Bicester Village when they visit the UK."

Another important lesson Hudson learned from his time in China is the importance of developing relationships, or guanxi, which in China is fundamental to a successful commercial engagement.

This understanding has helped him to develop trust with Chinese clients, and allows them to deliver promises in their own time.

"I appreciate that sometimes there is a lot of bureaucracy and processes that need time to complete, therefore I am much less worried than my colleagues when clients take time to deliver their promises."

Hudson has worked closely with Dalian Wanda, a Chinese conglomerate that in recent years has expanded into the UK through its acquisition of the British luxury yacht company Sunseeker and a major real estate development project at One Nine Elms in London. Comprising high-end residential apartments and a five-star hotel, One Nine Elms is an integral part of Wanda's global expansion.

Hudson says he helped Wanda rapidly establish its corporate profile in the UK market and demonstrate that it was a credible, trustworthy investor and partner capable of delivering a quality project.

"We used high-quality marketing and promotions collateral for the One Nine Elms project to reflect the caliber and architectural provenance of the scheme," he says, adding that he helped employ a proactive media relations approach for the Wanda UK management team so they could articulate what the company stood for and what its plans were.

He has also persuaded Wanda to demonstrate its commitment and intent in the UK by sponsoring prestigious events, such as the 48 Group Club's annual Chinese New Year dinner this year. Given the importance of Dalian Wanda to the corporate landscape in China, the success and progress of its overseas projects is likely to be closely watched by those back in Beijing, Hudson says. Being aware of the bigger picture in China and being able to relay that to colleagues and clients in such a way that it informs decision-making on the ground in the UK is another attribute Hudson garnered through his time in China.

Hudson has also worked with a number of other Chinese clients, including Aluminum Corp of China Ltd, Chinese condom maker Safedom, China National Gold Group and China Construction Bank International.

"Having worked and lived in China definitely helps my ability to understand, empathize and communicate with Chinese clients.

"This is especially the case when I explain the rationale for engaging in stakeholder and public relations activities which are nearly always new to Chinese clients operating outside their comfort zone overseas. Being able to act as a bridge between East and West and showing that I have more than 20 years' experience studying and working with China gives me credibility and helps deliver win-win (solutions) to Chinese companies pursuing their international strategy," Hudson says.

cecily.liu@chinadaily.com.cn

( China Daily European Weekly 03/13/2015 page8)