shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

16
The German Chamber of Commerce in China June - July 2009 | 48 Member Mix Meet the Member What is your personal and business background? After having obtained my German lawyers qualification and working experi- ence in Singapore and Taiwan, I arrived in Hong Kong in 2003 and started to work for BEITEN BURKHARDT’s Hong Kong office. There I established and expanded the intellectual property prac- tice of BEITEN BURKHARDT in China. Since 2008, I am also admitted as a Solicitor for England and Wales. Late last December I was given the exciting opportunity to head up our well estab- lished representative office in Shanghai, where I have moved to at the beginning of this year. Tell us a little about your company and activities in China. BEITEN BURKHARDT is an international law firm with a strong presence in China. We established our first office in Hong Kong in 1994, followed by Beijing in 1995. In 2003, Dr. Jürgen Burkhardt – one of the naming partners of our firm – founded the Shanghai office, which is now also the location of our China Intel- lectual Property practice. Our firm is international in nature and we offer integrated services to German and international clients through a wide range of legal assistance. We have sig- nificantly expanded our teams over the past years to meet the increasing needs for representation in China and Hong Kong. Have there been any major shifts in strategy during your company’s presence in China? During our 15 years of market presence, there was not so much a shift in strategy but rather a continuous development. The legal framework in China has become increasingly complex over the past years, in particular after China decided to accede to the WTO. With the growth of China and its increasing wealth and develop- ment, the requirements of businesses and industry have changed dramatically. Our clients now require more specialised assistance and our services and expertise changed and developed accordingly. We now have specialised teams within our China practice, focusing on certain aspects of legal fields which are important to our clients. The particular expertise of our Shanghai office lies in the field of labour law, including national and international employment and HR restructuring and optimisation. We also have a designated Anti- Monopoly specialist in our team. Last but not least I head the China intellectual property practice and assist in registration proceedings, IP and IT licensing and assignments as well as in anti-counterfeiting measures. Other offices further specialise in dispute resolution, envi- ronmental law, tax etc. Above all, “general” corporate and commer- cial work and assistance in mergers and acquisitions remain to be at the core of our legal competence. Over the years we have also noticed that Chinese companies are becoming more and more involved in international transactions. We have assisted in IPOs of Chinese companies in Europe and in acquisitions of European companies by Chinese corporations. During the current financial crisis, we receive more enqui- ries from Chinese companies wanting to commence proceedings against European debtors or needing assistance in bank- ruptcy proceedings of non-Chinese com- panies. Why did your company choose to locate where it did? BEITEN BURKHARDT’s three offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong are supported by our Asia Desk in Munich. Apart from five offices throughout Germany, we have additional foreign offices in Brussels and Eastern Europe including Russia and Ukraine. This inter- national set-up allows us to be present at geographic locations important to our clients. Through our Hong Kong office, we have established a solid network of law firms throughout the Asia Pacific region to ensure that our clients are provided with high quality legal services in all geographic areas where they are present. In your experience, what are the problems German investors in China encounter most frequently? Generally speaking, Chinese businessmen are skillful negotiators. They are willing to take high risks, and they are well known for their ability to patiently work towards their targets. I believe this is one of the major reasons why China has developed so rapidly into one of the leading world economies. However, such a business attitude can clash with the often much more conservative approach taken by German investors. Continuous re-negotiating of already signed contracts is another matter that is difficult to understand for German investors. Consid- ering the fast changing business climate in China however, I believe re-negotiating is not always bad, and German businesses should use it more often to their own advantage. What was one of the first places you visited when moving to Shanghai? One of the first places in Shanghai I visited was a department store to buy a heater. Shanghai in January is considerably colder than Hong Kong and I was not quite prepared for the drop in temperature. Vett Willi Company: BEITEN BURKHARDT Rechtsanwaltsge- sellschaft mbH Shanghai Representative Office Job Title: Head of Office / Head of IP China Practice Year of Foundation: 2003 (Shanghai office) HQ: Munich, Germany Main Business: Legal Services Number of Employees: 380 worldwide

description

Have there been any major shifts in strategy during your company’s presence in China? In your experience, what are the problems German investors in China encounter most frequently? Tell us a little about your company and activities in China. cial work and assistance in mergers and acquisitions remain to be at the core of our legal competence. Willi The German Chamber of Commerce in China June - July 2009 | 48

Transcript of shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

Page 1: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 48

Mem

ber

Mix

Meet the Member

What is your personal and business background?After having obtained my German lawyers qualification and working experi-ence in Singapore and Taiwan, I arrived in Hong Kong in 2003 and started to work for BEITEN BURKHARDT’s Hong Kong office. There I established and expanded the intellectual property prac-tice of BEITEN BURKHARDT in China. Since 2008, I am also admitted as a Solicitor for England and Wales. Late last December I was given the exciting opportunity to head up our well estab-lished representative office in Shanghai, where I have moved to at the beginning of this year.

Tell us a little about your company and activities in China.BEITEN BURKHARDT is an international law firm with a strong presence in China. We established our first office in Hong Kong in 1994, followed by Beijing in 1995. In 2003, Dr. Jürgen Burkhardt – one of the naming partners of our firm – founded the Shanghai office, which is now also the location of our China Intel-lectual Property practice.

Our firm is international in nature and we offer integrated services to German and international clients through a wide range of legal assistance. We have sig-nificantly expanded our teams over the past years to meet the increasing needs for representation in China and Hong Kong.

Have there been any major shifts in strategy during your company’s presence in China?During our 15 years of market presence, there was not so much a shift in strategy but rather a continuous development. The legal framework in China has become increasingly complex over the past years, in particular after China decided to accede to the WTO.

With the growth of China and its increasing wealth and develop-ment, the requirements of businesses and industry have changed dramatically. Our clients now require more specialised assistance and our services and expertise changed and developed accordingly. We now have specialised teams within our China practice, focusing on certain aspects of legal fields which are important to our clients. The particular expertise of our Shanghai office lies in the field of labour law, including national and international employment and HR restructuring and optimisation. We also have a designated Anti-Monopoly specialist in our team. Last but not least I head the China intellectual property practice and assist in registration proceedings, IP and IT licensing and assignments as well as in anti-counterfeiting measures. Other offices further specialise in dispute resolution, envi-ronmental law, tax etc. Above all, “general” corporate and commer-

cial work and assistance in mergers and acquisitions remain to be at the core of our legal competence.

Over the years we have also noticed that Chinese companies are becoming more and more involved in international transactions. We have assisted in IPOs of Chinese companies in Europe and in acquisitions of European companies by Chinese corporations. During the current financial crisis, we receive more enqui-ries from Chinese companies wanting to commence proceedings against European debtors or needing assistance in bank-ruptcy proceedings of non-Chinese com-panies.

Why did your company choose to locate where it did?BEITEN BURKHARDT’s three offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong are supported by our Asia Desk in Munich. Apart from five offices throughout Germany, we have additional foreign offices in Brussels and Eastern Europe including Russia and Ukraine. This inter-national set-up allows us to be present at geographic locations important to our clients.

Through our Hong Kong office, we have established a solid network of law firms throughout the Asia Pacific region to ensure that our clients are provided with

high quality legal services in all geographic areas where they are present.

In your experience, what are the problems German investors in China encounter most frequently?Generally speaking, Chinese businessmen are skillful negotiators. They are willing to take high risks, and they are well known for their ability to patiently work towards their targets. I believe this is one of the major reasons why China has developed so rapidly into one of the leading world economies. However, such a business attitude can clash with the often much more conservative approach taken by German investors.

Continuous re-negotiating of already signed contracts is another matter that is difficult to understand for German investors. Consid-ering the fast changing business climate in China however, I believe re-negotiating is not always bad, and German businesses should use it more often to their own advantage.

What was one of the first places you visited when moving to Shanghai?One of the first places in Shanghai I visited was a department store to buy a heater. Shanghai in January is considerably colder than Hong Kong and I was not quite prepared for the drop in temperature.

VettWilli

Company: BEITEN BURKHARDT Rechtsanwaltsge-sellschaft mbH Shanghai Representative OfficeJob Title: Head of Office / Head of IP China PracticeYear of Foundation: 2003 (Shanghai office)HQ: Munich, GermanyMain Business: Legal ServicesNumber of Employees: 380 worldwide

Page 2: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest
Page 3: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 50

Mem

ber

Mix

Member News - Beijing

New Director for Jebsen IndustrialMr. Lorenz Zimmermann has been appointed by the Jebsen Group as the new Director for Jebsen Industrial, with effect since April. As the head of the Industrial Business Unit, he is responsible for various divisions in their provision of industrial, scientific and tech-nological products, systems and services for a diverse range of sectors.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Zimmermann spent over 19 years working with Siemens in various international assignments, most recently as CFO Global Shared Services from 2006-2008 where he founded a new global shared services organisation for the group. He holds a BA (Hons) degree in European Business Administration from Middlesex University, London and the University of Applied Sciences (FH) in Reutlingen.

Sartorius Cooperates with NIMHeadquartered in Germany, Sar-torius AG was founded in 1870 and is specialised in weighing technology. During the collabora-tion between Sartorius, the Tech-nical University Ilmenau and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), a new type of a 1kg vacuum mass compara-tor was developed.

Now Sartorius is cooperating with the National Institute of Metro-logy P.R. China (NIM) in the research of the Avogadro project, which involves the re-definition of the 1kg mass standard.

Individual Income Tax Planning for ExpatriatesDo you know how to time your trips abroad so that you can avoid tax resident status in China, preventing higher personal income taxes? What about how to restructure your salary and bonus package so that more of your income is tax-exempt? Over 60 expats learned about these and other money-saving tricks for smart income tax planning from Hannah Feng, Senior Associate with Dezan Shira and Associates accounting and tax team.

The seminar, held March 31st at the Executive Centre in Beijing, gave an overview of China’s sometimes complex IIT system as part of a series of lectures on various legal and tax issues for foreigners in China. Dezan Shira & Associates is a specialist foreign direct invest-ment practice providing legal, audit and tax services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India & Vietnam. Keep an eye out for more lectures on current legal, tax and investment issues in China.

Deutsche Bank Shares a Passion for MusicA new chapter has begun in the successful partnership between Deutsche Bank and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. With the Digital

Concert Hall the two institutions are presenting an unprecedented project in the world of classical music. Deutsche Bank has been spon-soring the “Berliner Philharmoniker” since 2002, and is now the exclu-sive sponsor of the new Digital Concert Hall. Thanks to the bank’s support, this pioneering internet project is guaranteed to run until 2016.

The new Digital Concert Hall offers listeners the possibility to expe-rience concerts by the famous German orchestra through their com-puter, television or stereo system at home or anywhere in the world at any time – with an authentic touch and in brilliant image and sound quality. More information regarding the Digital Concert Hall is avail-able on the websites of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (http://dch.berliner-philharmoniker.de) and the Deutsche Bank.

IBB Expands Business in BeijingIBB I&C Technology has opened a second Beijing office at the 16th floor of the Landmark Tower to accommodate the needs of German customers in this area.

The Sino-German company provides a range of IT services to predomi-nantly European customers. The services offered range from consulting and system integration to management and maintenance of IT infra-structures.

Founded in 2000, IBB I&C Technology now has offices in Beijing, Langfang and Shanghai. With a team of German and Chinese engineers the company provides professional, international and localised service to its customers. The new director of the Beijing branch is Hans-Peter Fischer. He has previously worked on many projects in China with Nordex Energy, where he was responsible for the company’s global IT. This international experience has provided him with the knowledge and skills vital to succeed in the intercultural IT business in China.

PwC Continues Expansion in China PricewaterhouseCoo-p e r s ( P w C ) C h i n a announced the opening of its Xiamen branch and its entrance into the market in Fujian province on 25th March 2009. It is PwC’s 14th branch in China, indi-cating that the global economic slow down has not crippled the firm’s expansion plans in China. The city of Xiamen, which is the regional economic centre on China’s southeastern coast, will bring new opportunities to PwC’s busi-ness landscape in China.

Wang Dexian, Deputy Secretary-general of Xiamen Municipal Gov-ernment, participated in the opening ceremony and cut the ribbons together with Frank Lyn, PwC China Markets Leader and Eileen Liang, PwC Xiamen Branch Lead Partner.

The new Xiamen office is the second to be opened within the recent half-year along with the Ningbo Office that opened in November

Page 4: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

www.china.ahk.de

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

51 | June - July 2009

Mem

ber Mix

Mr. Eric BlomeyerF&B DirectorRaffles Hotel BeijingBeijing

010 8500-4338 [email protected]

www.beijing.raffles.com

Mr. Karl-H. GaschkaGeneral ManagerG_solutions Ltd.Beijing

138 1008-5117 [email protected]

www.gsolutionsasia.com

Mr. Rainer HöbelDivision ManagerWürth Construction ToolsCommercial (Beijing) Co. Ltd.Beijing

010 6059-5509 [email protected]

Mr. Liu YedongSales DirectorIpsen Industries Furances(Shanghai) Ltd. Beijing OfficeBeijing

139 0132-5085 [email protected]

www.ipsen.com.cn

Mr. Thomas LuetkebohmertGeneral ManagerWebasto (Beijing) Trading Co. Ltd.Beijing

010 8478-2320 ext. 10 thomas_luetkebohmert@webas-

tochina.comwww.parkingheater.cn

Mr. Bernhard SchülerGeneral ManagerGMA Industrial Quality Service &Consulting (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.Tianjin

022 8835-0661 [email protected]

www.gma-qimai.com.cn

Mr. Norbert StöhrBeijing

010 6597-0160 [email protected]

For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing members please visit: www.german-company-directory.com

Beijing - Member News

2008. The timing of PwC’s entrance into the Xiamen market indicates the firm’s willingness to help Xiamen-based businesses to stand up to the current economic downturn.

Marianne Friese Consulting Joins World Business Dialogue in CologneUnder the patronage of Dr. Frank Walter Steinmeier, the Federal Minis-ter for Foreign Affairs of Germany, top speakers such as Franz Fehrenbach, Chairman of Robert Bosch, and Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer discussed with 300 entrepreneurs and 300 students from all over the world about the topic of Integrated Challenge – China, Resources & Customer Revolution. The international congress on 1st-2nd April in Cologne provided inspirations and ideas on the market power of China, the effects of resource shortages and the changing demands of cus-tomers – especially in the light of the current global economic crisis. Marianne Friese actively supported this initiative as a speaker on target groups, marketing and branding in China. The 12th World Busi-ness Dialogue was the first international congress focusing on solu-tions with the help of international entrepreneurs and companies as well as students from all over the world.

Greenlink Küsters Welcomes New Landscape DesignerThe only foreign Landscape Design and Engineering Company in China, Beijing Greenlink Küsters Consulting Co. Ltd, is pleased to announce the arrival of the new team member Ms. Steffi Grundmann. After half a year of training at Greenlink Küsters in 2008, she graduated at the beginning of 2009 from the University of Applied Sciences in Osna-brück.

Ms. Grundman is now responsible for Green-link’s private garden department. Her com-prehensive German garden education, sup-ported by numerous training periods during the nine semesters of study, equips her with profound knowledge of all aspects around the garden. The landscape designer can convert her client’s ideas and wishes into a garden as a second living room. Construction and installation works are completed from start to finish by experienced on-site teams, guided by the German Landscape Architect/Engineer to ensure an exceptional standard of the work.

INTERIM MANAGEMENT BY BRAINFORCEoperational responsibility in projects and line management: experience, speed,flexibility, change your success

BRAINFORCE (CHINA) REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE | Room 321, 3F, Building A, Far East International Plaza | 319 Xianxia Road, Shanghai 200051 Tel: +86 21 6270-2222 | Fax: +86 21 6270-5555 | Web: www.brainforce-ag.com | [email protected]

ZURICH MUNICH VIENNA MOSCOW JOHANNESBURG BANGKOK HONG KONG SHANGHAI

Page 5: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 52

Mem

ber

Mix

Member News - South China

NOBLE Wins Zhuhai Science and Technology AwardNOBLE Energy-Saving Technology (Zhuhai) Co. Ltd. was invited to attend the Zhuhai City Science and Technology Conference on 26th March. For its electricity economizer project, the German company took home the “Independent Innovation Award” as the only winner from its industry.

The conference and awards had been initiated by the Zhuhai Govern-ment in order to acknowledge businesses that have made outstanding contributions towards enhancing the independent innovation capabili-ty. It is also an incentive for companies that promote the construction of scientific and technological innovation systems.

Guangzhou Heidelberg Yuexiu Cement Launches New Sewage Sludge Treatment Facility

Lion dance, sunshine and joyful visi-tors – the launching ceremony of the new sewage sludge treatment project of Guangzhou Heidelberg Yuexiu Cement Co. Ltd. (GCPN) at Maxi Industrial Park in Guangzhou’s Huadu District was a thor-ough success.

The state-of-the-art sewage sludge treatment project is a vital part of the National Science and Technology Pillar Programme of the 11th Five-Year-Plan.

The Sino-German technological cooperation project is not only the largest sewage sludge treatment line in China, but also absolutely haz-ard-free, turning the traditionally polluting cement industry into an advocate of environmental protection. Visitors were able to take part in a guided tour of the plant, which has a designed capacity of 6,000t of high grade cement per day and an annual output of over 2.3mn tons.

In his welcome speech, General Manager Zhang Zhaoxing openly men-tioned that the former industrial plant had polluted the environment. Times have turned however, and, thanks to the German technology in use, an environmentally aware industry with reduced CO2 emission has emerged. Processing sewage sludge into cement is a new development – a plant of this type does not exist in Germany so far and is also a role model and a pioneer for other industries. This was acknowledged by German Consul General Mr. Eberhard Schuppius. He further noted that the Guangzhou Heidelberg Yuexiu Group had set an example of how to surmount the crisis using innovative ideas and sustainable development programmes.

China Hotel Guangzhou and Crowne Plaza Shenzhen Will Host Oktoberfest 2009With preparations for these popular annual events already ongoing, the German Chamber of Commerce • South China is pleased to coop-erate with two of its members at the upcoming Oktoberfest editions. The six-day event in Guangzhou will be hosted by The China Hotel – A Marriott Hotel – already for the fifth time. Crowne Plaza Hotel Shen-zhen will be the local festival venue for the second consecutive year,

this time extending the famous German beer festival to eight days. Altogether an expected 10,000 visitors will enjoy German beer, food and music. The latter will be provided by the acclaimed “Münch-ner Musikanten” in both cities.

Locals and foreigners can look forward to celebrate two very special parties, thanks to the experienced event teams of the two member hotels. Companies interested in sponsoring opportunities should contact the chamber teams in Guangzhou or Shenzhen directly.

New MembersMr. Alex BaumgartnerGeneral ManagerGecon Ltd.Huizhou

0752 6111-202 [email protected]

www.gecon-cn.com

Mr. Thomas BernardManager China OfficeLautsprecher Teufel GmbHDongguan

0769 8685-3111 [email protected]

www.teufel.eu

Mr. Franz BirrerGuangzhou

020 8222-1305 [email protected]

Dr. Dieter BraunManaging DirectorB&B Leiterplattenservice GmbHGuangzhou Rep. OfficeGuangzhou

020 8755-8926 [email protected]

www.bb-gruppe.de

Mr. Cyrus CuthbertsonGeneral ManagerSchunk General Carbon(Guangzhou) Co. Ltd.Guangzhou

020 3463-4888 [email protected]

www.schunkchina.com

Mr. Antonius HammerschmidtPurchasing ManagerWöhler Messgeräte Kehrgeräte GmbHGermany

+49 2953 7310-0 [email protected]

www.mgkg.woehler.de

Mr. Michael HartlGeneral ManagerShenzhen MelittaHousehold Products Co. Ltd.Shenzhen

0755 8177-2979 [email protected]

www.melitta.de

Mr. Thomas HegenbergGeneral ManagerShenzhen Giesecke & Devrient

Currency Automation SystemsCo. Ltd.Shenzhen

0755 2650-7873 [email protected]

www.gdshenzhen.com

Mr. Dirk MuschertGeneral ManangerSchneider Optical Technologies(Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.Shenzhen

0755 8832-1173 [email protected]

www.schneideropticaltech.cn

Mr. John NeoGuangzhou

020 8149-3688 [email protected]

Mr. Ulf ReinhardtGeneral ManagerARC (Foshan) IndustrialEquipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd.Foshan

0757 2788-0401 [email protected]

www.arcpacific.com

Mr. Karl Ernst RenkGuangzhou

020 3425-8124 [email protected]

Mr. Sven O. RimmelspacherManaging DirectorPickert & Partner GmbHGermany

+49 7216 6520 [email protected]

www.pickert.de

Mr. Paul Rusu-TibreanuGuangzhou

020 3887-8881 [email protected]

Mr. Yeong Kwek LeongGeneral ManagerOiltanking Daya Bay Company Ltd.Huizhou

0752 3098-980 [email protected]

www.oiltanking.com

For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing members please visit: www.german-company-directory.com

Page 6: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

www.china.ahk.de

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

53 | June - July 2009

Mem

ber Mix

ness expansion to Europe and the US. In terms of service delivery, there is a clear empha-sis on using local resources. Globally standardised service concepts will be established locally with the support of inter-national experts. This includes services like solution architec-ture and program management.

What is your competitive advantage? We are a true partner for our customers and we serve them in all aspects related to busi-ness processes and IT. In this context, Freudenberg IT strictly follows global standards while having local expertise and lan-guage know-how. We offer a 24-hour service, seven days per week.

What made you decide to go overseas?I initially arrived in China as part of a global IT project that was expected to last for a short period only. As encountered by many for-eigners, once I experienced the differences in culture and the fast moving environment, I felt passionate about the country. So there was not really a conscious decision to go overseas – I just stayed.

Meet the Member

What is your personal and business background? I have a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Hannover Uni-versity in Germany. Before joining Freudenberg IT in January 2008, I have spent nine years with SAP Consulting, including three years in China.

Tell us a little about your company and activities in China. Freudenberg IT (FIT), part of the Freudenberg Group, is an internatio-nally operating IT provider for hosting and infrastructure services and consulting around SAP and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems). The company employs over 500 associates at 16 locations in Europe, America and Asia. In China, we are targeting international mid-sized customers, for whom we are a reliable partner for implementing, opti-mising and operating IT systems in SAP environments. Furthermore, Freudenberg IT provides a complete service and solution portfolio cov-ering the entire lifecycle of a company’s IT investment.

Since entering the market, have there been any major shifts in strategy?Freudenberg IT has been active in China for five years. After having established a general service portfolio, we are now focussing on new service offerings, especially in the field of managed services and business process outsourcing. Another objective is the expansion in the regional market. Therefore, we have recently opened new offices in Guangzhou and Beijing.

What has been your strategy in terms of localisation?Local customers are an important part of our strategy and we expect this region to still grow in the future. Apart from local services, Chinese companies increasingly ask for support with regard to busi-

Thomas Ahlers

General ManagerFreudenberg IT China

Year of Foundation: 2004HQ: SuzhouMain Business: SAP Consult-ing, Hosting, Infrastructure ServicesNumber of Employees: 90

Page 7: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 54

Mem

ber

Mix

What is your personal and business background?I grew up in Ravensburg and completed my legal studies in Erlangen. After posts in Canada and Saudi Arabia I joined Rödl & Partner as Attorney-at-Law in 2002. After two years in our Shanghai office I took over the South/West-China operation in 2005. Since last year I am a Director of the Management Board for Greater China. I have advised mainly M&A projects, cross border transactions and FDI-related issues over the past years in Greater China.

Tell us a little about your company and activities in China.Rödl & Partner was established in 1977 in Germany and has become one of the leading European advisory firms with 80 offices in 25 countries. 2,750 employ-

ees world wide serve companies of predominantly German, Austrian and Swiss origin in the areas of legal advice, tax advice, outsourcing and audit. Rödl & Partner has established its first China office in Shanghai in 1994. Due to clients’ demand we have opened three more offices in Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong with currently about 200 employ-ees.

What are the main challenges you encountered operating an international business in a Chinese environment?In our specific field of legal advisory the licensing process is very time consuming because you need to obtain the approval of the Ministry of Justice. In daily practice, things can take more time than anticipated due to the immense room for discretion of the authorities. The final success and implementation of a legal or tax strategy often depends on a specific officer and can not be predicted with certainty in advance.

What is the strangest thing that has happened to you in China, in life or business?Some years ago at Kunming airport I was late to board my plane. When I arrived at the gate all staff had left and I found myself alone on the airfield amidst several parked Boeings. I wandered from plane to plane and shouted to the captains behind the cockpit windows to find out where their next flight was headed. No one really seemed surprised or bothered and 15 minutes later I found the right plane.

After two years in Shanghai and four in Guangzhou you might be able to tell us some benefits of living and working in Guangzhou. I like Guangzhou because of its comparably natural growth and develop-ment over the past decades. It is more down to earth than other cities. Locals are quite laid back and very open to foreign ideas. In many parts of the city you can still find quiet and traditional spots. Within one or two hours drive you can go hiking or swimming in hot springs. And for a real change of scenery, the proximity and easy access to Hong Kong and Macau gives you a whole range of opportunities.

Meet the Member

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.I am from the small town of Boppard on the Rhine River. I started my first business right out of college, at age 22. It was focused on financial manage-ment and assisting clients to manage their cash flow. Today I often help enhance their cash flow by providing various kinds of IT services through MCon.

Speaking of cash flow, a topic that’s on many peo-ple’s minds: what is your insight into the financial crisis?Do we have a financial crisis? Seriously – it’s an opportunity for companies to optimise their IT structures and save money

in the process. There is also a greater focus on protecting what you have – including key intellectual property. Simultaneously, it’s an excellent chance to increase marketing budgets and build recogni-tion with customers for the future while enhancing sales now. MCon can provide significant help in each of these areas.

What will the focus of MCon be in 2009?As I hinted above, we are focusing our efforts on assisting compa-nies in optimising their efficiency through IT outsourcing, the instal-lation of optimal IT technologies and the protection of their key technologies through IT and other means. We can also support their marketing efforts through innovative web and application hosting in prime data centres here in China and around the world.

Has this been a frequent focus for your business throughout the years?Yes, since 1996 MCon has been focused on comprehensive security solutions, but we also provide many other services in the IT field. We have regularly done major IT project management for large clients in the automotive, banking/insurance, logistics and communications industries, among others. We do IT architecture design for global giants as happily as we manage an office setup and helpdesk service for a small office with just three staff members.

Where do you like to take clients in Beijing?One of my favourite places is Haiku, an Asian “fusion” eatery most seem to enjoy.

You travel back and forth a lot between Germany, China, Malaysia and other countries. What’s new in Beijing?There is now a Harley-Davidson dealership in Beijing! “Hogs” have always been a passion of mine. In fact, combining Haiku with Harleys, I recall part of a haiku-based poem about Harleys you might enjoy. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the author, so I can’t give the appropriate credit. Here it is:Canyon road wiggles, V-twin throb echoes from cliffs, Bring the dragon on. Poetry is nice, But for vision most profound, Motorcycle ride.

I have some of my best ideas when I’m in the saddle.

Jürgen Baur Attorney-at-Law, Member of the Management Board Greater China, Chief Representative Guangzhou and Hong KongRödl & Partner Guangzhou

Year of Foundation: 2005HQ: Nuremberg, GermanyMain Business: Legal and Tax Advice, Outsourcing and AuditNumber of Employees: 15 (GZ)

Dirk MeissnerCEOMCon China Ltd.

Present in China: Since 2006HQ: BeijingMain Business: Integrated IT ServicesNumber of Employees: 50

Page 8: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

www.china.ahk.de

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

55 | June - July 2009

Mem

ber Mix

Page 9: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 56

Mem

ber

Mix

Bertelsmann Co-hosts Opera ExhibitionHaving opened in mid-April, Nessun Dorma Opera Art Exhibition is put on stage at China’s National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing. The exhibition is sponsored by the Centre and Fondazione Festival Puc-ciniano. Bertelsmann AG and its wholly owned subsidiary Ricordi are co-sponsors of the event. A unique collection is on show, including handwritten opera scores by Puccini and Verdi, drawings and prints, sketches of costumes and stage sets as well as old posters. The exhibi-tion is open to the public until the end of June.

BLG Asia in Major Growth Mode in 2009Barlow Lyde & Gilbert has made a firm commitment to Asia and its clients following a series of key appointments. This forms an integral part of BLG’s international strategy to continue providing first class legal services to clients across the region.

Lisa Foley joined BLG as its first Chief Oper-ating Officer for Asia, responsible for opera-tions in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singa-pore. John Hanson and Patric McGonigal have relocated from BLG London to BLG Singapore. Mr. Hanson heads the firm’s Asia Insurance Practice, while Mr. McGonigal heads the Asia Marine, Energy and Trade Practice. Keith Richardson of the Asia Aero-space Practice was also recently promoted

to Partner in Singapore and Wenhao Han will return to BLG Shanghai following his secondment with BLG in London.

Continental Celebrates Two Spring Openings

Continental, the international automotive supplier, held two opening ceremonies in spring of this year. The first one took place in Febru-ary when the plant in Wuhu was officially opened. Martin Mandry, CEO of Continental Automotive Wuhu Co. Ltd, said that “the expansion project helps us better support and serve all the OEMs, in particular local vehicle manufacturers.” The expanded plant with new logistics warehouse and test lab covers new production areas engaging in the manufacturing of instrument clusters, fuel supply systems and engine actuators.

The second ceremony was the company’s inauguration of a new Auto-motive Test Centre in Jiading Industrial Zone of Shanghai on April 2nd. The Chassis & Safety and Powertrain divisions have invested in Jiading to conduct vehicle application development and system testing of Conti’s new technology and products customised for the Chinese OEM market. The engineering activities cover electronic and hydraulic brake systems, engine management and system control.

Member News - Shanghai

Assessing the ROI of an MBAAEMBA Open Class is a platform of networking and knowledge sharing for mid to senior-level inter-national managers. On Wednesday 17th June, Pro-fessor Dana Chan, will host one seminar on “Assessing the value of MBA and its

return on investment for career development”. A second speech will be delivered by Professor Yahia Zoubir on 15th July on “Cross Culture Negotiation Skills for International Managers”.

AEMBA was jointly established by Euromed Management Ecole de Mar-seille, one of the oldest top ten business schools in France, and Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Accredited by EQUIS and AMBA, AEMBA offers MBA studies in Global Management & Finance as well as Dual-Degree Executive MBA programs. Application deadline for the next MBA class intake is the 10th October 2009. For details, please visit the Aemba website.

Agility Wins Expo Star Awards Agility Fairs & Events Shanghai was recently awarded two Star Awards for its outstanding contribution towards the launch of Shanghai Expo 2010. The Awards were presented at a glit-tering World Expo Star Ceremony and Gala Dinner organised by the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination. They were given to those, who have made sig-nificant contributions to China’s first hosting of the World Expo.

Agility Fairs & Events is the Official Logistics Service Provider at Expo 2010 and one of only three logistics providers that can offer on-site services at the Expo.

HALFEN’s New Offices in Beijing & ShanghaiThe HALFEN team around its General Manager, Mr. Vincent Serre and its German Technical Manager, Mr. Stefan Lammert has successfully improved its market position and broadened the circle of local and international customers. The company’s construction accessories, in particular anchoring systems to concrete structures and flexible fixing technology products, are not only used in the classic building con-struction but also in infrastructure projects and numerous industrial fields.

With the continued development of its business in China, HALFEN’s offices in Beijing and Shanghai recently moved into larger premises at the contacts outlined below:Beijing: Room 601, Tower D, Vantone Centre, No. A6 Chao Yang Men Wai Street, Chaoyang District, 100020 | Tel: 010 5907-3200 Shanghai: Room 1603, Jing An China Tower, No.1701 West Beijing Road, Jing An District, 200040 | Tel: 021 5108-8785

Page 10: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

www.china.ahk.de

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

57 | June - July 2009

Mem

ber Mix

environmental savings in existing plants as well as consulting on CDM best practices, have been welcomed by Chinese and foreign investors already. Eisenmann plans to invest further in the localisation of envi-ronmental technology in the near future.

New MD at Dunkermotoren Dunkermotoren Taicang Co. Ltd, a leading provider of electrical drive solutions, announced the appoint-ment of Mr. Nico Küster-mann as the company’s new Managing Director from May 1st. Mr. Küstermann succeeds Volker Brunner, who takes over the Global Operations & Industrial Activities at the German Dunkermotoren head-quarters.

Mr. Küstermann joined Dunkermotoren in February. He is in charge of the company’s entire activity range, such as sales, trading, manufac-turing and logistics services for the Asian customer base. With his rich APAC experience he will strongly contribute to the ongoing expansion of Dunkermotoren within China and Asia.

In February, Dunkermotoren strengthened its sales and service pres-ence through a newly opened sales office in Shenzhen for Southern China.

Bureau Veritas Welcomes Mr. Fabian Joly de Bresillon

Bureau Veritas is pleased to announce the arrival of Mr. Fabien Joly de Bresillon in its Beijing office as of 9th April 2009. Mr. Joly de Bresillon is in charge of developing Bureau Veritas Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) service offering in Greater China.

Fabien holds an MSc degree from Ecole Poly-technique in France. Over the last three

years he has been working for Bureau Veritas in the United Kingdom, where he was Head of the Energy Services department.

BTES Files Two New PatentsBayer Technology & Engineering (Shanghai) – in short BTES – recently received a notice from the China Intellectual Property Bureau that two patents developed by BTES in Shanghai had been filed. This is another milestone for the company after it had two patents filed already in 2007.

BTES has provided professional project management for the chemi-cal and pharmaceutical industry in Asia since 2003, and more than 40 projects have been realised successfully. As an extension to its engi-neering work, the company started to establish innovation and tech-nology solutions competences. BTES opened an Indian office in Thane near Mumbai this March to serve in all growth regions with local expe-rience and global expertise. Further to branches in China and Singa-pore this is the company’s fifth office in Asia.

CONEC’s Presence in ChinaMr. Jack Wu has been appointed as Managing Direc-tor of CONEC (Shanghai) International Trading Co. Ltd. He has more than ten years working experience in the area of electronic components for various international German companies in Germany and China.

CONEC provides connectors for the application fields of Telecom, Indus-trial Automatisation, Railway and the Military sector. To further develop the markets in Mainland China & Hong Kong, CONEC Group has been running a wholly owned subsidiary company in Shanghai since 2006.

Eisenmann Sets up Environmental Technology UnitEisenmann, one of the leading international suppliers of paint shop technology, material flow automation, environmental technology and thermal processing technology has been present in China since 2001. To represent the full scope of Eisenmann AG’s product portfolio and to gain synergies within specific turn key projects, the environmen-tal technology business unit, including Biogas has been successfully launched in March 2009.

Located within the Shanghai headquarters of Eisenmann, the environ-mental technology and its integrated services of analysing costs and

Shanghai - Member News

Page 11: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 58

Mem

ber

Mix

government regulations often fail to be implemented locally, but com-plemented China’s progress in this regard compared to that of Russia.

The event was concluded when Professor Speer was named honorary member of the board of econet china. His expertise on building and city development will help to further secure the success of German technology leaders in China’s growing market.

Eibach Tunes Dodge Challenger with Vin DieselOn Ma rch 17 th i n the German City of Bochum, the suspen-sion specialists from E ibach p resented their Dodge Chal-lenger with Vin Diesel on board, the hero of “The Fast & The

Furious” movies. Vin, who in the fourth part of the tuning saga again plays the role of high-speed junkie Dom Toretto, drove up at the offi-cial VIP pre-premiere true to style in the sonorous Eibach Muscle Car.

Eibach Federn, a German manufacturer of Hi-Tech Industrial Springs and Suspension Components has recently bought 20,000m² of land in Taicang, Jiangsu Province due to the set up of its pan-Pacific centre there.

Kuehne + Nagel Appoints New Sales ProMr. Cedric Dulong has been appointed as General Manager Sales & Marketing (Central & North China) of Kuehne + Nagel as of 1st March 2009.

Originally from France, Mr. Cedric Dulong has worked many years in the logistics sector in Hong Kong and Shanghai. For the last four years he has been working in Tokyo for Kuehne + Nagel Asia Pacific. In his new posi-tion Mr. Dulong will lead the Central &

North China Sales & Marketing Team with his expertise and experience to ensure the continuous growth of Kuehne + Nagel.

RUIDE: New Member of ECOVISECOVIS Ruide Certified Public Accountants Co. Ltd. and ECOVIS Ruide Investment Management Consulting Co. Ltd. are since the beginning of 1st January 2009 a new member of the worldwide acting consulting firm that comprises tax advisors, auditors, attorneys and management consultants.

Ecovis is an international consulting group for medium sized compa-nies, which has its emphasis in Germany with more than 120 offices. With over 30 partner offices world-wide, ECOVIS employs a total of 2,700 people. The name Ecovis connects the terms economy and vision and expresses thereby both internationality and future orienta-tion and growth.

Member News - Shanghai

New Sino-German Management Team at Dussmann

The Dussmann Group is a globally operating Facili-ty Management provider with activities in China since 1998. 2,000 local staff provide services “made in Germany” to companies such as Coca-

Cola, Honda and Novotel. The group has now taken a new Chinese-German management team on board for this promising market.

Yong Zhu has headed the Dussmann Property Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. as General Manager China since October 2008. He previously worked for the Bertelsmann-Group and the diplomatic services. Zhu studied Business Sciences and completed further training at various executive training programmes. He reports to Holger Graf, Manag-ing Director International Asia. Based in Shanghai, Mr. Graf manages activities in China, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Following technical studies, he has worked for several FM providers over the past 15 years, culminating in GSN Property Services and JM Imtech in China.

July 22nd - Total Solar Eclipse in ShanghaiEclipse City Ltd. has been appointed by the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory as the official event management organization, to host and manage the “2009 International Year of Astronomy – Total Solar Eclipse Event”. This event includes the “2009 2nd International Solar Eclipse Summit” (InterSoles 2) on July 21st in Shanghai and the “2009 Total Solar Eclipse Observation” at Yangshan Island on July 22nd.

On Wednesday July 22nd between 8.30 and 11.30am, Shanghai locals may witness the longest total solar eclipse of the century. As a warm up for the eclipse event, InterSoles 2 is open for the public and addresses both eclipse novices and experts of all ages to come and enjoy speeches, exhibitions and shows, all around the subject of solar eclipse.

Speer Named Honorary Board Member of econet china

During an econet china breakfast forum on sus-tainable urban develop-ment, representatives of major construction and environmental industry firms gathered to share their views on this much-discussed topic.

Among the plenum was Professor Albert Speer, founder and manag-ing partner of AS&P architects and planners. AS&P is one of Germany’s leading architectural firms, with an impressive portfolio of projects in China, including Anting New Town and parts of the Zhangjiang High Technology Park.

In his speech, Prof. Speer advocated the importance of long-term plan-ning in land use and sustainable city growth. He added that national

Page 12: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

www.china.ahk.de

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

59 | June - July 2009

Mem

ber Mix

Shanghai - Member News

Globe Shanghai Introduces Laser TrackingMr. Eric Jost has been appointed as a laser tracking and dimensional control specialist of Globe (Shanghai) Advanced Technical Ser-vices Co. Ltd. With this expansion of existing survey and scanning services, Globe Shanghai further broadens its horizon in order to chal-lenge the future demands in China and Asia.

Mr. Jost has extensive experience in various fields of dimensional control and has worked

in China since 2007. Previous posts took him to Thailand, Hong Kong, Spain and Germany. His practice covers industrial measurements, land and engineering surveying, geographical information systems and hydrographical surveying.

Five-year Anniversary of RittalThe year 2009 is a special one for Rittal China, when its domes-tic production facility has been running for five years. TS8 Profile Roll-forming line was put into use at the beginning of this year, which will considerably shorten delivery times. Another automatic panel production line will be in place this July to increase the production capacity and flexibility. These significant expansions in light of the current crisis show Rittal’s great confidence in the Chinese market.

With support from its headquarters, Rittal China has taken measures to gain more market share in China and to attract more talents to join the company. To better compete in the market, the company recently appointed a new leadership team with Dr. Zheng Qinghao as President and Mr. Volker Palm as new Vice-president for Rittal China. Under the new direction, Rittal China aims to develop faster and more steadily to step up to a new altitude.

Freudenberg Rebuilds Primary School in SichuanWith more than RMB 1.5mn, the Freudenberg Group is currently rebuilding the Haijin village primary school in Jiangyou, one of the towns that was hardest-hit by the terrible Sichuan earth-quake on May 12th, 2008. As a measure of help and solidarity

for the affected people, the German family-owned company launched this long-term aid project together with the local education bureau. The project was set up and is managed by volunteers from the Group.

A 2-storey classroom building of nearly 1000m2 will accommodate 280 children. A canteen of 120m2, a playground and a surrounding wall are further planned. As an emergency measure, employees of Freuden-berg already donated winter clothes last December to enable children to attend school in the unheated temporary buildings. The official

China Refrigeration 2009 & microox® Technology Launch Party

Güntner Asia Pacific Group enjoyed interacting with its customers and partners from across the region at its recent microox® technol-ogy launch party. Mr. Axel Scherrieble, Managing Director of Güntner Asia Pacific gave a welcome speech and officially launched the microox® technology, a new breakthrough in the heat exchanger industry.

Güntner’s vision is to lead its industry in terms of competence and reliability. The company thus tried to learn as much as pos-sible during the event, which consisted of presentations, product seminars and individual conversations with participants about heat exchange projects and requirements. Güntner was proud to showcase its new microox® technology and to demonstrate how its global network of factories ensures consistent quality and technology exchange among the different locations.

To find out more, please visit www.guentner-asia.com

Güntner AG & Co. KGBeijing Representative OfficeUnit 0616, Landmark Tower 28 North Dongsanhuan RoadBeijing 100004, ChinaTel: 010 6590-0616Fax: 010 6590-0698Email: [email protected]

Güntner Shanghai Trading Co. Ltd.Unit 701-035, German Centre88 Keyuan Road, Zhangjiang High-Tech ParkShanghai 201203, ChinaTel: 021 2898-6984/5/6Fax: 021 2898-6357Email: [email protected]

opening of the school is planned for autumn 2009. With this project, Freudenberg and its employees help the children in the devastated region and give them the prospect for a bright future.

Evonik Releases 2008 FiguresThanks to a diversified portfolio, the fiscal year 2008 witnessed a sound performance of Evonik Industries AG, whose sales grew up by 10% to EUR 159mn. However, the company’s EBITDA before the non-operating result declined 3% in 2008 to EUR 2.2bn. The Greater China Region reported consolidated external sales of EUR 821mn, which is a 10% increase from 2007.

The outlook for 2009 is extremely uncertain. Despite the difficult eco-nomic situation, the EUR 2bn medium term sales target of Evonik in the Greater China region still remains unchanged. To achieve these targets, Evonik is applying comprehensive measures to stimulate prof-itable growth, including capital investment, new business develop-ment, local development of products and talent development. Mean-while the company is also looking at cost-cutting measures and closely monitoring the cash flow situation.

Page 13: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 60

Mem

ber

Mix

Hella Brings United Training to Beijing, Guangzhou

After a successful united training event in Shang-hai in November last yea r, He l l a Trad ing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. has organised two further united training events in Beijing and Guangzhou in March and May this year.

To establish the win-win market and further strengthen brand aware-ness, trust and specialisation, Hella united some well-known brands, such as Bosch, Tec-doc, ZF, Delphi, Schäffler and TRW. Through the training, the companies aim at providing a wider platform for their customers, helping them to know and select the products better. Rec-ognising the advantages of the united training all attendees expect to increase their brand consciousness through this event.

Taylor Wessing Grows its China Group Taylor Wessing expands its China Group in Munich and Beijing with an experienced three-lawyer team from Rödl & Partner in order to stay abreast with the constantly increasing needs of European clients investing in the PRC as well as Chinese clients acting in Europe.

Mike Goldammer supports the China Group of the Munich office as Partner after having worked for about five years as head of the legal department of Rödl & Partner in Beijing. His main areas of expertise are, next to classic areas such as Foreign Direct Investment, primarily the fields of restructuring, licensing and labour law. In addition, two Chinese senior associates, Mrs. Ke Shen and Mr. Yang Yu, both of them fluent in English and German, joined the Taylor Wessing Beijing office.

Holiday Inn Sponsored Literary FestivalHoliday Inn Shanghai Vista was honoured to serve as the Official Hotel and Sponsor of the Shanghai International Literary Festival 2009. The photo shows acclaimed authors Marina Lewycka (left) and Larissa Lai (right) enjoying a special tour of old Shanghai with Otto Kurzendorfer (middle), General Manager of the Holiday Inn Shanghai Vista.

Marina Lewycka, a native Uk ra in ian bo rn in a refugee camp in Germany and raised in Yorkshire, writes about migration. Her bestselling “Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian” is the hilari-ous tale of a dysfunc-tional immigrant Ukrai-

nian family in the UK. Canadian Larissa Lai, was one of the instructors at the 2007 Clarion West science fiction and fantasy writer’s workshop. Her first novel, “When Fox is a Thousand”, was published in 1995 and got shortlisted for the 1996 Books in Canada First Novel Award.

Member News - Shanghai

KBR Moves into New FacilitiesKBR Power Quality Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. is recognised as a leading supplier of quality components and solutions. The improve-ment of power quality is KBR’s core competence. The technical upgrade of electrical power supply and distribution systems saves energy costs, improves the efficiency of produced energy at reduced CO2 outputs and helps lowering operational risks in the daily operation of electrical equipment.

The move to a new location is the consequence of KBR’s rapid busi-ness development in China. In addition to the existing services, KBR will build up an advanced production of high quality components at the new location.

New Address: Building No. 4, Lane 99, Shanmei Rd. ZhoupuShanghai 201318Tel: 021 5169-2628

Veteran Bolsters KCS ExpansionCorporate professional services provider KCS has invigorated its expan-sion into the China market with a key director-level appointment to head up its business development.

Veteran PR and marketing professional Ms. Po Ling Cheung arrived at KCS’ Shanghai office from Morgan Stanley, where she was an Exec-utive Director overseeing communications for the Asia Pacific region. At KCS, Ms. Cheung is leading strategies and activities in reach-ing out to mainly multi-national companies seeking a foothold in China and looking for advice on corporate accounting, company for-

mation, liquidation and payroll outsourcing. Ms Cheung has in-depth knowledge of China and the Asia region, having worked for more than 15 years in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. Although China is Ms. Cheung’s primary focus, she is also providing support for other KCS offices.

Knorr-Bremse Continues Growth in 2008Sales at Knorr-Bremse Group increased by 4% to a total of EUR 3.38bn in 2008, while the company witnessed a further expansion of its market position in Asia.

Knorr-Bremse’s Rail Vehicle Systems Division reported a further increase in sales in 2008. The main growth driver was once again China, where the company won orders in the value of approximately EUR 360mn from both the mainline and mass transit sectors. Five joint ventures and its own production plant in Suzhou enable Knorr-Bremse to comply with local content requirements.

Knorr-Bremse Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles. For over 100 years the company has pioneered the development, production and marketing of state-of-the-art braking systems. Other lines of business include auto-matic door systems, rail vehicle air conditioning systems and torsional vibration dampers for internal combustion engines.

Page 14: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

www.china.ahk.de

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

61 | June - July 2009

Mem

ber Mix

legged wooden chair, which has become a sought-after design icon all over the world.

LANXESS Starts Operations in QingdaoSpecialty chemicals group LANXESS AG has started up its new plant in Qingdao for the manufacture of lubricant oil additives. The production facility, which is operated by LANXESS’s subsidiary Rhein Chemie, received all governmen-tal approvals and was ready for produc-tion by the end of 2008.

“With this new facility, we are underlin-ing our strategy of profitable growth in Greater China,” said LANXESS Greater

China CEO Martin Krämer. “Besides our production site for additives and service products for the rubber industry and our Rubber Research Center, this is LANXESS’s third key investment here in Qingdao.”

At the new facility, Rhein Chemie will manufacture customised addi-tive formulations for lubricants, which improve the performance, service life and environmental sustainability in industrial applications.

Grand Opening of GEA IHE in WuhuOn March 18th 2009, GEA Industrial Heat Exchanger Systems (China) Co. Ltd. ce lebrated i ts Grand Opening Ceremony in the Jiu Jiang Economic Development Zone, Wuhu, Anhui Province. The major of Wuhu City, GEA Group

CEO Mr. Oleas and COO Mr. Graugaard attended the ceremony together with about 300 customers and business partners.

GEA is located in Wuhu already since 1995. Due to the fast growth of the business – 30% in average over the past years – in 2007 the deci-sion for the investment was taken. The new facilities were completed within only 16 months after investment approval by GEA’s board and seven months after groundbreaking. GEA Group invested approximately EUR 10mn in the new facilities that include about 20,000m2 produc-tion and warehouse area and 2,000m2 office space. The production capacity has now been increased by more than 50%.

GWS Opens Warehouse in ShanghaiGerman Wine Specialist centralises its logistics in Shanghai and uti-lises its own warehouse. This new facility will help to increase the quality and quantity of German wines available in China. The ware-house is temperature-controlled and secures the high standard of GWS. Professional handling from the winemaker in Germany to the end con-sumer in China is a top priority of the company. The Shanghai ware-house is the company’s first step in creating a network of distribution centres that will cover all of Mainland China.

Shanghai - Member News

Zendai Hotels Appoint Sales & Marketing Director Zendai Hotel Yin and Zendai Art hotel are pleased to welcome Beijing native David Guo as Sales and Marketing Director. The international hotel veteran was previously involved in the pre-opening of Kempinski Hotel and also served as Director of Sales at The Peninsula Palace Hotel and the Hilton Beijing. In his recent position, Mr. Guo was the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Mandarin Oriental, Sanya.

He will join a management team led by British national Graham Kiy, General Manager of Zendai Hotel Yin and it’s sister property, Zendai Art hotel. Both hotels will open in 2010 opposite the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Pudong. They will become “a showcase for modern China, a fusion of Chinese art and culture with modern hospitality at the very highest level”, said Mr. Kiy.

GLIS Merges with Noble DentonGermanischer Lloyd Industrial Services (GLIS) merges with Noble Denton, which employs more than 900 naval architects, marine engi-neers, master mariners and specialist engineers in 27 locations around the world. The company serves clients from oil companies, contrac-tors, shipyards, consultants, designers and financial institutions across the marine and energy industries.

The merger is a major step to achieve GL’s ambitious goal to become a world class technical assurance and consulting company in addition to the ship classification business. GL industry service also focuses on the Chinese market. Germanischer Lloyd Industrial Service GmbH has set up the first legal entity – GLIS (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. – in March 2009 to serve the local clients in a better way.

Wilkhahn Welcomes Greater China Day GuestsHannover became the main point of interest for German companies operating in China during the Greater China Day this March. “Chances in the crisis” was the central theme of the conference that discussed the most important trends of doing business in the former Middle Kingdom.

Wilkhahn was happy to receive a group of top managers from German companies in China at its factory near Han-nover and introduced them to the philoso-phy of this 100-year old family business that is still shaping the international image of

“design made in Germany.” A special exhibition dedicated to Walter Papst rounded off the tour, showcasing the multifaceted life and work of the late designer. Apart from prototypes and originals on display, the exhibition also included the new edition of Papst’s famous three-

Page 15: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

June - July 2009 | 62

Mem

ber

Mix

S+S Reports from FIC 2009S+S participated in the FIC 2009, the largest interna-tional exhibition of food additives and ingredients in Asia Pacific, held in Shang-hai at the end of March. During the three-day show, the S+S booth welcomed over 400 visitors, who were interested in the company’s

metal detectors and separators for different food applications. While the world is still reeling from the negative impact of the global economic slowdown, the strong attendance at the FIC 2009 suggested a very positive outlook for the food industry in China. The recent milk contamination case that sparked world-wide attention has raised an immediate and swift response by the Chinese food manufacturers to supply safe quality food. This impetus has given S+S a strong platform as an increased number of Chinese food manufacturers embraces metal detection technology to ensure safe and healthy food products.

Sulzer Celebrates 175th Anniversary“Experience Sulzer” – under this motto Sulzer celebrates its 175th anni-versary in 2009 with different activities for customers and employees. As part of the anniversary RMB 1mn will be donated to build a new library at a high school in the earthquake affected Sichuan region.

From its beginnings in 1834, Sulzer has transformed the latest engi-neering know-how into innovative solutions to serve customers’ needs. Today the company is, among other selected industries, active in the oil and gas-, hydrocarbon processing-, power generation-, pulp and paper-, aviation- and automotive industry. In China Sulzer is present with Sulzer Pumps in Dalian and Sulzer Chemtech and Sulzer Metco in Shanghai with a total of over 1,000 employees.

New Pudong Office of FITFreudenberg IT (FIT) has established its new office in Pudong (Shang-hai). From there, besides consulting services for SAP and ADICOM (manufacturing execution system), also infrastructure services will be provided for local and international customers.

International Shipping and Finance BuildingSuite 19 L/M, 720 Pudong Avenue | 200120 Shanghai, P.R. China

Office Move of Medela ShanghaiDue to the rapid growth, Medela Shanghai’s office moved into new and bigger premises at the address below at the end of April. This reloca-tion shall enable the company to serve its clientele of young mothers and their babies in a better way.

Unit M, 4F, No 1068 Wuzhong Road, Minhang DistrictShanghai 201103 Tel: 021 6236-8102 | Fax: 021 6236-8103 | www.medela.cn

Member News - Shanghai

GILDEMEISTER Successful at CIMTWith order intake of EUR 22.5mn and 138 machines sold, GILDE-MEISTER takes positive stock with DMG China of the most important machine tool trade fair in Asia, the CIMT in Beijing, which ended on April 11th.

CIMT takes place every two years and was particularly successful in this year of economic crisis. As the largest exhibitor, with a booth area of more than 1,000m2, GILDEMEISTER presented technical innova-tions from turning, milling and laser technologies as well as automa-tion and service solutions demonstrated on the 21 exhibits to Chinese trade visitors. Highlights also included industry-specific solutions for automotive and vehicle technology, the aerospace industry and for medical and energy technology. The stimulus gained from the CIMT is strengthening GILDEMEISTER’s Asian strategy.

Oldenburger Grows Despite CrisisOldenburger Interior Products (Shanghai) just expanded its production facility in Anting town, Shanghai, by another 2,000m² of new space. The company manufactures furniture and interior products for luxury brand retail chains, hotels and private residencies.

Klaus Scholz, newly appointed Director of Sales, is confident that luxury brands will expand their presence in China. “More and more international companies are sourcing their interior products now locally – espe-cially when companies like Oldenburger provide German quality at Chinese prices. Offering a one-stop solution from design to installation becomes a competitive advan-tage”, he concluded. Scholz forecasts the

Chinese market for luxury products and facilities to recover fast. The expansion of Oldenburger’s Chinese plant is aimed at supporting the expected growing demand for locally produced interior products based on German quality standards.

Matsu Successful at China Furniture FairMatsu won the Gold Prize at this year’s China International Furniture Fair in Guangzhou for its outstanding and environmentally friendly booth design and the Silver Prize for its product design (integrated products division).

Matsu introduced many new products during the fair, including the graceful Tulip Sofa, an interesting sofa tea table combina-tion from the Skate Series and the flexible PON office system. In addition, the company displayed a variety of classic Matsu

products, including m-pur workstations with adjustable screens, mini lenco workstations with slender 40mm panels and high-tech furniture products like Task chairs and the B4 multimedia cabinet.

Page 16: shiftsinstrategyduringyourcompany’spresenceinChina?Inyourexperience,whataretheproblemsGermaninvest

www.china.ahk.de

The German Chamber of Commerce in China

63 | June - July 2009

Mem

ber Mix

Ms. Kamer Bargan LoechelPresident / CEOGlobal Institute forCorporate Health WellnessShanghai

021 6122-1270 kamer.bargan@

globalhealthwellness.comwww.globalhealthwellness.com

Mr. Pieralberto BiffiDirector / Management andBusiness Development and ConsultantShanghai Pucheng ThermalPower Energy Co. Ltd.Shanghai

021 6893-8568 pieralberto.biffi@

puchengpower.com.cn

Ms. Katrin BraunManaging DirectorMachwürth Team International, MTIBeijing

010 6590-0207 [email protected]

www.mticonsultancy.com

Mr. Woeltje DunkakeProject Manager ChinaShanghai Representative OfficeSchniewindt GmbH & CO. KGShanghai

021 6295-8135 ext. 0 [email protected]

www.schniewindt.com.cn

Mr. Thomas FaiszShanghai

021 6916-6300 [email protected]

Mr. Werner FoshagGeneral ManagerSEC-KSB Nuclear Pumps &Valves Co. Ltd.Shanghai

021 6463-3152 [email protected]

Mr. Cyrille FournierCountry Manager-ChinaHuizhou Hager Electric Ltd.Shanghai

021 6332-0212 ext. 805 [email protected]

www.hager.cn

Dipl-Kfm Richard G. GlasbrennerGermany

+49 6402 5169-60 [email protected]

Mr. Stefan HeintzeGeneral ManagerThe LanghamYangtze Boutique, ShanghaiShanghai

021 6080-0800 [email protected]

Mr. Andreas KempffHauptgeschäftsführerIndustrie- und HandelskammerSüdlicher OberrheinGermany

+49 761 3858-0 [email protected]

[email protected]

Mr. Liu SiOperations ManagerEclipse City Ltd.Shanghai

138 1603-4084

ZF Awarded Regional HQ StatusIn December 2008, ZF (China) Investment Co. Ltd. received the ‘Regional Headquarters of Multinational Enterprises Certificate’. The certificate is a special recognition by the Shanghai Government to encourage foreign multinational enterprises to establish regional headquarters in Shanghai by providing some preferential measures.

Having had its ground-breaking in September 2008, ZF is currently building its so-called Shanghai Centre in Songj iang Hi -Tech Park. The new location will have a holding function for China and Asia Pacific and serve as the company’s after

sales service and regional engineering centre. With RMB 150mn of investments, the first phase of the project will be completed in Sep-tember 2009. “To set up the regional headquarters in Shanghai is the first step of ZF to further increase its investment in China”, said Mr. Klaus Billetter, CFO for Asia Pacific.

Schuler Strengthens Presence in ChinaSchuler Group’s offices in Shanghai and Beijing have recently been renamed to Schuler Sales and Service Co. Ltd. and Schuler AG Representative Office Beijing respectively. “It is part of Schuler Groups overall strategy to further strengthen the presence and compe-tences in China”, declares Stefan Buchmüller, General Manager and Chairman of the Schuler Group in China. Together with various regional

sales, service and manufacturing centres the Schuler Group focuses on local demands and requirements for the metal forming industry.

New GM at Jean Mueller ElectricMr. Roberto Lambauer, General Manager Asia Pacific, recently also took over the direct responsibility as GM of Jean Mueller Electric (Shang-hai) Co. Ltd. He replaces Mr. Uwe Birnbaum, who will set up a new company for Jean Mueller in Tianjin. The company thanks Mr. Birn-baum for his efforts in the past, which had a huge impact on the growth and success of Jean Mueller Electric (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, and wishes both gentlemen all the best for their future responsibilities.

New Members [email protected]

Ms. Katrin LochPurchasing Coordinator PV DivisionSchueco International(Beijing) Co. Ltd. Shanghai BranchShanghai

021 5150-6764 [email protected]

www.schueco.com

Mr. Manuel PajerOperation ManagerDimo’s (Taicang) Food Co. Ltd.Taicang

0512 5344-3016 [email protected]

www.dimos.net.cn

Mr. Roberto Ulises Perez EsparzaManaging DirectorShanghai RoulundsRubber Products Co. Ltd.Shanghai

021 5915-8775 ulises.perez@roulunds-rubber.

com.cnwww.contitech.cnwww.contitech.de

Mr. Thomas RaunftShanghai

021 2412-1236 [email protected]

Mr. Jens RöslerHead of German Education Coopera-tions Goethe Institut ChinaPedagogic DirectorGoethe-JinchuangSprachlernzentrum Shanghai

Shanghai 021 3222-0316 ext. 102 [email protected]

www.goethe-slz.sh.cnwww.goethe.de/shanghai

Mr. Ingo SanderGeneral ManagerPML (Nanjing) Co. Ltd.Nanjing

025 8577-0771 [email protected]

www.pml.cn

Ms. Marion SchwalbSuzhou

136 5623-3454 [email protected]

Ms. Sonja WilmsShanghai

021 2828-6304 [email protected]

Ms. Yan ShuaiyingChief RepresentativeATMOS Medizin Technik GmbH & Co. KG Shanghai Representative OfficeShanghai

021 6426-0679; 021 6193-5787 [email protected]

www.atmosmed.de

For full contact information and company profiles of our new and existing members please visit www.german-company-directory.com

Shanghai - Member News