China is a large and growing economy with unmatched GDP growth, offering unprecedented opportunities to expand your business internationally and lay the foundation for success in new markets. But getting your foot in the door is not as simple as one may think, and the Chinese market is not an easy market for businesses to navigate alone. That is where relationships are important, and where Findlater Consulting Ltd can help.

Bill Findlater of Findlater Consulting Ltd has considerable experience in senior regional, national and international management roles in business and has had a particular interest in trade with China since his first business visit there in 1999. 

Bill is experienced in leading Mayoral and business delegations to different Chinese cities, meeting with Mayors, government officials and business leaders, and has hosted many delegations from China to the Nelson Tasman region. He has connections with regional government officials and significant businesses in several Chinese cities as well as Nelson’s two Chinese sister cities; Huangshi in Hubei Province and Yangjiang in Guangdong Province. Both of these cities have populations of circa 3 million.

Bill represents the Nelson Regional Development Agency as Chinese Business Advisor, as well as having his own China business consultancy, Findlater Consulting Ltd. For assistance with your China Business project, contact Bill Findlater on 021 427 538 or via email below.

 

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Why China?

Why China?

  • China is the world’s second largest economy with unmatched growth in in its GDP.
  • China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner for both exports and imports.
  • New Zealand was the first western country to have a Free Trade Agreement with China. By 2019, 96% of New Zealand exports to China will be duty free.
  • The Chinese like New Zealand and our products and services. Most importantly, they trust us and our food safety.
  • There is an increasing middle to upper class population which creates opportunities for the added value, niche market products we have. By 2025 the population of this market will be 330 million.
Doing Business In China

Doing Business In China

It’s not about doing business with China as a whole country. China is made up of 56 provinces and we need to think of China as the equivalent of doing business with 56 different countries.

As with any market, we need to have a good understanding of market conditions and an understanding of the type of products the Chinese consumer desires.  Both of these matters can be very different to that of western countries.

Small businesses can get lost in the larger Chinese city business environments and it is often more prudent to focus on smaller niche locations. For example, developing relationships with businesses in sister cities, with the support of regional governments, can be extremely beneficial in the medium to long term.

How Findlater Consulting Can Assist

How Findlater Consulting Can Assist

  • We can arrange and lead business, education or local government delegations to China tailored to your specific needs or circumstances
  • We provide an overall introduction to China and to regional cities you may intend to visit or conduct business with, including recent history and trends
  • Through our connections with businesses and appropriate regional government officials we can provide ‘matchmaking’ services to make introductions of mutual interest
  • We advise on building and maintaining relationships
  • We advise on business protocols: culture, communication, meetings, etiquette, ethics and values
  • We can assist with advice on potential business partnerships
  • We can advise on risk management

Testimonials

The challenge for Nelson businesses is to respond to the opportunity using the relationships and links that Bill has developed. Bill’s work has provided a platform of trust for businesses to build on
- Rachel Reese, Mayor, Nelson City Council
I found the reception we received amazing by having the personal connections of Bill and the Chinese colleagues we travelled with. We met with the top management of some extremely large companies. The commercial depth of the organisations we met is, on a New Zealand scale, enormous. Having seen first-hand I can now understand the importance of good relationships
- Richard Kempthorne, Ex-Mayor, Tasman District Council
In March 2018, Rivington Fruit Limited was invited to participate in a fact finding and marketing trip to China. The trip was both organised and hosted by Bill Findlater of NRDA. I had not been to China before so the trip was extremely revelatory to me. The experience was greatly enhanced by Bill’s network in both areas of China we visited and his knowledge of doing business in China. His network contacts were not just business associates with the relationships being based on firm friendships that Bill has built up over the period he has been taking such trips to China. This meant that initial contact with key people at companies we visited were eager to converse more freely with me as a result of Bill’s relationships. We have already been visited in Nelson by one such company. We intend to revisit China over the next two years and will involve Bill as much as is possible.
- Craig Reilly, Director, Rivington Fruit Ltd
It’s important to have an understanding of China. Bill has that. It’s the willingness to understand the behaviour of the local Chinese people, especially in business, in trading businesses. Bill has shown the passion and the knowledge and the understanding. He has the patience for both sides of people to get to know each other. To set up business without people understanding each other is difficult
- Steven Chen, Chinese Businessman
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