1.       What made you want to get into International Trade?

It’s my passion for capturing opportunities and growing my career to become one of the top professionals in such a globalized economy. 

2.       What has been your biggest achievement to date?

I have been steadily growing over the last seven years from my time as a young police officer in China to completing my Diploma of International Trade with the New Zealand School of Export where I received an award for the highest overall marks out of all the people in Cohort One and Passed With Distinction.  Following on from this success, I have just commenced a distance education MBA with Warwick University in the UK.

My uniqueness comes from being part of a visionary young generation equipped with Confucianism educated by a communist country and later mixing this with a tertiary qualification and professional international trade experience in a developed Western country.

My self-development formula is very powerful on me, which is as follows:

Vision + Creativity + Tenacity + Opportunity = Sustainable Competitiveness

I feel that my greatest achievement is yet to come.  My earlier successes are simply steps on the way to something greater.

3.       What are your current ambitions?

To take a role in managing market development in North Asia for a New Zealand Trade Promotion Agency or a similar role within one of the Fortune 500 companies engaged in the food industry.  My other goal is to successfully complete the MBA degree I have started.

4.       What are your thoughts on the FITT skills program?

·         The FITT program sets a standard of professionalism on a global scale that helps inform the differences in international trade practice around the world.

·         The FITT program provides international-trade-specific practical training that upgrades an export marketer’s expertise on an ongoing basis.

·         The FITT program is part of a network of professionals worldwide to share learning and continue the development of international-trade-related knowledge.

·         FITT acts as a news provider that keeps CITP members updated with latest market information and facilitates discussion at its forum.

5.       How did the FITT skills program prepare you for your current work?

My marketing analysis skills have been enhanced considerably after taking the modules in International Trade Research and Marketing.  My Market Analysis reports on Korea and Singapore were presented at the company board meeting in 2007 and received very positive feedback.

Through studying the modules of Finance and Legal Aspects of International Trade, my understandings of risk management - such as why and how to use Trade Credit Insurance to protect business from a buyer’s default, and how to establish, maintain and exit a contract with legal protection - have also been expanded.

The study of Market Entry, Distribution, Logistics and International Trade Management, has helped me more effectively design strategies and their implementation.  Earlier this year, I produced a Market Entry Strategic Plan for our products into the Chinese market, and have subsequently been directing the implementation of the strategy.  The successful factors in entering the Chinese market come from choosing the right entry mode; allocating resources to meet realistic objectives; being cultural aware and building the right operational structure  both in-country and in terms of support from the domestic market.

Besides adding value into my current career, the Diploma of International Trade has also educated me to become more capable of critical and independent thinking towards opportunities, inefficiency, complexity and solutions at the industry and national economic levels.  This has allowed me to contribute more outside our company, for example, I have recently conducted a presentation as a guest speaker on the subject of ‘The Opportunity and Challenge for New Zealand Beef into China’ at Massey University this year.

I am also active in participating in the events, research and projects organized by: FITT, New Zealand School of Export (NZSOE), New Zealand Trade Enterprise (NZTE), the New Zealand China Trade Association (NZCTA), Massey University College of Business, the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the New Zealand Meat Industry association.

6.       Biographical Statement

I was born and raised in Shanghai, China.  My childhood was greatly influenced by my father who was a senior engineer specialising in electronic hardware design and my mother who had years of experience in the textile trade.  In 1994, I attended Shanghai No.1 Police College, where my values in respect, discipline and tenacity were further refined.  My leadership and analytical skills were also demonstrated during three years serving with the police force as a team leader of 25 officers and later as a Secretary of a team of 45 officers.

In 2002, I arrived in New Zealand to pursue better education and a career in international trade.  After graduating from the University of Victoria with a BCA degree major in marketing in 2005, I joined ANZCO Group Limited - one of the country’s top 4 food exporters – in the role of Regional Sales & Marketing Manager for Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

After three years frontline experience in the beef export business between New Zealand and North Asia, late last year I moved to a new role as a Business Development Manager China with Mathias NZ Ltd. – one of the leading food trading companies in New Zealand.  I am now focusing on facilitating the food trade between China and New Zealand, Australia and South America.

Early this year I became the first Chinese with a Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) awarded by FITT in the Pacific Region.

In conjunction with multicultural background, I am in a unique position with the right skills to continue my contribution to food trade in the North Asia region and to further progress in both my career and the related educational study.

To get in touch with Dehua, please contact him directly at: pandehua@yahoo.co.nz