Calling ABN AMRO Alumni ❤️
Vienne Lee, the CEO and Program Director of Finance Mandarin, with alumni from a Dutch Bankers Group, ABN AMRO.
Vienne Lee, the CEO and Program Director of Finance Mandarin, with alumni from a Dutch Bankers Group, ABN AMRO.
Deborah Orida Appointed as the First Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) for CPP Investment
Deborah Orida is appointed as the first Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) for CPP Investment. She is responsible for the approach to environmental, social and governance matters, particularly climate change.
Deborah Orida is appointed as the first Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) for CPP Investment. She is responsible for the approach to environmental, social and governance matters, particularly climate change.
In conversation with HKEX CEO Nicolas Aguzin
“ I don’t anticipate a significant shift in our strategy around being ‘China anchored’. China is a very strategic advantage that HKEX has, and we should leverage it to the maximum as possible”. ——Nicolas Aguzin, CEO of HKEX
“ I don’t anticipate significant shift in our strategy around being ‘China anchored’. China is a very strategic advantage that HKEX has, and we should leverage it to the maximum as possible”. ——Nicolas Aguzin, CEO of HKEX
It is undeniable that China has played a significant role in bringing Hong Kong onto the international stage of the financial industry. Hong Kong is a gateway that connects China and the rest of the Western world. Its diversification has drawn influxes of capital flow into the city, which brings wealth and prosperity that lasted for decades.
Finance Mandarin is your take-off point to enter the China market. We help business executives to hone the business Mandarin language to ameliorate their negotiations and meetings with clients. We teach the Mandarin language using the case methodology and latest China market insights to accelerate students' learning progress.
Finance Mandarin offers 1 on 1 and group Mandarin Coaching for Business Purposes with Finance Focus materials. Enrol 1-on-1 session anytime and anywhere.
Book your class now
You learn, You earn.🌟
Follow Finance Mandarin on LinkedIn for the latest China Market news
Next Finance Mandarin Reading Club’s Choice: Weijian Shan’s new book “Money Games”
“Money Games” is a riveting tale of one of the most successful buyout deals ever: the acquisition and turnaround of what used to be Korea's largest bank by the American firm Newbridge Capital.
Next Finance Mandarin Reading Club’s Choice: Weijian Shan’s new book “Money Games”
“Money Games” is a riveting tale of one of the most successful buyout deals ever: the acquisition and turnaround of what used to be Korea's largest bank by the American firm Newbridge Capital.
Full of intrigue and suspense, this insider's account is told by the chief architect of the deal itself, the celebrated author and private equity investor Weijian Shan.
With billions of dollars at stake, and the nation's economic future on the line, Newbridge Capital sought to become the first foreign firm in history to take control of one of Korea's most beloved financial institutions.
Come Join Us!
💫 You Earn, You Earn.
www.financemandarin.com
Finance Mandarin specializes in coaching executives Mandarin for business communication.
Nicolas Aguzin, CEO of HKEX: What Is The Future of Hong Kong's Financial Industry?
“The best years of Hong Kong are ahead of us”, stated Aguzin.
On the 15th July 2021, the Finance Mandarin team joined the “Hong Kong: Financing Asia’s Growth” forum held by Asia Society Hong Kong. The VIP speaker for the event was Nicolas Aguzin, the CEO of HKEX, and moderated by Ronnie Chan, the Chairman of Hang Lung Group Limited.
The relationship between Hong Kong and China
The greater the Shenzhen and Shanghai do, the greater the Hong Kong performs. Hong Kong’s prospect is closely related to the development of Shenzhen and Shanghai. Mr. Aguzin stated that Hong Kong must work closely together to create vibrancy in the market to bring fortune and prosperity to the people.
On the 15th July 2021, the Finance Mandarin team joined the “Hong Kong: Financing Asia’s Growth” forum held by Asia Society Hong Kong. The VIP speaker for the event was Nicolas Aguzin, the CEO of HKEX, and moderated by Ronnie Chan, the Chairman of Hang Lung Group Limited.
Asia Society Hong Kong Center organised Finance Asia’s Growth today, with Nicolas Aguzin, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) as the speaker.
The Future "Big Bang" in Finance
Mr. Aguzin emphasized that there will be a “big bang” in finance for Hong Kong in the next 10 years. Hong Kong’s capital market is expected to grow to over US$100 trillion and will be the biggest value creation and movement of money that humanity has ever seen.
“The best years of Hong Kong are ahead of us”, stated Aguzin.
The relationship between Hong Kong and China
The greater the Shenzhen and Shanghai do, the greater the Hong Kong performs. Hong Kong’s prospect is closely related to the development of Shenzhen and Shanghai. Mr. Aguzin stated that Hong Kong must work closely together to create vibrancy in the market to bring fortune and prosperity to the people.
What can Hong Kong do to continue to strive in the future?
Mr. Aguzin commented that the HKEX needs to continuously look for areas of improvement. He shared an example of the black storm signal that was hoisted a few weeks ago, which caused the market's suspension. The lack of volatility needs to be addressed since work-from-home has already been a trend ever since the pandemic started. HKEX will look for solutions to tackle its vulnerabilities such as undisrupted operation under unforeseeable bad weather.
In general, Mr. Aguzin had high expectations and optimism about Hong Kong’s future development. He emphasized that there is a complementary relationship between Hong Kong and China, that the progress of Shenzhen and Shanghai will directly flourish Hong Kong’s wealth. Therefore, he highly encouraged companies to work closely in China to grasp a position to grow their business.
It is mutually believed that there are vast opportunities in mainland China. This further highlights the importance of learning the nation’s language: Mandarin Chinese. Learning the Mandarin language is the most fundamental stepping stone to open doors of opportunities in China. It helps you to understand better the mentality of Chinese people and their business strategies.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
Finance Mandarin has been providing Business Chinese Language Courses, using real case studies and with topics on JUMBO IPOs as learning materials.
Case Studies on IPOs includes Alibaba, China Tower, Kuaishou, Xiaomi, JD.COM, Meituan, Netease, Baidu, Bilibili, Yum China, Evergrande and more.
Learn Chinese with IPO Course: https://www.financemandarin.com/course-fm004-ipo
💫 You Learn, You Earn.
www.financemandarin.com
Charles Li, former CEO of HKEX: Next Potential Global Trend: Cashless Society
Insights from Li:
✔️ Next Potential Global Trend: Cashless Society
✔️ Worth discussion in the Finance Industry: Is it an opportunity or a challenge?
✔️ China 🇨🇳, and Hong Kong could lead the trend of cashless payments to the world if preparation is done
✔️ More small businesses (Labour Entrepreneurship) may lead in China
What did Charles Li reply when Ming Pao asked “ why DiDi Chuxing choose US IPO? “
Charles Li's LIVE speech in Mandarin Chinese: Continuous Development of the Finance Industry in Hong Kong
Finance Mandarin joined the Insight Forum held by Our Hong Kong Foundation on 6th July 2021 (Tue) 3 pm – 4:30 pm HKT for the insights from professionals:
🔍 Charles Li, Senior Advisor to the Board at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX)
🔍 Laurence Li, Chairman of Financial Services Development Council
🔍 Wang Lei, CEO of Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited
🔍 Kenny Lam, CEO of Two Sigma Asia Pacific
🔍 Stephen Wong, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Public Policy Insititute of Our Hong Kong Foundation
Mr Charles Li is the former Chief Executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX).
Insights from Li:
✔️ Next Potential Global Trend: Cashless Society
✔️ Worth discussion in the Finance Industry: Is it an opportunity or a challenge?
✔️ China 🇨🇳, and Hong Kong could lead the trend of cashless payments to the world if preparation is done
✔️ More small businesses (Labour Entrepreneurship) may lead in China
Finance Mandarin pioneer in providing the most popular FinTech Bootcamp Class for hedge fund, venture capital and private equity.
Book a Fintech Class today at Finance Mandarin for your improvement in Business Chinese: https://www.financemandarin.com/course-learn-mandarin?ct=35
Learning Mandarin Chinese is the key to success
💫 You Learn, You Earn:
J.P. Morgan's Philippe El-Asmar: ETF Pitch in Mandarin Chinese | Busy Fund Manager Learns Business Chinese | Student Showcase
Pitching in Mandarin is not easy. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Philippe El-Asmar, of J.P. Morgan:
✅ Why does Philippe believe in China’s success?
✅ Why does he choose to work in China?
✅ Why does he encourage his 5 kids to learn Chinese?
J.P. Morgan's Philippe El-Asmar: ETF Pitch in Mandarin Chinese | Busy Fund Manager Learns Business Chinese | Student Showcase
Pitching in Mandarin is not easy. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. I am proud to introduce one of my dearest students: Philippe El-Asmar, of J.P. Morgan. He just delivered an outstanding speech in Mandarin for the first launch of CIFM’s ETF in China 🇨🇳.
✅ Why does Philippe believe in China’s success?
✅ Why does he choose to work in China?
✅ Why does he encourage his 5 kids to learn Chinese?
Listen and you will be proud of him! 👏👏👏 Well done Philippe!
Mark Machin, Former President & Chief Executive Officer at CPP Investment Board
Mark Machin is the Former President & Chief Executive Officer at CPP Investments.
Recognized globally as an example of sound pension plan management, CPP Investments is guided by an independent Board of Directors, operates at arm’s length from federal or provincial governments, and is managed independently from the CPP itself.
He has been learning Finance Mandarin 1-1 with Vienne Lee since 2013.
Mark Machin, Former President & Chief Executive Officer at CPP Investment Board
Dear Friends,
I just sent this message to my colleagues at CPPIB and wanted to share it with you.
Tomorrow is my last day at CPPIB. All journeys must come to an end. It has been said that it is better to travel well than to arrive. And we have traveled well.
What an incredible latest fiscal year. When I first sat in the seat as President and CEO five years ago, the assets were $278.9 billion; and it’s wonderful to have seen them grow to nearly $500 billion as of March 31. We generated returns over the last five years that none of us could have thought likely, averaging more than 11.0% per year! And you, we, have achieved this collectively. You have burnished CPPIB’s reputation as a benchmark and model for other pension funds around the world. I am so proud of each and every one of you, and I feel lucky to have worked along side you.
As I look back over the last few years, I am particularly proud of the momentum the organization has developed in a number of key areas: the use of data for investment insights; innovation and venture capital; sustainable investing; a strengthened lead in markets in Asia and Latin America; a deepened presence in Europe; a bolstered bi-coastal presence in the U.S.; greater diversity and inclusion; total fund management; installing a dedicated CIO; and, of course, improvements in all dimensions of risk management.
More important, our organization is not just about investment returns. The returns directly translate into the security and success of millions of Canadian retirements. We have been united in a common mission to serve the Canadian public; and we have delivered through your dedication, talent, and extraordinary work. That’s all the more true during the year of COVID, as we’ve been able to give comfort and confidence to Canadians at a time of intense stress and uncertainty that their pensions are safe, sound, and flourishing. You have outperformed with grace under fire. And I applaud each of you.
From tomorrow, I will be looking on with pride, and with awe, at your continued success. I have huge confidence in your future. I’d like to give a big thank you to my colleagues on the Senior Management Team, to all of you at CPPIB, to the board, and to Canada for having given me the opportunity to have worked with you all. It has been the highlight of my career. My special best wishes to John for a long and successful tenure as CEO.
Best regards,
Mark
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Coaching Business Mandarin for Executive Leaders
You Learn, You Earn.
Mary Callahan Erdoes, J.P. Morgan's CEO of Asset & Wealth Management: Top 10 Themes That Will Define the Future of Asset and Wealth Management
Top 10 Themes That Will Define the Future of Asset and Wealth Management
1) Price
2) Scale is a matter of survival
3) Actively advising clients
4) Impact and purpose
Top 10 Themes That Will Define the Future of Asset and Wealth Management
J. Pierpont Morgan would be proud that many of the historical tenets of the asset- and wealth-management industry still form the bedrock of how money is managed in modern times. J.P. Morgan’s first investment fund was started in the late 1800s to serve British financiers wishing to invest in the emerging United States of America. The fund’s 150-year track record is a testament to our industry’s founding principle: While the world may change, clients’ desire for investment expertise and personalized service won’t.
With that in mind, here are 10 key themes that we look forward to helping our clients navigate in the future.
1) Price. Ever since I entered the asset-management industry, skeptics have warned that fee pressure will destroy profitability and detract top talent from the profession. Fees in every industry compress at some point. Successful firms of the future will thrive by either providing commodity-like products at scale for near-zero cost, or delivering hard-to-access insights and exposures that command a premium. Our industry must strive for continuous improvement on both ends of the spectrum.
2) Scale is a matter of survival. With compressed pricing, heavy regulatory controls, and immense spend on data, analytics, and risk-management tools, firms need a relentless focus on operational efficiency, a rigorous control framework, and a disciplined prioritization process around investments for the future. In this context, scale is key. Mergers and acquisitions and outsourcing of sub-scale and noncore capabilities to service providers will enable smaller firms to refocus their efforts back into their most important asset: talent.
3) Actively advising clients. If we learned anything from the Covid-19 crisis, it is the need for sound advice in volatile times. During that time, thousands of actively managed funds outperformed their passive alternatives across asset classes and portfolios. While markets may be efficient, manager selection is key and clients need guidance. The average industry return of a balanced portfolio over the past two decades was 6.4% annually, while the actual experience of the average retail investor was only 2.9%, a stark reminder of how critical hands-on advice is.
4) Impact and purpose. Portfolio managers and research analysts have become essential for investors seeking to make an impact in the world through their assets. Over 80% of surveyed CIOs expressed intent to invest in environmentally and socially conscious companies. Analyzing CEOs and their management teams is no longer just about inquiring about their financial and operational expertise and vision, but also about the impact they make on their communities and the planet. Rising demand for companies that drive positive change will create a virtuous cycle of asset allocation for good.
5) Personalization. Today’s investors want to be intentional, not passive, in investing. They care about taxes and want to overweight companies that can make a difference. They want to avoid whole sectors, or actively own and vote on a company’s strategic plans. Giving clients the freedom to pursue their very specific objectives in a highly customized manner will continue to drive innovation in our industry.
6) Stable and predictable incomes. Millions of investors around the world have come to rely on their investment portfolios as a stable source of income. With individuals enjoying longer life spans and more active lifestyles, especially during retirement years, asset managers need to adapt their strategies to provide for a stable and predictable flow of income every month. Along the same lines, saving needs to start at a young age. Today, less than 40% of Americans have enough savings to pay for an unexpected $1,000 expense in cash. It is our collective responsibility to educate and advise on what is required to cover all of life’s events and milestones.
7) Understanding China. The pandemic has highlighted the interconnectivity of the world and how important China is to supply chains and new innovations. Against this backdrop, it is irresponsible to be a fiduciary of client capital and not have a deep understanding of places like China. It is hard to imagine having a true grasp of competitive global forces without on-the-ground insights of the economies, cultures, and politics of re-emerging global marketplaces. After 100 years of being on the ground in China, J.P. Morgan is poised to become the first foreign asset manager to acquire full ownership of a Chinese fund manager, pending regulatory approval. That kind of commitment will contribute massively to our global research network.
8) Technology drives everything. To adapt to the velocity of progress and change, technology is providing our industry access, speed, and agility like never before. With more technologists than Google and Facebook combined, J.P. Morgan invests over $12 billion annually in technology to help empower our clients and employees to work faster and more seamlessly in ever-changing markets. We need to be forward thinking and have the ability to be a disruptor. Agile, collaborative partnerships between technologists and their businesses will drive innovation and speed to market at an exponential pace.
9) Access. With a global footprint and a full suite of investment vehicles, asset managers must continue to focus on enabling first-time investors to invest in previously inaccessible areas. We are finding ways to provide more opportunities, more choice, and more power to people. Investments once only available to the largest investors in the world are now being accessed by the everyday investor. Democratization of markets should create better outcomes for investors of all sizes.
10) A new flexibility. Our industry adapted quite seamlessly to a previously unimaginable work-from-home scenario. As such, increased flexibility will broaden talent pools and should promote greater diversity. While never losing the apprenticeship nature of our business, we should continue to find new ways of working with one another to generate even greater success.
In coming years, the industry’s winners will remain obsessed about their fiduciary responsibilities. As stewards of capital, the ability to leverage technology and scale to deliver the same extraordinary experience for every investor, with $100 or $100 million, is now within reach.
Book your Asset Management Certificate at Finance Mandarin
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ByteDance IPO Business Chinese Mandarin | Interactive Course
We may attribute the success of ByteDance to Bytedance’ artificial intelligence (AI) application and machine learning. As of November 2018, ByteDance had over 800 million daily active users (over 1 billion accumulated users) across all of its content platforms. The valuation of ByteDance was approaching USD 400 billion in 2021.
As of November 2018, ByteDance had over 800 million daily active users (over 1 billion accumulated users) across all of its content platforms. The valuation of ByteDance was approaching USD 400 billion for private-equity investors in Apr 2021. It was claimed that revenue is mainly generated from Douyin and Toutiao, through advertising by pushing them to the target segment. Keep reading to see how the algorithm works.
ByteDance chose to go for a unique path since its establishment in 2012. Among all Chinese Internet companies, ByteDance is the first startup not receiving support or investment from Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu. In contrast, ByteDance is considered a competitor to those tech giants. Furthermore, ByteDance aims at competing with Google and Facebook.
We may attribute the success of ByteDance to its Bytedance’ artificial intelligence (AI) application and machine learning, which is APPs like Douyin(Tiktok) and Toutiao push news and videos to people “based on their interests”. The founder and CEO Zhang Yiming, who has announced to step down in late 2021, once emphasized that Toutiao was not a news application, but an AI one in the social media business. The innovative ideas can greatly increase the time consumers’ spent on the APPs as all content are tailored for them according to what they have browsed and liked previously. The more the users, the greater the database to generate a more accurate report for choosing which content to be delivered to an individual.
Although all statistic looks good for ByteDance as an IPO, it was denying the rumours of it going public in Apr 2021. With that being said, people still believes IPO is their ultimate target.
Key takeaways in class:
Possible Reasons for ByteDance Founder Zhang Yiming Stepping Down
Business Model of ByteDance from Douyin(Tiktok), Xigua Video and Toutiao
The US-China Trade War
Finance Mandarin offers 1 on 1 and group Mandarin Coaching for Business Purposes with Finance Focus materials. Enrol 1 on 1 session anytime and anywhere. And Group class.
With Harvard-MBA approved case methodology.
Buy your ticket for ByteDance IPO Plan Q&A, over 1300 registration received on LinkedIn!
I can do self-study to learn Mandarin already, what is the point of joining Finance Mandarin?
“ I don’t have a teacher that gives me immediate responses.”
*Alexander Bryan, a C-suite English speaker working in the capital market, frustrated when he first tried to study on his own.
Alex is highly motivated to learn Mandarin even before joining Finance Mandarin. He had tried studying by himself. But soon he acknowledged the drawbacks of it, he did not know whether he is doing right on the pronunciations and usages of the vocabularies. There is no one to correct his pronunciations. Besides, he can only learn a few words but they are not for business purposes!
“ I don’t have a teacher that gives me immediate responses.”
*Alexander Bryan, a C-suite English speaker working in the capital market, was frustrated when he first tried to study on his own.
Alex is highly motivated to learn Mandarin even before joining Finance Mandarin. He had tried studying by himself. But soon he acknowledged the drawbacks of it, he did not know whether he is doing right on the pronunciations and usages of the vocabularies. There is no one to correct his pronunciations. Besides, he can only learn a few words but they are not for business purposes!
The materials he accessed to was not designed for business purposes, not to mention learning the finance terms you will come across in your work. There is also no proper feedback for further explanations. There are usually no cultural aspects taught as well. While there are no interactions between teachers and students, no motivations and no comprehensive lesson plans, Alex finally made his choice:
Coming to 1 on 1 Finance Mandarin focused learning to prepare for his next business trips to Shanghai and Beijing soon.
For absolute beginners like Alex, there will be basic topics at the beginning at Finance Mandarin, and they are all customised. For Alex, we prepared some commonly used wordings in business greetings to start with, with content adjusted according to his position and company. We have been through a joyful lesson time indicated by positive feedback received afterwards!
Resources online lack personalized content for executives. With that being said, Finance Mandarin provides all of them, including but not limited to business context, cultural aspects, interactions with top trainers, motivations and customised learning path. These are also the reasons why Alex come to us.
“Speaking the language helps my business in a foreign country”
Alex considered himself innovative and open-minded. He has been working in different countries and is willing to learn new things. As suggested by his past experience working in a foreign country, he believes learning the local language helps him better communicate with colleagues and clients in the country although English is the medium of communication. Not to say in China, most universities, local companies and press are using Chinese as the major language.
“Very happy to start the work”
We are also happy to have received Alex’s positive feedback!
*Alias
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Finance Mandarin pursues FOUR Connected Strategies | WIN-WIN | Learn Chinese with the best | Business Mandarin Hong Kong
WIN-WIN: Business Models for Transforming Customer Relationships.
FOUR Connected Strategies to establish long-lasting relationships with clients:
✔️ Respond to Desire
✔️ Curated Offering
✔️ Coach Behaviour
✔️ Automatic Execution
Business Models for Transforming Customer Relationships
With mobile and wearable devices, customers get an improved experience when successful firms have more frequent customised interactions with them.
Companies now can anticipate customer needs as they arise, or even before. So as Finance Mandarin:
1. Respond to Desire
Provides customers with services once they recognize what they need
Comprehensive SWOP analysis and consultation with Program Director @Vienne
Finance Mandarin AI Learning Platform with 180,000 hours of financial materials to be accessed anywhere and anytime
2. Curated Offering
Presents customers with a set of personally tailored options that might interest them
All Finance Mandarin courses are tailor to your needs.
Ensure you get you job and promotion you deserve
Finance Mandarin customise your learning path according to your preferred company, position and financial knowledge
3. Coach Behaviour
Encourages customers to achieve larger goals with lower costs effectively and efficiently
Interactive classes and engaging tutors encourage students to speak up
Designs learning path to keep up with the progress
4. Automatic Execution
Anticipates and meets the needs of customers even before they have become aware of those needs themselves
AI Learning Platform allows you to revise anywhere and anytime with clear KPI stated
15+ comprehensive courses tailored to your needs READY to book: www.financemandarin.com
Some HOT topics🔥: Asset Management, IPOs, Private Equity
Finance Mandarin uses the combination of strategies to closely connected with you. We provide excellent learning experience and build long-lasting relationships with you.
You Learn, You Earn.
Harvard Business School
Vienne Lee recommends connected strategy
Finance Mandarin Connected Strategy:
Connected Strategy: Building Continuous Customer Relationships for Competitive Advantage by Nicolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch
At Finance Mandarin: www.financemandarin.com
Bankers speak mandarin | Asset Managers Capture China Market | Prepare for Finance Jobs | Mock Job Interviews | China Market Success
6 Facts You Need To Learn About Xiaohongshu 小红书 | Learn Business Mandarin with Vienne Lee
What is 种草(seeding/grass plating), which is widely used by the Chinese on social media platforms?
Xiaohongshu IPO LIVE event on 4 June 2021, 9.30 a.m. They discussed the key leaders of Xiaohongshu, explored its business model and challenges. At Finance Mandarin, we provide the latest market insights and case studies to help corporate leaders master the Mandarin language skills, to prepare for Mandarin communication with Chinese clients.
Vienne Lee and Debbie Chen hosted a Xiaohongshu IPO LIVE event on 4 June 2021, 9.30 a.m. They discussed the key leaders of Xiaohongshu, explored its business model and challenges. At Finance Mandarin, we provide the latest market insights and case studies to help corporate leaders master the Mandarin language skills, to prepare for Mandarin communication with Chinese clients.
What is Xiaohongshu?
Xiaohongshu is an e-commerce (电商)and social media platform (社交平台)that allows users to share their product feedback and lifestyles. It has over 300 million users worldwide.
What is 种草?
种草 (seeding/grass plating) is a network term created on Xiaohongshu’s platform. It means to be influenced to purchase something. Hence, the consumer’s purchasing behavior is greatly influenced by KOLs and KOCs. This has created a large e-commerce and advertisement platform for Xiaohongshu.
By studying this case study, you will be able to:
✔️ Identify the listed capital of Xiaohongshu
✔️ Realize the investment from well-known institutions
✔️ Predict potential challenges
✔️ Analyze the competitiveness
Vienne has prepared 8 real case studies about Xiaohongshu. Learn more at Finance Mandarin.
Connect with Vienne Lee to book a course
Coaching Business Mandarin for Executive Leaders
You learn, you earn
“Hong Kong Bankers need to Speak Better Mandarin. That's Why they Come to me”
“If an interviewer at a bank in Hong Kong wants to find out how well you speak Chinese, they won’t ask you ‘how good is your Mandarin?’ They’ll just ask…
“If an interviewer at a bank in Hong Kong wants to find out how well you speak Chinese, they won’t ask you ‘how good is your Mandarin?’”, says Vienne Lee, director of language coaching company Business Mandarin. “They’ll just ask a normal question like ‘can you compare Tencent and Alibaba’s business models?’ and see how well you respond in Mandarin.”
Since setting up her company in the late 1990s, Lee has tasked herself with improving the Mandarin skills of some of Hong Kong’s leading bankers at firms such as J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, HSBC, UBS, and BlackRock.
Over the past year, as Western banks have cut jobs in Hong Kong and Chinese firms have increased their hiring, Lee has seen an uptick in unemployed financial professionals seeking assistance with their job searches.
“We’re also working with more bankers who are on gardening leave or are setting up their own hedge funds or family offices,” she says. “We polish their Mandarin communication skills for the finance sector, and coach them about building networks and interviewing.”
But Mandarin isn’t only important when you’re looking for work. Lee, whose firm focuses on financial services and mainly takes on clients at the VP level and above, helps bankers perform better on the job.
“I recently had an Australian client who was able to complete an opening presentation to 170 people in Chinese – it went extremely well, with applause in all the right places,” she says. “If you can go from nothing to making a speech to a Chinese audience, it also shows your colleagues and clients that you’re committed to doing business in China.”
Western finance professionals operating in China and living in Hong Kong – whether they are complete beginners or already know some Mandarin – make up about 60% of Lee’s students.
Another 20% are Cantonese-speaking Hongkongers whose written Chinese is good but who want to polish their Mandarin pronunciation. “Thirdly, we teach overseas-born Chinese who speak a bit of basic Mandarin at home, but can’t cut it in the Chinese financial world so need help with terminology in areas like due diligence, modeling, and valuation.”
Whatever their background, most bankers find learning Mandarin challenging. “Sometimes they don’t have enough time for classes and revision. And there’s the sheer volume of financial terminology and the difficult tones and grammar,” says Lee.
Understanding the Chinese Business Culture
She also helps Westerners adjust to the different presentation styles they will encounter in China. “For example, they often think it’s necessary to make a joke at the start of a speech and play themselves down,” explains Lee.
“But in China, you need to show people you’re the boss – especially if you’re presenting to them for the first time – otherwise they won’t look up to you as a role model. When we’re coaching people, we show them speeches from Chinese business and political leaders,” she adds.
The growing importance of Mandarin
Lee says she always had a “passion” for the Chinese language. After organizing financial conferences in 1998 – soon after China assumed sovereignty over Hong Kong – she realized that Mandarin would become increasingly important to banking careers in her city.
“The conferences connected me to more than 1,000 people in the finance sector. And I saw a gap in the market: bankers wanted presentation, pitching, and interviewing skills in Mandarin that were tailored to the technical needs of their jobs,” she says. “To secure Chinese deals, you need to understand China – both its language and its culture.”
Coaching Business Mandarin for Executive Leaders
You learn, you earn
Investor-backed Finance Mandarin ONLINE Education up 50% against the market crashes
Coronavirus reshaping the top-end executive coaching
At Finance Mandarin our clients’ learning outcomes are our number one priority — we will always go out of our way to ensure their satisfaction. In these difficult times brought upon the Covid-19 virus, we have not lost our dedication to providing excellent coaching; that is why we will continue providing our amazing service to our students despite the limitations caused by the global pandemic
Coronavirus reshaping the top-end executive coaching
At Finance Mandarin our clients’ learning outcomes are our number one priority — we will always go out of our way to ensure their satisfaction. In these difficult times brought upon the Covid-19 virus, we have not lost our dedication to providing excellent coaching; that is why we will continue providing our amazing service to our students despite the limitations caused by the global pandemic.
In order to cope with the increasing demand from our clients, our COO John Ahern is leading the AI programmers to further incorporate cutting edge technologies such as data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to craft customized and enriched learning experiences.
The process begins through our meticulous learning assessment which can detail precisely how, why, and on what dimensions a student needs to focus on to succeed. Based on these assessments we can create a tailor-made curriculum that will match their requirements.
Once we have identified our students’ strengths and weaknesses, Finance Mandarin will work with our high-end executive clients to create a curriculum that accommodates their busy schedules. Using our Finance Mandarin AI platform, our clients can log in from anywhere in the world.
Backed by five key performing indicators (KPIs), the Finance Mandarin platform is unlike any other online learning experience. Finance Mandarin full-time trainers host live-streaming classes that are informed by personalized data to show each students’ performance profile, complete with challenges and focus areas.
We are incredibly grateful to all our clients as they make their transition from their face-to-face/ online hybrid lessons to solely conducting classes online. There will always be a place for our amazing face-to-face coaching as things settle down, but the emergency caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic has solidified the importance of online learning. As people’s schedules rapidly change and they become more fluid with their demands, learning will have to evolve.
The future is unknown, but we at Finance Mandarin are eager to incorporate new educational technologies as they develop. As always, we strive to create a product that meets all our clients’ needs.
To learn more about our courses visit us at financemandarin.com.