Interview with Helen Wang – Liverpool’s representative in Shanghai
Liverpool Vision has recently appointed global investment expert Helen Wang to promote the city across China. Helen is based in Shanghai and is responsible for finding and maximising opportunities for trade and investment between Liverpool and China.
Tell me about your role. What does this involve?
My role requires me to develop initiatives to bridge the gap between Liverpool and China, encouraging investment and trade between the two. I promote Liverpool to Chinese companies who are looking to expand internationally, discussing the many facets of the city including its location, culture, business friendliness, education and tourism offer, and of course its people. I also help Liverpool businesses to export to China and to do business with Chinese companies.
As you would expect I work closely with the UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) and CBBC (China Britain Business Council). I am currently based in Shanghai but I also explore opportunities that the rest of China has to offer.
What attracted you to this role?
I attended World Expo Shanghai 2010 in a professional capacity and visited the UK pavilion. Many people I spoke to urged me to visit the Liverpool Pavilion, explaining that it was a great pavilion and of particular interest to international investors, so I decided to see it for myself. The Liverpool Pavilion offered a well balanced mix of entertainment and factual information, showcasing the city’s culture and heritage, but also providing a wealth of information to people and businesses interested in expanding internationally.
Liverpool showed itself to be an outward looking and forward thinking city that is unique. This really put Liverpool on my radar and resulted in me doing some further research into the city, whereupon I discovered the opportunity to promote Liverpool in my current role.
How do you set about promoting Liverpool as a place to invest?
Liverpool is a surprising city and a great place to invest. It offers good value for money compared with London, so the costs of relocating are much lower and the profit margin is higher. Liverpool is also home to many key international investment sectors such as new media, life sciences, professional & financial and particularly creative & digital industries. These are the areas the areas that are of interest to many Chinese companies.
Our website and regular business events target Chinese companies who are looking to expand and promote Liverpool as a place to invest. We also host regular business delegations from China to Liverpool. This gives Chinese investors a real sense of what Liverpool is like and how easy it is to do business here. We also have delegations from Liverpool to China, helping Liverpool businesses to expand internationally into China, an important emerging market.
Shanghai and Liverpool are twin cities so it is easy to find ways in which the two cities can work together. I also work closely with members of the Shanghai City Government, finding further opportunities where we can join forces and create mutually beneficial projects which increase Liverpool’s profile and help Chinese companies to do business here.
What is your work background?
My background and education is in finance and investment. I graduated from the University of Exeter in 2004 and was selected to work at the UKTI and City of Amsterdam for just over seven years. My role involved attracting Chinese companies to relocate their business in the UK. In 2010, prior to joining Liverpool Vision, I was employed as a Senior Inward Investment Officer, heading up an advanced engineering team across four posts in China. This role was highly specialised but its main purpose was to help Chinese companies, in the advanced engineering sector, to expand into the UK.
Now you are in the city, how do you find Liverpool?
Liverpool is fantastic. It felt so good to arrive in the city and see it in person for the first time. One of the first things I noticed was how friendly the people are. As soon as I look a little lost when finding my way to a meeting someone will approach me and ask if I need any help. Also the people seem very interested in doing business both in China and in general. I certainly have not been disappointed. I have grown to love Liverpool which makes it easy for me to promote the city with enthusiasm.
What is the biggest challenge you face when promoting Liverpool as a place to invest?
Not everyone in China is initially familiar with Liverpool. We are meeting this challenge by marketing the city more effectively internationally. We are brand-building and holding events that promote Liverpool to Chinese business people.
What surprises people about Liverpool?
Liverpool surprises a lot of people I talk to and I am armed with surprising facts about the city. Liverpool is the UK’s fastest growing economy and the largest wealth management centre outside London. Liverpool is also the least expensive city in the UK for office occupancy… I could go on.
If Chinese businesses have heard of Liverpool it is usually the Beatles or football that initially resonates. I then tell them about Liverpool and Wirral Waters, explaining how it is the largest and most ambitious regeneration project of its kind anywhere in the UK. I tell them about the forthcoming Global Entrepreneurship Congress and how it is the world’s first festival of entrepreneurship. I also tell them about Liverpool’s plans for an International Trade Centre. All of these developments are of great interest to Chinese investors.
What exciting projects are you currently working on?
I am currently working with the Shanghai Tourism Bureau on an upcoming event which will focus on promoting Liverpool as a tourist destination. Leading Chinese travel agencies and tour operators are attending the event, which will inform new contacts about Liverpool’s unique tourism offer and strengthen existing relationships with contacts initially made during World Expo Shanghai 2010. Projects like Sea Odyssey showcase what a creative and exciting place Liverpool is to visit and put a international spotlight on the city.
Also the Olympics 2012 will present a lot of opportunities, not just for London but for Liverpool as well. We will see a lot of post Olympic opportunities in 2012 as the eyes of the word will be firmly focussed on the UK and Liverpool is looking to get its share of that attention.
The Northwest is emerging as a “Super Region” and is now accepted as a preferred alternative location to London for investment and for new businesses and existing business expansion. My job is to ensure that Liverpool is at the forefront of Chinese investor minds when choosing a location to expand into. Liverpool is a comparatively small city, on an international scale but its potential and ambition is fantastic.
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The Capital, 39 Old Hall Street, Liverpool
L3 9PP
Telephone: +44(0)151 600 2900
Email:
info@liverpoolvision.co.uk