The View of China An Interview with Gordon Dumoulin
April 2023GAO FENG ADVISORY
PREFACE
On 24th April 2023, a conversation was held with Gordon Dumoulin, Founder and CEO of Dumoco Co., Ltd., who has rich experience in doing business in China. The discussion focused on China's rapid development in recent decades, with Gordon sharing his relevant experience and perspectives.
The View of China
Edward Tse (hereinafter Ed) (Gao Feng Advisory Company): Hi, I'm Edward Tse from Gao Feng Advisory, a China-rooted management and strategy consulting firm. Today we're honored to have Gordon Dumoulin as our guest. He has lived in China for over 12 or 13 years and is well-versed in China, also serving as a consultant and advisor for enterprises doing business in China. Gordon, could you share your background with us?
Gordon Dumoulin (hereinafter Gordon): I first came to China for an internship in Hong Kong in 1994, and have visited China twice a year since then, traveling to Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen (which was a small town at that time). Before 2009, I was engaged in international sales and marketing, traveling worldwide including China, but never lived here as a resident. In 2009, after a consultancy project in Beijing, I decided to settle here, start my own business and register a company, out of personal interest and curiosity to explore China. Up to now, I have lived in China for 13 years and hope to stay much longer.
Ed: What's your impression of China after 13 years of living here?
Gordon: I describe it as a roller coaster ride. Living and working in China as a part of it is totally different from just visiting. I had known China and written about it many times, but residing here is a completely new experience. I also lived in Southeast Asia for a few years, but starting a business as an entrepreneur in China meant starting from scratch, which was full of challenges yet fantastic. I have learned far more in the past decade in China than in any other period of my life.
Ed: How did you form your insights into China?
Gordon: There is no fixed roadmap, only personal experience. I came to China with a well-prepared business plan, connections in the food industry (where I still work) and certain knowledge about China, full of confidence, but the plan soon fell apart. I registered the company with a business partner met during the consultancy project, and we completed all procedures by ourselves, yet the pre-planned business development schedule was quickly abandoned. Running a business requires teamwork, and one gradually integrates into both micro and macro environments. Everyone has their own ideas, ambitions and schedules, so mutual adaptation is a must. The business pace is not only decided by the founder but also the surrounding environment. Coming from a northern European culture that emphasizes strict control of roadmaps and schedules, I was totally lost in China's business environment, which was a self-confrontation for me.
Ed: Thank you for sharing. China has developed rapidly with great changes during your 13 years here. How do you describe China to your clients who are surprised by its fast evolution?
Gordon: China's development, especially in the past 10 years, has been extremely fast. I always tell clients that China is a holistic organism where all factors are interlinked. In the West, people tend to analyze separate entities, but in China, everything is connected, making it hard to separate individual perspectives. China is a highly diverse society and culture with numerous perspectives. To engage in business and integrate into China, one must adopt a holistic thinking approach for both business and personal life.
Ed: What are the common Western misperceptions about China, and what do Western people usually overlook?
Gordon: First, the lack of awareness of China's diversity. China has rich diversity in culture, regions and ethnicity, and different regions have distinct business approaches (e.g., Guangzhou is very different from Northeast China). China is not a single market but a diverse "continent". Second, Westerners know Chinese people are community-minded, but overlook their strong individualism. Chinese people have their own goals, ideas and ambitions, which is crucial for cooperation with them. Living in China, one will realize that being part of this "organism" means having the responsibility to participate and contribute, even as a tiny part, which is a cultural feeling different from that in the West.
Ed: So you mean Chinese people are more community-oriented while Westerners are more individualistic?
Gordon: To some extent, yes. But Chinese people are also highly individualistic and ambitious in their pursuits, and this individualism always exists within the broader community context, with the sense of responsibility to the community rooted in their cultural genes.
Ed: Chinese leaders advocate China's peaceful rise and global peaceful coexistence. How do you interpret this? Is it a realistic vision, and how can people and communities work together to achieve it?
Gordon: It is a realistic vision, and it should be. In this era of national and cultural tensions, all countries have become more interdependent and interconnected over the past four to five decades. In Europe (my hometown), views on China have become increasingly narrow, which is related to the interdependence between Europe, the US, China and other countries. Such interdependence brings contact and sometimes discomfort. The West has been a dominant player in the world for about 150 years since the Industrial Revolution, but new players from other regions are emerging and changing various aspects such as trade, communication and travel. The natural instinct when one's sphere of influence is impacted is to oppose polarization, and the world is currently in this phase. However, the growth of interdependence and interconnectivity is unstoppable, so we must accept the reality of a multipolar world. China's global influence has grown tremendously compared with 50 years ago, so peaceful coexistence is the ultimate goal, and tensions and confrontations should be avoided. Culturally, people have closer affinity with neighboring countries (e.g., European countries, Asian nations), and all should strive for peaceful coexistence.
Ed: As a business consultant and advisor, could you elaborate on your work content?
Gordon: Our core work is to help people expand and deepen their understanding of China, especially for those interested in Chinese business. China is not just an ordinary export market, but a market with diverse cultures, societies and regulations. We mainly provide consulting services for foreign individuals and enterprises looking to enter the Chinese market.
Ed: Could you give some examples?
Gordon: We specialize in natural products such as natural skin care. We help foreign companies, especially European manufacturers, find suitable Chinese partners to enter the Chinese market (given the complex regulations). We connect them with the right partners and supervise the entire process, including assisting with regulatory procedures and technical marketing processes.
Ed: So you help foreign companies find joint venture partners and support partnership establishment?
Gordon: Yes, and we also provide the same services for Chinese companies looking to enter the European market.
Ed: How can people contact you if they need your services?
Gordon: They can find me on LinkedIn, where I regularly share my perspectives on China. I also run my own blog 5iZ China, which focuses on in-depth discussions about Chinese culture. These are the main ways to get in touch with me.
Ed: I have read many of your LinkedIn articles, which are full of insightful views on China. We look forward to more of your articles on LinkedIn and your blog.
Gordon: Definitely.
Ed: Thank you, Gordon, for this wonderful conversation.
Gordon: Thank you for the invitation, Ed.
About the Interviewee
Gordon Dumoulin is the Founder and CEO of Beijing-based Dumoco Co., Ltd., which engages in the trading and consulting of raw and intermediate materials, ingredients and chemicals. He has over 25 years of experience in international and cross-cultural management science. Having been based in Beijing since 2009, he acts as an advisor and consultant for foreign businesses entering China and Chinese businesses going global. He is also a writer and researcher in Chinese culture, society and business, as well as an associate for various international investment and trade centers and research foundations.
About the Interviewer
Dr. Edward Tse is the Founder and CEO of Gao Feng Advisory Company, a pioneer in China's management consulting industry. He built and managed the Greater China operations of two top international management consulting firms (BCG and Booz) for 20 years. He has provided consulting services to hundreds of Chinese and foreign companies, investors, start-ups and public-sector organizations on all key aspects of doing business in China and global business for Chinese enterprises. He has also advised various levels of the Chinese government on strategies, state-owned enterprise reform and Chinese companies' overseas development, as well as providing consulting services to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. He has published hundreds of articles and six books, including the award-winning The China Strategy (2010), China’s Disruptors (2015) and the newly published Strategic Thinking in the Era of Mega Changes (2022) (《变局思维》).
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