轉:上海磁鐵

ERIC Xu speaks standard Mandarin with a Beijing accent. Born and raised in the Chinese capital and having spent some 12 years in the US, the Asia-Pacific PR director of Tektronix has found Shanghai the place that he can best tap his potential.

"eople's mentality and work environment in Shanghai are better than in Beijing and Shanghai makes me excited. Shanghai people are also more efficient," said Xu, who surprised his boss at Lucent Technologies in late February by quitting his job as Greater China PR director based in Beijing.

"The Lucent stocks were going up at that time and my boss was confused by my decision to leave after working there for three years," Xu said.

But Xu believes joining Tektronix in Shanghai is a worthwhile decision. The job as the Asia-Pacific PR director of Tektronix gives him more space and opportunities.

His responsibility now covers not only the Chinese mainland, but also Taiwan, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, South Korea and India.

Tektronix, a global test, measurement and monitoring company headquartered in Portland, Oregon, moved its Asia-Pacific headquarters to Shanghai last October and is witnessing a promising market prospect in China.

Shanghai vs Beijing

Statistics show that Shanghai has beaten Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen to be the city favoured by young professionals and people with post-graduate degrees.

Among the people granted residence cards from the Shanghai Municipal Government under a new regulation effective in June 2002, 71 per cent had bachelor degrees and 11 per cent had master or doctoral degrees. And quite a number of them had returned from overseas. Many of these people are working in software, microelectronics, finance and other highly specialized fields, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.

"Many of my buddies growing up together in Beijing now work in Shanghai, as general managers of foreign-funded ventures or in financial consulting or medical equipment companies."

They all love Shanghai and their businesses have also developed well in the city. "We all agree that Shanghai makes us feel excited. People here are more rational," Xu said, adding that Shanghai people are more down-to-earth and do not like to brag.

His friends have also marvelled at Shanghai's excellent soft environment. People with English language skills are readily available. "Even university graduates who have never been abroad have a superb command of English," Xu said.

In Xu's eyes, Shanghai is a more livable city, although problems of environmental pollution and crowding on the Metro system still exist.

"But people are very positive and changes in Shanghai have also been very positive," said Xu, whose parents left Shanghai for Beijing in the 1950s as career diplomats.

"Life in Shanghai is also more colourful and there are more choices," said Xu, praising Shanghai's many convenience stores, the multi-purpose public transport card and restaurants and bars in Xintiandi, Ruijin Hotel and Huangpu River bank in Pudong.

High-flying youth

Having graduated with an MA in international economics from Chicago State University and later an MBA from Texas State University, Xu worked as an associate for Ulmer Brothers, an investment bank in New York City, from 1991 to 1995, conducting investment-consulting work, project evaluation, feasibility and financial research as well as analyzing international financial transactions between the US and China.

In 1995, he joined the California Office of Trade and Investment in Hong Kong as acting regional director, helping Californian IT, telecom, entertainment, agricultural and environmental protection companies expand their business in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

Xu was especially proud of his efforts in arranging a meeting for then California Governor Pete Wilson with then Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Vice Premier Li Lanqing and Shanghai Mayor Xu Kuangdi.

Returning to China in 2000, Xu started to work for the Hill & Knowlton as its general manager in China based in Beijing, helping business development of companies such as Motorola, P&G, Texaco and SinoChem.

"I see more room for my career development in Shanghai and in China than in the US," Xu said. In the US, you can have a job and a stable income, but being here I expect greater accomplishment and to do more things, he said.