荷蘭“中國迷”的事業：幫助外企在重慶落地生根

□ 文/本刊記者 胡睿

荷蘭“中國迷”的事業：幫助外企在重慶落地生根

□ 文/本刊記者 胡睿

近年來，正值重慶對外開放、招商引資的快速發展時期，不論是商業巨頭還是職場精英都希望在這個潛力之都大展拳腳。融入重慶，攜手發展，外國駐渝領事機構、涉外商業人士來到重慶都大有可為。

Peter Kuppens（皮特·庫朋斯）是來自荷蘭的資深“中國迷”，從1998年第一次來到中國，就對這片發展中的土地抱有極大的期望和熱愛。2008年，皮特開設了他的公司，專為外籍來華人員和外資企業提供從最基本的生活服務和解決方案，到商務咨詢的全方位服務。同時，他的網站和公司也時常分享、推廣在重慶等中國城市的生活和最新的資訊，吸引更多對重慶感興趣的外資企業來渝，進行文化、投資方面的交流與合作。

在眾多外資企業瞄準中國市場的今天，皮特作為早期來到中國西部地區發展事業的“老外”，對于重慶未來的商業發展有著樂觀的期盼，也非常樂于成為搭建西方國家與重慶深入對接的橋梁。

重慶印象：中國最有潛力的內陸城市

皮特在上世紀90年代曾用10年時間環游世界，從歐洲出發，經俄羅斯、蒙古，一路來到中國。他不僅熱愛中國，也洞察到中國的巨大市場，這也是后來他留在了這片土地上的重要原因。因為設想到會有大量的外資企業對中國市場感興趣，但文化和語言的障礙和對中國城市的不了解可能會給外企來華的發展造成困難，所以皮特在成都和重慶開設了麥克斯林公司，由涉外房產中介開始，發展到為來自世界各國的外籍人員和外資企業提供商務咨詢和住房服務。就這樣，他在中國西部為這份事業打拼了十多年。

當問及皮特對重慶的印象時，他對重慶連年增長的GDP表示肯定，對重慶的經濟發展非常看好。他認為重慶是中國最有潛力的內陸城市，“許多歐洲的品牌商都盯準了重慶的中高薪階層的消費能力。比起成都，重慶的開放程度還有更多空間，正是因為這樣，給了中外企業更多的投資、發展的機會，重慶未來的對外開放一定會做得更好。”

為蘋果、福特等外企來渝提供全方面服務

起初，因為皮特服務的一家外資企業要建化工廠 ，他隨團來渝考察。當他發現了重慶的潛力和市場后，就分別在成都和重慶設立了辦公室。他的個人網站上顯示，他是17個項目的主要創始人和負責人。如今，他自豪地分享自己在重慶主要的客戶，是美國的福特汽車和蘋果公司，公司主要為這兩家外企提供信息及咨詢服務。

皮特很了解，外企來渝，一開始都不熟悉山城的節奏和風格。蘋果公司是他最大的客戶，要在中國各大城市開設門店，公司作為蘋果在中國的咨詢顧問伙伴，為他們提供中國市場商業和生活調查報告，主要為蘋果在中國國內零售的發展作出重要參考。基于每個城市的不同特點，皮特和團隊會建議客戶在符合當地消費者習慣的區域開設零售店和辦公地址的選址建議。另外一項重要的服務，就是為客戶的外籍員工安排符合他們生活習慣的住宿。

另一個讓皮特引以為傲的客戶是美國汽車大腕福特公司。自2001年，福特就與長安汽車合作在重慶設立工廠 ，2014年長安福特第三工廠建成，長安福特成為其在美國本土以外最大的工廠 ，重慶也躋身中國最大的汽車產業基地。據了解，擴大重慶生產基地的產能，是福特在中國和亞洲市場推進激進發展計劃的關鍵一步。所以，幫助外企了解重慶當地市場的情況，為外籍員工提供最基本的生活服務成為麥克斯林業務的重要一環。類似這樣的國際大品牌，皮特服務過不少，重慶的凱悅酒店和蘭博基尼品牌酒店入駐時，都曾找到公司進行選址及市場信息的商業咨詢。

幫助外籍員工找到稱心如意的住房就是第一步。多數外籍人員需要房間內有洗碗機、洗衣機，現代摩登又實用的裝潢。這些要求看似簡單，但很多本地房東的房產都不能滿足，于是需要經由他的公司改造裝修。

對于企業而言，初次來渝對新新市場及當地政策的陌生會帶來不少麻煩，皮特迅速意識到這一點，便在公司加入了資訊板塊，幫助客戶從申請營業執照到銀行開戶、納稅，再到提供熟悉當地的市場營銷方案，提供一站式服務。另一方面，咨詢服務的商業報告會按照客戶需求羅列出一系列透明化的信息，為客戶作出客觀評估。他們還出版了一本中國的城市報告，內容著重于中國內陸城市的各項信息統計：包含每個城市的國際航班線路，國際學校的數量與分布，國際化的醫療設施，以及城市商圈的情況等各方面信息。報告展示了每個城市對外開放程度的對比和綜合情況，讓想來中國發展的外資企業透過數據直觀了解各個城市的總體概況。

皮特認為，他的事業就是幫助外企在中國的城市落地生根。其實歐洲很多地方的商業人士都對投資中國十分感興趣，但他們需要一個正確的渠道來了解今天的中國。皮特和他的團隊希望通過努力讓更多外國人了解中國市場，推動外資企業來渝投資，幫助重慶與外資企業友好地進行經貿往來。

（圖片由受訪者提供）

In recent years, it is the rapid development period for Chongqing to open to the outside world and attract investments. Whether the business giants or the professionals are hoping to make themselves a big name in this potential city. Co-developing and integrating into Chongqing, foreign consulates in Chongqing and foreign business people come to Chongqing for bright prospects.

When Peter Kuppens, a veteran “Chinese fan” from the Netherlands, came to China for the fi rst time in 1998, he already had great expectations and love for this growing land. In 2008, Peter found his Maxxelli company which aims to provide a full service from the basic life services and solutions to the business consulting for the foreign personnel and foreign-funded enterprises. Meanwhile, his website and company also share and popularize the life in Chongqing and other cities in China as well as the latest information to attract more foreign-funded enterprises, which are interested in Chongqing and other cities in China, to come to Chongqing and make the communication and cooperation in culture and investments.

Today, with more foreign-funded companies aiming at the Chinese market, Peter, as a “foreigner” who came to the western China in an early time, holds a optimistic expectation for the future commercial development in Chongqing and is willing to build a bridge for the further connection between the western countries and Chongqing.

Impression of Chongqing: The Most Potential Inland City in China

In the 1990s, Peter spent 10 years to travel around the world, starting from the Europe and going through the Russia and Mongolia, all the way to China. Due to the affection for China and the perception of the huge market in China, he stayed. He believed that although there would be a large number of foreignfunded enterprises becoming interested in the Chinese market, their unfamiliar with culture, language and the Chinese citieswould become an barrier for the their developments. That’s why Peter sets up Maxxelli companies in Chengdu and Chongqing, which fi rst involves the foreign real estate intermediary, and then the business consulting and housing services are provided to the foreign personnel and the foreign-funded enterprises from all over the world. In such a way, he has worked hard for this career in the western China for more than a decade.

When the journalist asked Peter about his impression on Chongqing, he showed a positive attitude towards Chongqing’s increasing GDP in successive years and its economic development. He regarded Chongqing as the most potential inland city in China,“Many European brands are targeting at the consumption ability of the middle-and-high-salaried stratum in Chongqing. Compared with Chengdu, there is more room for Chongqing’s openness. For that reason, more opportunities for the investment and development are given to both the domestic and foreign companies. Chongqing will surely make an even better job in opening to the outside world. ”

Full Service is Provided to Apple, Ford and Other Foreign Enterprises Coming into Chongqing

At first, because a foreign-funded enterprise Peter served at, was going to build a factory, he accompanied the delegation to visit Chongqing. When he discovered the potential and market of Chongqing, he set up Maxxelli of fi ces in Chengdu and Chongqing respectively. According to the personal website named by “Mr. Peter”, he is the main founder and person in charge for 17 events. Nowadays, he is proud to share his primary customers (i.e. the Ford and Apple) in Chongqing. The company mainly provides information and consulting services for this two foreign-funded enterprises.

Peter said that when those foreign companies first came to Chongqing, without exception they were not familiar with the rhythm and style of Chongqing as a mountain city. Apple, his largest customer, is going to open stores in the major cities in China. As Apple’s consultant in China, Maxxelli provides them with the business and life report of the Chinese market and makes important references for the development of the domestic retail stores. Based on the different characteristics of each city, Peter and his team will recommend the customers about how to set up the retail store to meet the local customers’ consuming habits and where to locate the of fi ce. Another important service is to arrange accommodations for the foreign customers in line with their living habits.

Peter is also proud of another customer, Ford, which is the biggest car-maker in America. Since 2001, Ford has set up factories in Chongqing together with Changan Automobile. And the third one was completed in 2014, which has made the Changan Ford the largest factory outside the U.S. and Chongqing one of the largest automobile industrial bases in China. It is understood that the expansion of the production capacity in Chongqing’s production base is a key step for Ford to promote the development plan in the Chinese and Asian market. Therefore, it is an important part of Maxxelli business to help foreign companies understand the local market situation in Chongqing and provide the most basic life service for foreign employees.

The fi rst step is to help the foreign employees fi nd a well-content shelter. The dishwasher, washing machine, modern and functional decoration are required by most foreign employees. As most local landlords’ houses can not meet the seemingly simple requirements, the decorations need to be transformed by Maxxelli. Now Maxxelli has its own brand of real estate, which focuses on this kind of house. Peter had served a lot of similar international brands. For example, when the Hyatt Hotel and Lamborghini were planning to settle in Chongqing, they had consulted Maxxelli about the information on the site selection and market.

For enterprises’ first visit to Chongqing, their unfamiliar with Chongqing’s supernew market and the local policy will bring a lot of trouble. So after his awareness of this, information sector is added, which provides the one-stop service to help customers from the application for a business license, the bank account, tax to the marketing program helping the customers be familiar with the local. On the other hand, the business report of the consulting service will list a series of transparent information according to the customer’s needs and make an objective assessment for the customers. Maxxelli published a book of Chinese cities’ reports, which focuses on the various information of the inland cities in China, including international flights in each city, the number and distribution of international schools, international medical facilities, and the city’s business districts and etc. The report shows the comparison and integration situations of the degree of opening up of each city, so that the foreign companies who want to come to China can have an overall pro fi le of the various cities through the data intuitively.

Peter believes that his career is to help foreign enterprises in Chinese cities to settle down. In fact, business people in many parts of Europe are very interested in investing in China, but what they need is a correct channel to understand the contemporary China. Peter and his team hope that through their efforts, more foreigners will get to know about Chinese market so as to promote the foreign investments in Chongqing and help Chongqing carry out economic and trade exchanges with foreign-funded companies in a friendly way.

(Pictures were provided by interviewees)

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