Winning gamble for the three Hong Kong ambassadors

The SKEMA alumni in Hong Kong held their end-of-summer event on Wednesday 25 September. This was a chance for our three new ambassadors to launch their first event... it was a hit!

39 alumni got together for Dim Sum with a French twist at Man Mo Café in the Sheung Wan district.

The ambassadors not only successfully created connections with the local network through their “Find your pairs” activity, they also welcomed new arrivals in Hong Kong, such as Aude Baylet-Diesel (SK 2014), Global Account Manager at Cisco, who landed in early September. We took the opportunity to ask her about her first impressions of the city and her new work environment.

SKEMA Alumni: Why did you choose Hong Kong? Was it an internal mobility opportunity or were you actively looking to work here?
Aude Baylet-Diesel: Cisco, the company where I’d been working for a little over 4 years in Paris, knew I wanted to live abroad. I built my development plan with my manager around this goal. I was very drawn to Hong Kong: it’s the economic heart of Asia, a major travel hub, you can work in English, the city never sleeps... I could also have chosen Singapore, but the opportunity to work in Hong Kong presented itself first. I jumped at the chance without a moment’s hesitation.

Did you know Hong Kong before coming to live here?
I’d never been here, not even for a holiday! It was a risk I had to take.

What struck you the most when you arrived?
3 aspects in particular made a strong impression on me:

• The constant bustle of the city. It never sleeps!
• The welcome I got from the French community, which is very present in Hong Kong (there are some 30,000 French nationals here).
• Hong Kong is a harmonious mix of urban skyscrapers and charm. Each district has its own personality; it’s fascinating. You can also easily spend your weekends surrounded by nature. Twenty minutes on a bus or a 30-minute ferry ride will take you far from the hustle and bustle of the city to where you can switch off completely.

What have you appreciated the most or, on the flip side, what has dampened your experience?
Interactions seem easy here - my administrative formalities have gone really smoothly and the locals are kind and always willing to help. It’s not unusual for the Hongkongese to come up to you in the street if they sense that you are lost. Nothing has dampened my experience so far, I’m still in the honeymoon period!

And what is it like on the work front? Is it different to France?
I have the advantage of being familiar with the company culture, which is very American. Management encourages success and flexibility, including in work hours. My new colleagues welcomed me with open arms, inviting me for breakfasts and tennis! It is difficult to draw comparisons with the French model though, given how American my company is. It feels like everything happens faster here. Business relationships are formed naturally; everyone is willing to talk and to meet at any time of the day as long as there is business to be done together.

Do you speak Cantonese? Have you had problems integrating because of the language barrier?
I am the only expat in my department. The other team members are Hongkongese and Chinese. But everyone speaks English here, whether at the office or in the street (except maybe taxi drivers, but on that front I am grateful for the Take Taxi app!). I am starting Mandarin lessons though, as it’s generally more widely spoken in Asia, and I’ve asked for lessons in everyday Cantonese as well as intercultural management training. It is important to understand the basics of corporate communication in Hong Kong, the attitudes to adopt and, why not, conflict resolution…

You met the Hong Kong Skemans for the first time at the SKEMA Alumni end-of-summer event. What role have they played in your Hong Kong integration?
I’m lucky in that I studied on the Raleigh campus with a Skeman who has been living here for a year and a half. She immediately gave me a helping hand to integrate and to show me the city and its surrounds. I can’t thank her enough and I hope to be able to do the same one day for other Skemans.
Expatriation amplifies the power of the school’s network: you feel a real sense of belonging so, as Maslow would say, you feel at home and safe wherever you are. Don’t hesitate to use the alumni directory or LinkedIn to meet our Skema peers around the world, it’s very enriching. Besides SKEMA, there are other support groups, starting with Les Français à HK on Facebook or L’Union des Français à l’Etranger. They provide a solid base to ask any questions you have so you can set off in total confidence.

Congratulations to our three new Hong Kong Club ambassadors and thanks to Aude for answering our questions.