ESSEC Alumni in China: “There Is a Huge Gap Between the Perception of This Country and the Reality”
Matthieu David-Experton (E09), President of ESSEC Alumni’s China Chapter, tells us about the alumni community in his country – and the services his team offers to them.
EA: Are there many ESSEC alumni in China?
Matthieu David-Experton: We are about 1,000 alumni in People's Republic of China and more than 1,200 within Greater China. With around a hundred Chinese students at ESSEC every year since 2008, the community of Chinese alumni has been expanding fast!
EA: What opportunities are there in China for our alumni?
M. David-Experton: China is the second largest economy in the world and the center of many multinational companies’ agenda and industry players, so there are plenty of opportunities. However the access to the job market proves to be quite complex. Obviously, our Chinese alumni have it easier, as demand is strong in the country for nationals with a solid academic background. As far as foreigners are concerned, the key is to speak the language. That being said, Chinese companies are getting more and more international, and we are seeing some prominent positions in banking, tech or consumer goods businesses open to foreign profiles irrespective of their skills in Chinese. This trend is expected to grow in the coming 2-3 years, once there are fewer restrictions to crossing the borders.
EA: Is the ESSEC diploma an asset in China?
ESSEC has been putting more efforts into relationships with Chinese companies for a while. We also capitalize on our exchange programs with local universities such as Beida or Fudan. And of course, ESSEC is known in international groups, and those groups are present in China.
EA: As a foreigner, what makes it interesting to live in China?
M. David-Experton: As a foreigner, the striking point is to witness the gap of perception between what most people think it is like to live in China and what it is really like. There might not be any other destination in the world where that gap is as wide. Also, the country is changing constantly, both society-wise and technology-wise. You never stop learning here – all the more since mastering the Chinese language is an infinite quest! Last but not least, most foreign alumni praise Chinese cities’ safety (you can leave your helmet on your motorbike or your phone on a table without those getting stolen), convenience of life (partly thanks to technology and the Internet giants that went with it), and cultural offer.
EA: What advice do you have for our foreign alumni moving in China?
M. David-Experton: Learning Chinese will always be somewhere in your mind, better start early. Also, the job market for foreigners is not "liquid" but "opportunistic" so it is key to get acquainted with the communities that are either here or linked to China wherever you stay in the world, as the Chinese diaspora is pretty active and widespread. Finally, make sure your understand all the Chinese regulations so as to avoid unfortunate mistakes.
EA: And what advice do you have for our Chinese alumni considering whether to work abroad or to go home?
M. David-Experton: I would recommend our young Chinese graduates to spend a few time working in France, Europe or the West, as it is where they can best leverage their degree for the first few years. And if you feel you’re missing out on all the transformations your home country has been going through for 40 years, you can always try and work in a company in relation with China.
EA: What is the offer of ESSEC Alumni’s China Chapter?
M. David-Experton: Our alumni are among the most active ones within the French schools’ community in China. We have 3 chapters: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong. Each of our many events gathers from 30 to 100 people. They go from after-drinks to parties with the consul, art galleries visits, meetings with outstanding alumni such as Contentsquare’s CEO Jonathan Cherki (E11), skiing trips, bike excursions or outings in outstanding places such as Maison Hermès in Shanghai. We also like to get together with our sister schools ESCP, HEC and Sciences Po, which leads to events with in-between 100 and 200 people.
Reach out to ESSEC Alumni’s China Chapter’s team:
President:
- Xueying Bai (E16), xueying.bai@essec.edu
Board members:
- Xiaotong Wu (E17), xiaotongwu121@gmail.com
- Hui Peng (E15), hui.peng1023@yahoo.com
- Wen Si (ISFOGEP 10), 1145154223@qq.com
President:
Matthieu David-Experton (E09), david.matthieu@gmail.com
Board members:
- Keqing Lyu (E19), lkq0430@sina.com
- Yunfei Qian (E22), yunfei.qian@foxmail.com
- Rico Ling Yang (MBA 15), rico.yang@ofchineseorigin.com
- Jiaqi Zhang (E17), jiaqi.zhang@essec.edu
- Luobing Wang (M20), b00758331@essec.edu
President:
- Jonathan Ly (E16), jonathan.ly@essec.edu
Board members:
Treasurer:
- Alexandra Lam (E14), alexandra.lam@essec.edu
Events:
- Marie Kretz di Meglio (E09), m.kretzdimeglio@gmail.com
- Maxime Danjoux (M14), maxime.danjoux@gmail.com
- Maria Hadjiolova (E05), maria.hadjiolova@gmail.com
- Eran Benichou (E06), eran.benichou@essec.edu
- Astrid Benichou (M06), astrid.benichou@essec.edu
- Sophie Tan (MBA 12), zhiyingtan@hotmail.com
- Thomas Miklavec (E04), thomas_miklavec@yahoo.fr
- Adrian Clevenot (E09), adrian.clevenot@gmail.com
- Vincent Lebleu (E14), vincent.lebleu@gmail.com
- Loïc Benattar (E06), loic.benattar@gmail.com
Interview by Veary Ngy, International Community Manager at ESSEC Alumni, and Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni
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