IZP TechnologiesStrategy and Business Development Intern
Jun. 2015 - Aug. 2015Beijing City, ChinaOur international team of interns from The United Kingdom, Denmark, and The Netherlands spent four weeks working with IZP technologies assisting them in developing a European Union market entry strategy for their emerging card association division. They are currently the largest cross-border payment processor in China, commanding over 60% of the market. Our team developed a strategy to enter the European Union as a card association to rival VISA and MasterCard. We conducted primary research with European importers, and mined the databases of the World Bank and European Central bank to find the data necessary to develop a winning strategy. We were guided in our strategy creation by Shaun Bourgeois, an international business consultant with over 10 years of experience.
After four weeks of research and regular meetings with top management, we presented our strategy to the IZP technologies Chairman. He was very pleased with our recommendations stating that our presentation was both informative and actionable. Through this experience I learned a great deal about myself, multinational corporations, the Chinese business culture, and how it fits into the larger worldwide business environment. The team was privileged to spend the afternoon with the Chairman and learn from his years of business knowledge as well as his lifetime of wisdom. It was a very intimate and private leaning opportunity. This consulting engagement tested both my intellectual ability as well as my stamina. It engaged my curiosity in a way that I never have before. I am greatly looking forward to returning to China again for business and pleasure. The people and the place will remain special to me.