Most expat managers need a strong support network in Shanghai – local partners to teach you the ins and outs of an alien culture; old industry hands to help you navigate an unfamiliar marketplace; or friends whose shoulders you will need to cry on if your plans go awry.
However, for an expatriate manager who has just landed in a foreign country, assembling your support structure can also be one of the hardest challenges you will face. Thankfully, there are many ways to network in Shanghai. You won’t have any problem finding an event to go any day of the week. The need of guanxi has become almost an obsession for local and foreign businessman alike. But don’t confuse this concept with the notion of networking, since it has a deeper meaning and a set of rules. A Chinese stresses the importance of personal relationship for doing business a lot more that we are used in western countries. These networking events aren’t a way to build guanxi; they are only a first step to meeting someone suitable to establish this connection. The development of a good guanxi is slow and expensive, but it improves dramatically the chances of success in any business. Keep in mind that you mustn’t build the relationship just before the deal – it should be already consolidated in that moment – and having a frequent contact is the only way to keep the door open to future business.
You can always join or participate in the organizations listed below.
Expat Groups
One of the best ways to meet fellow expatriates is to contact the myriad of specialized clubs throughout the city. Many are shown in this section. There are over 100 expat clubs in Shanghai. For a full and up-to-date list, look here: http://shanghai.asiaxpat.com/directory/expat-associations-general-info/clubs-associations/
- The Expatriate Professional Women’s Society (EPWS)
http://epwsasia.org
A not-for-profit community established to provide professional, social and cultural support for expatriate women in Shanghai. - Dutch Society
Address: Shanghai, China
Phone: 6268-8983
A meeting place for all managers and expats from the Netherlands. - American Women’s Cub
Address: Shanghai, China
Phone: 6856-8695 / 5812-2970
Female executives from North America can meet to discuss business matters and networking. - Canuck Connection
Phone: 6279 8400
Contact Canadian Consulate General for information. This organization helps Canadian expats network in Shanghai. - Colombians in Shanghai
All Colombians and their families in Shanghai are welcome. Contact Lizzy (138 1668 7713), Leo (138 1661 5325), Leisa (139 1764 6433 / 5090 9625). - Danish Business Association
Address: Room C,D, 10F, 258 Tongren Lu
Phone: 8621-6289-8828; Fax: 6219 2711; Email: dbas@uninet.com.cn
Any person from Denmark can attend these socializing meetings. - Filipino Community in Shanghai
ilcomsha@hotmail.com
Inviting all Filipinos living in Shanghai to join the only association serving the kababayans. Contact Angelica Laysa Magmanlac (6262 7549 / 139 1811 9175), Jennifer Stilling (130 1282 9151) - Finnish Society
Phone: Peter Mulcahy 6474 4533
Meet-ups on the last Friday each month at O’Malley’s. 5pm. Association for all expats from Finland. - The German Center
Address: 1233 Siping Lu
Phone: Michael Gotschlich 6501-5100 ext 4001
Regularly holds events for the German community. German movies every Fri. 7:30pm. - German Community Association
Address: Shanghai, China
Phone: 6501-5100
Email: gcentre@public.sta.net.cn
Association for German expats in Shanghai. - Shanghai Suomalaise
Phone: 138 1680 9487
Email: tiedottaja@shanghainsuomalaiset.com
Website: http://www.shanghainsuomalaiset.com
Contact Sanna Kekkonen – another networking organization for Finns in Shanghai. - Russian Club
Website: http://www.russianshanghai.com
Information: Meets 2nd Wed of each month. Contact Mikhail (139 0181 4942), Albert (139 1828 1166), Sergei (139 0196 9741). Association for all Russians and their families in Shanghai.
Volunteer Organizations
- Stepping Stones
Rm. 138, No. 6 to 8, Asionics Building, Lane 1279 Zhong Shan Road West
Tel: +86 (21) 3209 5565
enquiry@steppingstoneschina.net
http://steppingstoneschina.net/
They have a program to teach English in migrants’ schools in Shanghai and help the kids to pass the entrance examination to middle school. - BEAN
beanshanghai@gmail.com
http://shanghai.beanonline.org/
Members are young professionals involved in many charitable causes. - Heart to Heart Shanghai
Tel: 13901888313
volunteers@h2hsh.net
http://www.heart2heartshanghai.net
They entertain the children waiting for heart surgery in many hospitals around the city and rise money for those with small financial resources. - SHANGHAI Roots & Shoots
Suite 1613, 16/F Ocean Towers, 550 Yan An Dong Lu
Tel: 86-21-6352 3580
Fax: 86-21-5306 0008
info@jgi-shanghai.org
http://www.jgi-shanghai.org
Founded for Jane Goodall, this organization is devoted to educate children to respect the environment.
Business and Professional Organizations
- American Chamber of Commerce
Shanghai Center, Suite 568
1376 Nanjing Road West Shanghai 200040 China
Phone: (8621) 6279-7119; Fax: (8621) 6279 – 7643
E-mail: amcham@amcham-shanghai.org
A very large organization for any American businessperson, diplomat, student, or visitor in Shanghai.
http://www.amcham-shanghai.org/ - The British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai
Suite 1703, Westgate Tower, 1038 Nanjing Xi Lu
Shanghai 200041
Telephone: +86 (21) 6218 5022; Fax: +86 (21) 6218 5066
An organization that promotes Chinese-British business in Shanghai.
http://www.britishchambershanghai.org - Danish Chamber of Commerce
Tian An Center
338 Nanjing Road West
Tel: +86 138 1811 4020; Fax: +86 (21) 6359 3592
Mail@dccc-shanghai.com.
http://www.dccc.com.cn
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in Denmark and China. - German Chamber of Commerce
29/F POS Plaza
1600 Century Avenue
Shanghai, 200122
Tel.: +86-21-5081 2266; Fax: +86-21-5081 2009
http://china.ahk.de/chamber/shanghai/
Handles most German-Chinese business meetings in Shanghai. - Swiss Chinese Chamber of Commerce Shanghai
1710-1711, Regus Silver Centre
No. 1388 North Shaanxi Road
Shanghai 200060, China
Tel: +86 21 6149 8207; Fax: +86 21 6149 8132
Email: info@sha.swisscham.org
http://www.swisscham.org/sha/
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in Switzerland and China. - China Britain Business Council
Unit 1701-2, Westgate Tower, 1038 Nanjing Road W
Shanghai 200041, Peoples Republic of China
Tel: +86 21 6218 5183; Fax: +86 21 6218 5193
Email: shanghai@cbbc.org.cn
http://www.cbbc.org.cn
Another organization that promotes increasing business relationships between the UK and China. - Italian Chamber of Commerce
Unit 3605-3606A, The Center,
989 Changle Road
200031 Shanghai, China
Tel: 0086-21-54075181; Fax: 0086-21-54075182
infoshanghai@cameraitacina.com
http://www.cameraitacina.com
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in Italy and China. - Benelux Chamber of Commerce
Room 201, Shanghai Tai Pan Business Centre,
No. 20 Dong Hu Road,
Cross Middle Huai Hai Road,
Shanghai 200031, PR. China
Tel: +86 21 54038177 Fax: +86 21 54038167
http://www.bencham.org
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, and China. - European Union Chamber of Commerce
Rm 2102-2103 CITIC Square
1168 Nanjing Rd (W)
Tel: 5292 5924
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in the European Union and China. - French Chamber of Commerce
586 PanYu Lu
Eastern Business Building, 2/F
Tel: 6281 3618; Fax: 6281 3611
http://www.ccifc.org
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in France and China. - South African China Business Association
Tel: 6212 2005
http://www.sacba-prc.org
All representatives of firms from South Africa are invited to join this organization to discuss ways of increasing business contacts between all of Africa and China. - The Korean Chamber of Commerce
Room 303, Liang Garden
Lane 60 Rong HuaDong Dao
GuBei
Tel: 6209 5175; Fax: 6208 1743
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in South Korea and China. - Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China
Room 817, 333 Central Huaihai Rd
Tel: 5306 9533
Promotes business relations and contacts between companies in Hong Kong and China. - Canada China Business Council
Room 1901 Hong Kong Plaza, South Tower
283 Huaihai Mid Road
Tel: 6390 6001; Fax: 6390 7310
Meetings for businesspeople from Canada. - Chicago Business Club
Tel: 135 8554 6216
An organization that promotes business between the American city of Chicago and China. - China Britain Business Council
Tel: 6218 5022
Another organization that promotes increasing business relationships between the UK and China. - Shanghai Japan Club of Commerce and Industry
Rm. 2001, International Trade Building
2200 Yan’an West Road
Tel: 6275-2001
The largest organization in Shanghai for promoting Japanese-Chinese business. - 1881 Taiwanese Professional Women’s Society
http://www.1881tpws.org/
A meeting place for all women managers from Taiwan.
Private Clubs
- Alumni UK Network
bc.shanghai@britishcouncil.org.cn
A networking club for all graduates from universities in the UK. - Cambridge & Oxford Society
Tel: 133 3199 9003 (Vivienne)
A networking club for all graduates from Cambridge or Oxford universities (UK). - Claremont Colleges Alumni Club
Tel: 136 3632 0210 (Caroline)
A networking club for all graduates from Claremont Colleges (USA). - Columbia University Club
Tel: 139 0199 4064
A networking club for all graduates from Columbia University (USA). - Georgetown University Alumni Club
dane_chamorro@yahoo.com
A networking club for all graduates from Georgetown University (USA). - Harvard Business School Shanghai Club
Tel: 6236 2188 (Sally)
A networking club for all graduates from Harvard University (USA). - HKUST Alumni Association Shanghai Chapter
Tel: 138 1730 4417 (Albert Lee)
A networking club for all graduates from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. - John Hopkins University Shanghai Alumni
Tel: 6253 3410
A networking club for all graduates from John Hopkins University (USA).
