Jim Bradford

Dispatches from Asia - Seoul

Fifth and Last Leg of Asia Trip: Seoul, South Korea

November 20 and 21

Is this the most technologically advanced/wired society in the world? So it seems. The technology is everywhere, from DBM phones that display multiple channels of TV and movies, to large, stacked LCD displays atop many of the endless downtown buildings. The elevators are equipped with scanners that permit or deny entry by floor based on guest registration. Electronic voices provide personalized messages in the appropriate language as you enter your room or welcome you into the building for a meeting. Cameras and other electronic sensors record pedestrian and car traffic. Your hotel room is equipped with LAN and wireless ultra-high-speed internet as well as a mobile phone that has you pre-registered on a network and charges calls to your hotel account.

This nation the size of Indiana with a population of 48 million has an economy that is consumed with electronics. Seung (Jerry) Jang (MBA ’04) with Samsung and Myeong Cho (a popular visiting professor here at Owen who will be back with us this January) guide us through our appointments with Samsung as well as global oil, chemical, and electronic conglomerates SK Corporation, LG, and GSK. All are exploring entry into the Chinese (PRC) market. I am most impressed with SK, Samsung and LG, three of the big four players in the electronics market.

Vanderbilt has a long and noted history in Korea, as many of its past political leaders received their education at Vanderbilt. Peabody and the Divinity school have particularly deep roots.

Our reception is attended by 35+ alumni, all very proud of their Vanderbilt education and desirous of assisting the VU to strengthen its position in the Korean market. Our host, In Won Lee, President of the Vanderbilt Alumni Association (as well as Capro Corporation, a producer of the raw material required for nylon) is called away from the reception by a labor disruption. I meet extremely successful alumni like Jongsoo Kim (MBA ’94), CEO of Wizwid, and his Vanderbilt-educated legal counsel Jiyul Yoo. Byoung-Kyun Kim, Executive Advisor and former CEO of Daihan Investment & Securities and a Vanderbilt alum, directs the activities for the evening.

Korea is an impressive place. Despite the proximity of North Korea and its recent nuclear activities, our alumni disclaim concern over international political problems, believing the nuclear issue will be resolved. Instead the talk is of the high real estate prices and dissatisfaction with the current President. While the schedule is hectic, we have a few minutes to see some of the sights of Seoul. I am most impressed with the many parks that dot the city and the numerous reminders of past history and ways.

SCENES FROM SEOUL

Downtown Seoul and one of many LCD displays topping downtown buildings.

Jen Howe and Owen alum, Jerry Jang.

 

The Blue Palace, Home of the Korean President, and the Korean Congress building.

A flower arrangement in the Paris Restaurant.

Owen grads at the alumni reception...past and future.

Front gate to a Korean temple and a close-up of the roofline.

 

Dispatches from Asia - Taipei

Fourth leg of Asia Trip: Taipei, Taiwan

 

Friday, November 17th

Taiwan is a subtropical island the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined. It feels like summer as we step off the airplane, 24 C (80+ F). This lush island of almost 23 million people is proud of its heritage and status as the global leader in semi-conductors and a significant investor in mainland China.

The purpose of the visit is to meet our alumni and talk to two noted graduate business schools, National Taiwan University and National Cheng-chi University. A substantial portion of a day is spent discussing possible exchange programs, school structure, the Asian manufacturing and technology boom, comparing programs and the latest development in Asian markets. A portion of the manufacturing sector is moving to mainland China and Taiwan is focused on serving the high end technology, banking and service markets.

Chiew Chang (MBA ’92), a specialist with the Department of Foreign Exchange  for the Central Bank of China--Taipei, is our host along with his wife Hilan Chen. Chiew has worked to gather not only Owen alumni but many Vanderbilt alumni to the reception, including Kien-Tsu (James) Lin  (MBA ’73 ) and distinguished guest Ray Dwan, Chairman of the CDIC, the equivalent of the FDIC. Recent Owen graduates attending include Tao-Sheng (Dawson) Ni (MBA’05), James Chuang (MSF ’06) and Jeffrey Kung (MBA '06).

While there is little time for sightseeing, I cannot resist a visit to Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world (for now) and capturing a view of Taipei at night.

Our many alumni encourage us to return and offer many suggestions on how we might help connect the Asian alumni back to Owen. I enjoyed the reception immensely and seeing the children of our alumni enjoy the dessert table and playing games in the hallway.

SCENES FROM TAIPEI

National Taiwan University College of Management...left to right...Associate Dean International Affairs, S.C. (Timothy) Chou; Jen Howe; yours truly; Dean Mao-Wei Hung; Shu-Chen (Steve) Chi, a professor at the university and one of Ray Friedman's research partners.

National Chengchi University Dean Ed Chow and me.  In the second shot, we are joined by Samuel C.L. Chen, Professor, Department of MIS and Chao-Ping Ting, Professor of Statistics and Director of Exchange Programs on the left;  Jen Howe and Chiew Chang, our host on the right.

Hsiao-Chuan (Sharon) Shih (MBA '04),  currently working in equities research at Morgan Stanley.

 

Scenes from the reception....current and future Owen and Vanderbilt alums.

Glimpses of Taipei...the old city wall....Saturday morning basketball....Taipei at night...a 5-floor shopping mall.

 

The world's tallest building (for now)....from the bottom....and from the top.

Dispatches from Asia - Hong Kong

Third leg of Asia trip: Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China

 

Wednesday and Thursday,  November 15 and November 16

Hong Kong: a sophisticated city with a long history of excellence in commerce, the city was built as a trading center with its magnificent but shrinking harbor and proximity to close-by world markets. Today, over 7.8 million people occupy this beautiful center of trade. This city is full of high end malls and shopping areas, high rise buildings and walkways to shield the pedestrian from hot or in-climate weather. The populated hilly mountainsides with single residences, condos and commercial space speak of wealth and success. It is a comfortable well-thought-out city design which handles the amazing amount of traffic with relative ease. The airport express traverses airport to city center in minutes. The classy bay area is surrounded by high-rise office buildings, condos, restaurants and shops. The back streets retain the buzz of local life with billboards and signs everywhere for the latest in cell phones, electronics, jewelry and dress (as well as food shops everywhere).

We are hosted by the Wans, parents of Ian Wan, a first-year MBA student at Owen. From racetrack to reception, they exude the hospitality and welcome we feel everywhere.

The firms we visit sound like an investment banking closing list in a major transaction: JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Skadden Arps, Shearman & Sterling…and many more. Todd Miller, Managing Director of Sony Entertainment for Asia ex Japan and a Vanderbilt alum, talks of the vast markets served, distribution systems and channel and content creation and management. It is an exciting place to be, yet life-styles are manageable. Hong Kong lacks the feel of the wild, wild west that is the trademark of Shanghai. It is comfortable and while I would miss some of the explosive growth of the mainland, it is clearly a great place to work.

A reception at the exclusive Hong Kong Club draws Vanderbilt alumni from Owen, Law, Peabody, Engineering, Arts & Science and Medicine as well as friends of the University like the Tynes. Michael Chandler (MBA ’00) of Goldman; Fang Fang , (MBA ’93) of JP Morgan/Chase; Clark Lu (MBA ’99) of HSBC; and Huimin Wu (MBA ’97) of Prime Capital Management have all obtained great success and world perspective working in this interesting and city. They each express a willingness to help those who are prepared to learn the language, work hard and apply their skills and knowledge in the vast Far East. They issue warnings that an MBA is the minimal credential to enter and competition has driven down the expat packages that once existed. For the right Owen grad, this is an excellent place to work and live.

SCENES FROM HONG KONG

Shots of the Hong Kong harbor.

Jen Howe and Tricia Carswell and me with Fang Fang  in his office at JP Morgan/Chase.

Shopping in Hong Kong...from open-air to enclosed mall.

Prayer Hanging baskets at a Hong Kong temple.

Transportation old and new...rickshaw....trolley.....late model cars.

Our hosts, John C. Wan and Sandra Wan and their daughter Eugenia.  Reception attendees.

A shot of an I.M. Pei high-rise on an overcast day.

A reflection of a building in a building, near the Bank of Hong Kong.

Dispatches from Asia - Shanghai

Second Leg of Asia Trip: Shanghai, People’s Republic of China (PRC)

Saturday, November 11th

Shanghai: the very name of city is steeped in mystery and intrigue. We are welcomed the first evening by 50 Vanderbilt alumni and friends at the French Concession offices of Vinson & Elkins. Shih-Ping (Nancy) Wang (MBA ’05), I-Chun (Eunice) Chou (MBA ’04), Paul Deemer (BS A&S ‘69/JD ’75 and a partner in Vinson & Elkins), and Dr. Xiaohu (Steve) Li (’91 A&S) serve as our greeting committee and official hosts.

More than 17 million residents call the city home, yet it is difficult to find a native Shanghai resident. Even people who have lived in the city for an extended period often view themselves as visitors explains the Dean of the Fudan Graduate School of Management as we explore university potential relationships.

Sunday, November 12th

Sunday is spent, in part, exploring the city, from the historical Bund area along the river front, the hustling (in more ways than one) Nanjing shopping district, old town with its quaint roofs and many shops, to the bustling side streets with their food vendors serving all sorts of interesting delicacies. We end the day with an elaborate dinner with our hosts at a very up-scale restaurant named Sweet Beauty.

Monday, November 13^th

Monday brings meetings with the leadership of Fudan University and Graduate School of Management, the United States Consulate and finally a fun evening in old town enjoying the great tastes of Shanghai dumplings.

Shanghai is an impressive and awesome city, difficult to capture mentally or by camera. It is a city which is a crush of people and traffic and yet in its own way highly organized and efficient. The architecture is an eclectic mix with each new building seemingly designed to outdo its neighbor. The to-be tallest building in the world is being constructed and will begin occupancy in 2007.

Before departing for our next stop, we spend the morning with Paul Winnowski (MBA ‘99), President & CEO of United Technologies, Fire and Security--Asia. A dynamic leader, Paul’s picture graces the cover of the most recent industry magazine. Paul explains the many opportunities awaiting the adventurous who will accept the challenge of working in a city in constant change.

This is my second visit this year to Shanghai. As in Tokyo, we have a great group of alumni who are determined to make Vanderbilt a well recognized name.

SCENES FROM SHANGHAI

View of some of the new architecture in Pudong, across the river from Shanghai.

Shanghai version of the Bull and the Bear fronting a local Shanghai bank along Nanjing road.

Strolling through Shanghai.....Yuyan (Yu) Garden........a busy street in Shanghai-cross at your own risk......a Starbuck's in Old Town......open-air market for anything you want to buy...making dumplings in Old Town.

    

Trusted technology.

Our hosts, Steve and Paul (on the left) and Shih-Ping (Nancy) Wang.

Fudan School of Management, Shanghai...Jen Howe, Tricia Carswell and me with members of their administrative team.

Dispatches from Asia - Tokyo, Japan

First Leg: Tokyo

Wednesday, November 8^th, 2006

It is Wednesday afternoon as I land at Narita airport, some 13.5 hours of flight-time from my departure city of Dallas, yet an entire day later as I cross the International Date Line. This is my 46^th flight to Tokyo, but I approach it with a new sense of energy and wonder. The purpose of this Asia tour is to meet with our alumni, companies, other universities and friends to strengthen the bond uniting our university and graduate school to a dynamic and important group of people and institutions. Accompanying me are Associate Vice Chancellor Jennifer Howe, Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Relations Tricia Carswell and her husband Ben, as well as my wife Susan. My camera is along for the ride so the trip is punctuated with photographs taken along the way. I’ve also included some of Susan’s scenic photographs to give you the sense of the city during our hurried but very enjoyable three-day visit.

Tokyo is a thriving city and has changed a good deal in the seven years since I was last there. Notably, as we land we can see Mt. Fuji from Narita. The almost 100km car ride to downtown Tokyo (Shinjuku area) passes quickly and we are to our hotel and remain awake as long as possible, starting the process of shifting body time clock.

Thursday- November 9^th, 2006

We start our trip on Thursday with a visit to the Vice Chairman of Nissan. We are graciously welcomed; this is but one of three meetings with Nissan while in Tokyo. We are exploring ways that Nissan, Vanderbilt and Owen can work together. Interestingly, the meeting is the same week that Dominique Thormann, Senior Vice President, Administration & Finance for Nissan North America is speaking at Owen….and the same week that our Marketing faculty and students worked with the Nissan global advertising group for a presentation during their worldwide media summit in Nashville. Our meeting is very successful and sets the tone for the remainder of the events during our brief three days in Tokyo. The day moves on with calls at Mizuho Bank and a warm greeting from Owen alums Kazuaki Osumi and Takeo Sakai and a meeting with Satoru Ochiai, Deputy General Manager, Human Resources of Mizuho Financial Group.

Our alumni Heiki Miki, a VP of JFE Steel in America, has worked to fill the trip with excellent discussions. JFE Steel is a highlight and our alumni Mitsuo Kudo (MBA '03) plays an important role in carrying on the tradition of excellent work inside this important world supplier of steel and related products.

The day ends with a reception for Vanderbilt alumni and friends at the International House, in Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo. It’s a packed house, and I hear of the many opportunities and successes from graduates of Arts & Sciences, the Law School and Owen (with a predominant Owen flavor). We are privileged to have in attendance a noted former medical faculty member of Vanderbilt.

Friday, November 10^th, 2006

Friday begins with a visit to Bridgestone headquarters followed by a meeting with the chairman of the Foreign Language Service, Nissan and then dinner with my former colleagues from Asahi Glass.

My impressions as I depart for Shanghai this Saturday morning: (1) The Japanese economy is doing well and the strong work centered culture remains firmly entrenched; (2) We have many great alumni and friends in Japan and if we are to continue to recruit great students from Japan we must have a visible presence in this important market; (3) Nissan and Bridgestone are highly respected global companies and, as both have their Americas headquarters in Nashville, our opportunities are great. We will have to work to continue to garner their involvement with Owen but the geographical proximity creates natural opportunities for Owen; and (4) Vanderbilt’s name is not as well known as that of Columbia, UCLA, Harvard and other business schools. We have some brand building to continue to do.

SCENES FROM TOKYO

Automobiles on the ground floor of Nissan headquarters, one of two buildings. Many cool and interesting cars.

A stroll through Koishikawa Kerakuen Gardens in central Tokyo...

 

On the grounds of the Imperial Palace...

An office building in Marunouchi, home to many corporate headquarters.

 

A visit to Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd. (L to R , front row) Satoru Ochiai,  Deputy General Manager, Human Resources; yours truly; Teruaki Oshima, Manager, Human Resources; Jen Howe, Vice Chancellor, International Relations for Vanderbilt; (L to R, back row) Takeo Sakai (MBA '04), Manager, Leveraged Finance Division; Kazuaki Osumi (MBA '05).

At the alumni reception (L to R) Toru Takase (MBA '06); Kai Yi (MBA '06); Tricia Carswell; Tadahide Harada (MBA '06); Yosuke Otsuki (MBA '06)

Japanese musical instruments at Waentei-Kikko, a traditional farmhouse restaurant in central Tokyo. 

Artsy shots of umbrellas and prayer cards.

 

A nighttime view of the Shinjuku area in Tokyo.