Dr. Jens Schmidt, A German Executive in Shanghai Dr. Jens Schmidt is an expat. The company’s corporate headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, assigned him  to improve efficiency at the company’s manufacturing plant in Shangai, China. During his first 90 days he came up with a list of quality issues and he shared this list with three of his direct reports (Mr. Zhu, Mr. Cao and Mrs. Ping).  He asked them for input on how to mitigate the issues within the next 90 days and what the “low hanging fruit” were. He emailed them on Friday evening and asked them to respond by Monday morning, enough time to review over the weekend. While Dr. Jens Schmidt was sorting out his moving goods […]

Based in Zurich since 2015, Grace Lee Camoglu offers a unique perspective on navigating life and travel in Europe. As a Chinese-American raising a family in Switzerland with her Turkish husband, she brings firsthand experience to cross-cultural living and international travel. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Grace’s professional background spans various roles including product management, partnership management, and operations at companies like Google, LexisNexis, and Intapp in the San Francisco Bay Area and Product Management Festival/Peak Product in Zurich. After eight years in Zurich, she channeled her passion for travel into her business, Your Travel Story, specializing in crafting custom itineraries for families and multi-generational groups exploring Switzerland and Europe by land and river. With a BA from Northwestern University and […]

The Qualitative Research Study by REA Peace of Mind on the Move (2024) highlights the positive impact of partner support programs on expatriate assignments. According to their findings, 69% of employers reported that such programs positively influence family acclimation and assignment acceptance. While specific statistics from 2024 regarding the number of expatriates relocating with career-oriented spouses or partners are not readily available, recent studies provide valuable insights into this trend. Additionally, the Relocating Partner Survey by NetExpat and EY provides comprehensive insights into the experiences of spouses and partners of transferees, offering valuable data for enhancing global mobility and talent management policies. (netexpat.com). These studies underscore the importance of robust support systems for accompanying partners to ensure successful international assignments. […]

Global Recruiting is a challenge. Hiring your employees from other countries will give your company a chance to find a motivated and skilled workforce, particularly if your country is suffering from a shortage of skilled labor on a national scale in specific job sectors. However, sourcing your workforce from another country is difficult if you have never done it before. Here are eight tips that you should think about before you consider hiring from abroad: 1 – Use Traditional and Online Marketing Every country has its own set of laws that dictate how marketing and advertising are to be conducted. These sets of laws are also applicable to online advertising and traditional recruitment marketing, so make sure that you, as […]

Maggie Williams began her career in the NHS, working as an Anaesthetic and Emergency Practitioner, where she gained invaluable experience in high-pressure environments and developed a deep understanding of patient care and safety. Transitioning into operational management, Maggie quickly honed her leadership skills, overseeing complex systems and teams to improve efficiency and outcomes. In 2017, Maggie boldly moved to Portugal with her family, embarking on a new chapter in her career in global mobility. She successfully leveraged her extensive healthcare and operational management background, transferring her skills into a new industry. Since then, Maggie has been with BiCortex Languages and Translations, where she currently leads day-to-day operations and focuses on business expansion, client development, and operational growth. A natural leader, […]