Gaukhar Kydrykhanova’s fascination with international trade began when, as a thirteen-year-old, she developed an interest in the problems caused by illicit cross-border trade. This spurred her to devote many of her initial years as a student to doing intensive research on the issue of international drug trafficking.  

“I learned about the important impact that international trade is making on the regional development and reduced transnational crime. But research was not enough. I wanted to bring in practical change.” 

Gaukhar earned the Presidential Scholarship to complete her Master’s program from the University of Birmingham, UK. Upon her return to Kazakhstan from the UK, she was recommended by the scholarship administration team to be considered for an expert job role at the Kazakhstani Ministry of Industry and Trade. Gaukhar joined Kazakhstan’s WTO accession team on a cold February day, which marked the beginning of an incredible career full of exciting adventures and interesting discoveries.   

Playing a lead role in organizing the women leadership initiative 

Women’s leadership is an essential topic in both Canada and Kazakhstan. Therefore, it was a matter of pride for Gaukhar to allocate her efforts and resources to plan and organize a visit with prominent women in business and female policy-makers from Canada. It was equally fulfilling to see well-known and inspiring women from Kazakhstan come to the event in huge numbers to support the round-table discussions. What followed was a series of illuminating speeches, debates, and an exchange of ideas centered around women’s leadership in Canada and Kazakhstan.  

“Many of the interactions went on to result in interesting projects. But, more importantly, I witnessed a broader change in the wider public consciousness that continues the trend towards progressive and inclusive transformation.” 

Another exciting task she was involved in was building a project with the British Gas company. It was a complex and impactful learning experience as supporting large transnational corporations required a meticulous, all-around approach.  

Facilitating many official visits from Canadian ministers to Kazakhstan 

With Canadian-Kazhakstani relations having significantly expanded over the last decade in multiple sectors, such as IT, Fintech, consumer goods, life sciences, and many others, Gaukhar feels proud to have been a part of this growth. She has played an instrumental role in facilitating many official visits of Canadian ministers to Kazhakstan. Coordinating these visits was often a challenge as it entailed multitasking, attention to detail, strong analytical, organizational, and troubleshooting skills. 

These experiences encouraged her to tap deeper into potential and grow professionally.  

“A few years ago, I was selected for an assignment in the regional offices in Canada. I had an exclusive chance to get exposure to the work delivered by the regional offices in several provinces across Canada. It was an interesting project that has helped me to learn about and take part in the processes that are developed in Canada, before clients’ expansion to the export markets.” 

Follow your inspiration in International Trade 

In her fifteen years of experience in the profession, Gaukhar has learned to persevere in the face of difficulties and always to have faith in her abilities. Her valuable nugget of advice to those just starting their careers is to believe in their talents and face the challenges head-on with confidence and determination. 

International Business training that honed her inter-cultural skills 

Also, coming from a country that is home to diverse cultures, Gaukhar has had vast experience in dealing with people from varied backgrounds. However, taking the FITTskills courses helped her broaden her knowledge on the different cultures and equipped her with the practical skills to hone her interpersonal abilities.  

“I now feel empowered in facilitating more CSR projects and bringing my stakeholders to a new level of success.” 

Understanding international trade finance from a new perspective

Although she found each of the FITTskills courses informative and illuminating, her favourite is the “International Trade Finance” course, as international banking has always been a topic of particular interest for her. The course helped her develop a better understanding of the work that she had been facilitating for many years in partnership with her colleagues from Export Development Canada. 

“This course has helped me understand the processes from the perspective of a bank officer. My interactions and meetings with EDC colleagues in Ottawa, close in-person work with my colleagues from EDC in Moscow, and this course have helped me to understand the perspective of an international banker.” 

Learn how to properly manage your cash flow and mitigate financial risk by selecting appropriate transaction methods and tools for international trade activities. It’s all in the FITTskills online International Trade Finance course.

Becoming a part of a community with shared professional interests, values, and passions 

Gaukhar decided to formalize her knowledge and expertise in international trade by applying for the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation, a globally recognized competency benchmark for business professionals. It would allow her to both learn from a vast network of seasoned international trade professionals and share her own expertise culminated from her decade and a half-long tenure in the profession. 

When Gaukhar’s application was approved in October 2022, she felt truly honoured to join this elite group. Not only would she stay up-to-date with the latest business skills and industry-leading knowledge, but it would grant her greater professional credibility on a new global level. 

“It felt like an important milestone opening the door to take part in connecting with like-minded counterparts, who just like me are deeply passionate in international trade, developing and sharing the best approaches and practices of our profession.” 

Spurred on by her achievement of earning the prestigious designation, Gaukhar is excited at the prospect of new business opportunities coming her way. The credential also inspires her to take on a new level of responsibility and understanding while approaching her clients. It is motivating her to work harder on all her projects. 

We’re excited to see Gaukhar forge ahead with confidence and determination, scaling new heights of success as she achieves all the goals she has set for herself—and more! 

The post CITP Spotlight: Gaukhar Kydrykhanova, Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada in Kazakhstan  appeared first on Trade Ready.

In 2001, As a student in the Customs Clearance bachelors’ program, Rahim Mohtaram began his journey in international trade with an internship in the most important port in Iran. This experience made him sure that international trade, logistics, and business negotiations were paths that he wanted to pursue throughout his life. It wasn’t long before he finished his MBA at the University of Tehran in 2006 and started his first job at a customs brokerage company.

As is the case with many young, hard-working individuals in international business, Rahim worked in various departments and organizational levels, learning a lot about international trade activities along the way. Specifically, he learned the ins and outs of business negotiations, cargo insurance, multimodal transportation, documentary credits and collections, compliance, and customs clearance formalities. Eventually, in 2014, he took on a supply chain and procurement position at a trading company, garnering even more experience to bolster his knowledge and career. Clearly, his initial instincts about his future in trade were correct.

Exciting travels, contracts, and negotiations

It’s no surprise that travel has been plenty during Rahim’s career, bringing him to more than 10 countries and countless exhibitions as a chief negotiator. These travels have become more compact too, including a three-day journey to China, two days on a plane, and a one-day negotiation meeting.

Despite the demanding schedule, he enjoyed so much of his work, gathering many favourite stories from his travels, including one that took place in China:

“One of my most memorable experiences was a five-day trip to China, in which I negotiated with 7 companies in seven different cities, from Shanghai to Guangzhou. My team and I drafted and signed 4 contracts during those five days, and it was an amazing experience. Business Travel with a professional team is the best way of learning skills in international trade and business negotiations.”

Putting knowledge into action to help businesses around the world

Rahim has merged his lengthy experience and knowledge to help many companies to handle their international business. Since 2006, he’s:

• negotiated and implemented more than 160 international contracts for various products
• worked with companies from more than 25 countries in different industries
• trained more than 6000 people in large and small companies
• published 13 practical books about international trade

These books cover many trade-focused topics, such as customs clearance procedures, cargo insurance, international transportation, international payments, and international business letter writing. He has also guest authored a TradeReady blog on discount strategies and appeared in several FITT events as a panelist.

Experience that leads to sage advice

With so many experiences, Rahim has become exceptionally seasoned in international trade, offering up plenty of sage advice to his colleagues:

“My advice to anyone who wants to improve his/her skill in international trade is to work at customs brokerage or logistics companies for a while. You can gain valuable experiences in different industries and about different products in a short time. In a single day, you must handle challenges about a wide range of products, and after a few months, your knowledge and experience will be extraordinary.”

Want to learn more about the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation? See why it’s the world’s most recognized designation for competency and credibility in global business.

Adding credibility to experience and expertise with the CITP designation

Understanding the importance of expanding his credibility and professionalism in the field, Rahim decided to pursue his CITP through the Executive Path in 2021. His reasons for doing so were simple:

“I selected the Certified International Trade Professional designation, simply because I believe it is the best option available. The CITP is the world’s most credible and recognized designation in international trade, and it helps me to add value in my services to my customers. I am thrilled to be a CITP, because, after 15 years of hard work, my expertise is now validated by the most credible international trade entity in the world.”

Where the CITP designation will take him

Now, as an accomplished international business professional, Rahim is teaching, consulting, and coaching businesses on how to do business the right way. He believes that the CITP designation will open new windows for him, improving his credibility as an experienced consultant and coach, allowing him to help more companies achieve their goals in global markets.

Already successful within the field and ever-hungry to achieve more, we know that Rahim will be a face to watch for in the international business ecosystem for years to come.

The post CITP Spotlight: Rahim Mohtaram, Supply Chain Management Program Coordinator, triOS College appeared first on Trade Ready.

Abedin Kader believes that a combination of passion for international trade and great teachers spurred the beginning of his successful career. Roughly 10 years ago, during his undergraduate studies, he was enrolled in international economics courses and achieved excellent grades with ease. He believes his academic success was partly due to how much he enjoyed the topics, but mostly because his lecturers and professors were so inspirational.

Exceptional beginnings leading to broad horizons

Eventually, he decided to pursue a master’s degree in international economics and finance. It wasn’t long before he was working for a local trading conglomerate, an endeavor that took place shortly after he moved back to  Bangladesh in 2016. This organization imported and sold commercial products and Abedin was responsible for conducting necessary market research and strategy formulation. He also helped them develop business opportunities and diversify their product portfolio.

Joining the Danish Foreign Ministry and discovering his true calling

Though Abedin’s assignments were highly dynamic—he was dealing with varying products and segments at the same time—it was not until he joined the Danish Foreign Ministry’s Trade Mission in Bangladesh that he truly realized his passion for the field of international trade.

For over two years, he led the market intelligence and communications efforts for the trade team, and this, in turn, facilitated Danish enterprises to expand not just in Bangladesh but across South Asia. “I thoroughly enjoyed learning the intricacies of commercial diplomacy, navigating through the layers of trade policies, and developing a wide network in South Asia and Scandinavia,” he says of this learning experience.

Great teams, coffee breaks, and comedy

Among Abedin’s favourite career stories are those that were spent with his team. “To be honest, every day, working with my team has been a blessing. I think my favourite stories always took place while working with them on the most intense and sensitive projects.” While he cannot discuss the details of some of these projects, he can say that his humorous coffee break discussions from this time may, someday, make their light to the public in what will be his “first stand-up comedy performance,” he jokes. 

Taking pride in professional achievements, from Bangladesh to Denmark

Abedin has a wealth of professional achievements under his belt. These include

• Facilitating the first roadshow from Bangladesh to Denmark for Foreign Direct and Portfolio Investment, targeting institutional Danish investors
• Spearheading a series of exhibitions to promote green technology and minimalist culture, which he believes is undoubtedly essential for fast-paced and densely populated emerging markets
• Managing multiple assessments to study the scope of Danish green solutions in Bangladesh and translating the results into viable business opportunities

The importance of understanding and applying cultural sensitivity in everyday life

If there is one nugget of wisdom Abedin wishes to impart to his international trade counterparts, it is this: “Understand the significant importance of cultural sensitivity in every aspect of life, whether personal or professional. It not only helps one to be a better person but can also help one to better understand the needs of their peers and clients.”

Want to learn more about the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation? See why it’s the world’s most recognized designation for competency and credibility in global business.

Earning the CITP designation to transition into the Canadian Market

In September of 2021, Abedin moved permanently to Toronto, Canada. This move pushed him to look for a credential that would help him transition smoothly into the Canadian market while also getting his past work experience recognized by employers.  It wasn’t long before he came across the CITP designation: “During this search, I found out about the CITP®|FIBP® designation and about the prominence it holds in this field of work, and I immediately signed up for it,” he notes.

An illuminating FITTskills experience

Abedin’s experience with FITTskills training was positively enriching. He was able to improve his understanding in several areas, noting that

“My Achilles heel in international trade always has been the supply chain aspect of it. I believe the course on Global Value Chain certainly has improved my working knowledge in the subject matter.”

He also adds, “My favorite three courses were: Feasibility of International Trade, International Market Entry Strategies, and International Sales & Marketing. I always enjoyed working in these areas and would like to specialize in these areas going forward as well.”

Learn whether international opportunities are viable for your business through critical research and analysis in the FITTskills online course Feasibility of International  Trade. 

Validating years of hard work with the CITP®|FIBP® credential

Abedin feels that earning the CITP designation validates his years of efforts and this “feels amazing.” For him, it is the first-ever professional designation that he has achieved, and thus, holds a special place in his heart.

He also says,

“I am sincerely excited about connecting with fellow professionals in Toronto who are similarly passionate enough to invest in themselves by pursuing this designation. I also hope to collaborate with them, learn about their experiences, and further expand my horizon.”

Of course, with so many successes already achieved, including a contract position as a Business Development & Project Coordinator with the Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Inc., Abedin’s career horizon is already bright and promising. We have no doubt that he will have many more extraordinary accomplishments in the near future.

The post CITP Spotlight: Abedin Kader, Business Development & Project Coordinator, Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Inc. appeared first on Trade Ready.

Swaran Singh began his career in international trade while transitioning career paths. Coming from a French-speaking province with an IT background, he was finding it difficult to find field-related jobs. That’s when one of his friends got him into a FedEx Ground hiring seminar. It wasn’t long before he was hired and realized that international trade was something he was always interested in—especially the notion that international trade professionals connect people all around the world together. “During this time, I developed an interest in the import-export process and how to go global with your business,” he adds.

Adversity as one of the greatest career lessons

Before transitioning into international business, Swaran experienced many difficulties landing work. But, as it turns out, these adversities proved to be one of his greatest career lessons and achievements. He notes: “Just like Jack Ma, I got so many refusals for the jobs that everybody was getting hired for. I had so many job refusals that I forgot the count. But what’s important is that I never let myself get distracted by these refusals. I keep my focus and worked on perfecting my skill set.”

Now, as an operations manager at FedEx, he has certainly used the difficult moments in his career to his advantage. Though he is proud of his role, he knows the road ahead will be challenging, so he is looking forward to the many great moments to come. 

Constant improvement as a daily goal

Swaran uses a piece of advice from a former manager to guide him daily: “ I’ll never forget one thing my manager said to me. He said: ‘Don’t go for the next thing until you are perfect in the first one.’ So I always focus on getting better every day.”

A fruitful FITTskills experience

As a perpetual learner, it’s no surprise that Swaran decided to enroll in FITTskills training at Collège LaSalle to improve his international business acumen. He had been searching for import-export training and came across the CITP®|FIBP® (Certified International Trade Professional) designation. Understanding the potential with the training, he became convinced after seeing that it was endorsed by EDC (Export Development Canada) too. 

For him, the experience gave him important business training and skills but also introduced him to other people and cultures. “The experience was great. I met a lot of students in the class from around the world. It was a wonderful opportunity to know other countries and their specialties, their culture,” he notes.

During his studies, he also got to dig deep into an area of interest: the flow of goods:

“I think the most important part in any business is the flow of goods. You need to have a better understanding of how the international financial sector works to ensure your business stays afloat. For that reason, my favorite course was International Trade Finance.”

Learn everything an importer or exporter needs to know when it comes to payment, risk mitigation, financing, and the flow of goods and services with the FITTskills online International Trade Finance course.

Swaran became CITP certified in June of 2021 and feels “great” about the achievement.

“I am currently working on my dream project and I hope with the help of this knowledge and designation I will be able to achieve my target.”

We have no doubt that with his determination, ambition, and capacity for endless learning Swaran’s target will become a reality soon.

Want to learn more about the CITP designation? Discover why it is the world’s most recognized professional designation for international business.

The post CITP Spotlight: Swaran Singh, Operations Manager, FedEx Ground appeared first on Trade Ready.

Warren Senkowski began his career in international trade back in 2016, when he became a Trade Commissioner in the Pacific Regional Office for Global Affairs Canada in Vancouver. Throughout his career, he’s learned much about the different industries related to trade, and currently, helps companies expand into international markets with a focus on infrastructure and wood products. 

Being part of the resurgence of wood as a structural building material 

Warren has many favourite stories about his work with Global Affairs Canada, but chief among them are his experiences working with the Vancouver Economic Commission and wood industry associations to promote mass timber and tall wood buildings to an international audience. He notes:

“Seeing the resurgence of wood as a structural building material for high-rise buildings thanks to advocacy and changes in regulations has been fascinating. It is also considered a green building product due to being a carbon sink, and British Columbia offers the full range of products and services to supply tall wood buildings to the world.”

Throughout his work, Warren has not only highlighted the benefits of wood products to the world but he’s also been able to network with CEOs and high-level government officials, connecting his clients to international projects and opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have known about. “Watching small businesses grow and succeed on a global scale is a point of pride for me,” he says. 

Learning from those with experience 

After many years of working in international trade, Warren has some great advice for those just starting out. 

“Schedule more one-on-one meetings with colleagues and clients that have more experience than you in a particular sector or geographic region to learn about it.”

These practices have served him well throughout his endeavors to encourage the country’s international trade initiatives.

Gaining a deeper knowledge of international trade with the FITTskills courses 

Warren wanted to deepen his knowledge of international trade by understanding all the factors that need to be considered at every step of the export journey. To do so, he began taking FITTskills courses finding them to be beneficial to his work in many ways: 

“The courses were very well written, clear and easy to understand. They have given me better discussion topics to raise with clients that are beginning to export.”

He also had a favourite course: “I found the Global Value Chain course a great learning experience since I wasn’t aware of Incoterms and will definitely use this knowledge in the future.” 

Learn how to effectively manage your business’s supply chain and logistics with the FITTskills Global Value Chain online course.

On becoming a CITP 

Warren applied for his CITP designation in 2021, achieving it in February of the same year. He believes it will give him a broader toolkit with which to serve companies and new perspectives for analyzing problems and developing solutions. 

Of this accomplishment, he says: “I am happy to have reached this milestone.”  

With so many accomplishments already, we know that this is only one of many successes in a future filled with international trade achievements.  

The post CITP Spotlight: Warren Senkowski, Trade Commissioner, Global Affairs Canada appeared first on Trade Ready.

Jade Lee began her career in international trade when she joined BRF, the largest poultry exporter in the world in 2015.

 “I first started with a planning role for S.E.A & Pacific region. After working for 1.5 years in this role, my manager asked me whether I would like to move to the front line (sales) by taking up a small portfolio (Pacific region). Subsequently, management decided to add on my job scope by taking up South East Asia region,” she says, highlighting her quick progression within her job and ability to tackle new markets.

Learn how to enter new markets with the International Market Entry Strategies FITTskills online course .

Currently, she is responsible for frozen meat sales across 12 South East Asia and Pacific Islands markets and total account management function, including increasing sales, securing renewals, and channel and profitability management, in addition to many other responsibilities.

A career filled with intriguing international projects

Jade has been part of several fascinating projects in different countries throughout her career. One of her favourites includes when she was tasked to open retail and foodservice channels in Vietnam.

“In 2020, I managed to open retail and foodservice channels with the 2 largest players in the market. Everyone knows that Vietnam is one of the fast-recovering countries in South East Asia in regards to the pandemic,” she notes.  “However, this doesn’t mean one can easily grab a piece of this prosperity during this period. I spent quite some time building my network with the Brazilian Embassy in Vietnam, as well as building a network with local importers. Subsequently, I managed to get in touch with the decision-makers in the food service-retail channel.” 

She’s also had great experiences when interacting with Pacific Islands and Timor Leste buyers. For the Pacific Islands, she had to be careful not to push for too much volume given the size of the island and population. She also needed to fully understand the culture and market situation before introducing any new items to the region. While For Timor Leste, she’s found intriguing opportunities for business. “Though it is named as the poorest country in Asia, that doesn’t mean there are no business opportunities at all. Likewise, understanding the market conditions, eating habits, and culture will help in business planning,” she states.

Advice on personal networks 

Jade has a great piece of advice for her peers in international trade.

“Apart from the branding and quality of your products, your personal network is also key to being successful in international trade. Consistently engage with big and small players in the market for the latest market updates.”

Broadening her knowledge with FITTskills Training

With many skills to her credit, Jade decided to increase her international business acumen with FITTskills training. She searched around for international trading courses, and because FITTskills were endorsed by EDC, GAC, and TCS, she decided to take up the internationally recognized training.

By taking the courses she realized that there many things that she could still learn. She remarks, “It is good to always improve your international trading knowledge by taking FITTskills courses or by revisiting the e-textbook.” Jade also believes that, in every one of the 6 courses, she learned something she did not understand fully before. She believes the courses are fundamental to understanding the international trading business.

Once she achieved the CITP designation, she “felt great.”

“The tests are of a pretty high standard and the designation allows trading professionals to improve not only their experience but also informational knowledge.”

Furthering her career as a CITP 

Jade sees the CITP designation playing a significant role in her future career. She finds that it gives her confidence in understanding the trading world better and she hopes that it will help her to work with Canadian meat companies. With so many accomplishments already under her belt, we have no doubt that Jade will reach her goal easily.

The post CITP Spotlight: Jade Lee, Regional Sales Manager (S.E.A. and Pacific Islands) at BRF appeared first on Trade Ready.

Emmanuel Asafo Adjei’s career in international trade has been an evolution. After earning a post-graduate degree in International Business from Fanshawe College, he worked for seven years as operations coordinator for a Canadian Military Defense contractor. To further grow his career, he went on to earn his Master’s of Geography from the University of Western Ontario.

Like many, Emmanuel was faced with new challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While working as an engineer, he was charged with coordinating global supply chains, a task that required fostering new business relationships. That role led him to sharpen and improve his international trade skills.

Working with and leading teams to seal international trade deals

Throughout his career, Emmanuel has worked with colleagues and trade partners to open supply chains and improve processes. He has collaborated with highly trained engineers and supply chain experts on the acquisition and distribution of Canadian government military assets around the globe. He’s also led a state-of-art materials requirement planning system (MRP) to enhance just-in-time production processes.

“It has always been refreshing to negotiate international deals with the knowledge of Incoterms,” he noted.

Understand the latest edition of Incoterms® with The Incoterms® 2020 online course, presented by FITT and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC).

Celebrating accomplished trade deals and improved processes

In his work in international trade, Emmanuel has seen many successes. They include managing more than $100 million in inventory assets in one of southwestern Ontario’s largest warehouse facilities, facilitating and auditing shipping documents while ensuring that shipments met international standards, and building quality control and international trade databases that reduced audit time and paperwork by more than 80 percent. He also led the consolidation of two mega warehouses into a 500,000-square-foot facility without significantly impacting workflow during the three-month process.

In his latest venture, Emmanuel is working on farming the superfood tiger nuts in Africa for import into Canada. He’s packaging and distributing the superfood into niche food stores in Canada and the United States.

Through his career and FITT studies, Emmanuel has also learned the importance of perseverance:

“Never give up on any goal you set for yourself. There may be challenges, but they all pass away and give way to your success eventually. One of my proudest moments was getting my FITT diploma after leaving it for almost a decade.”

Gaining a better understanding of imports and exports

With his FITT coursework, Emmanuel earned a deeper understanding of the nuances of food imports, packaging, and distribution in Canada and the United States—knowledge that has proved extremely valuable as the owner of a food import business. FITTskills have helped him better understand importing goods, working with Canadian customs, the Canada Food Inspection Agency, Canada Revenue Authority, Port Authority, and import brokers.

Broadening perspectives on new markets

Emmanuel’s FITTskills courses—such as the International Trade Finance course—gave him insight into working with global clients, suppliers, and customers, along with expanding his global literacy and inter-cultural awareness. They’ve also helped him see future opportunities in trade.

“I chose the  CITP designation to consolidate my skills sets in international business and to be an asset to companies that may want to expand into developing markets, especially in Africa.”

“My motivation has broadened to include the many growth opportunities with Africa’s 1.3 billion-person market, now one of the largest free-trade areas in the world. With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement signed by its 55 countries—and the projected $2.2 trillion GDP—Canada cannot ignore this huge market.”

Manage your cash flow and mitigate financial risk by selecting appropriate transaction methods and tools for international trade activities with the FITTskills International Trade Finance Course.

The power of great teachers and courses

Emmanuel was lucky to learn about the CITP designation through a call with two of his Fanshawe college professors: Albert Knab and Morgan Murray.

“They both sowed the seed of grit and perseverance in me as an immigrant,” he noted, stating that they were an important part of spurring him to push full steam ahead with his courses and his career.

With so much accomplished already, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for Emmanuel next!

The post CITP Spotlight: Emmanuel Asafo Adjei, Owner of E.A.T. Tigernuts Co. appeared first on Trade Ready.

Laura Pixley always knew she wanted a career in international business. Based on her lifelong passion for travel and trade, she enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce program for International Business at Humber College in 2008. After earning her degree, she worked a variety of jobs that led her closer to her goal.

Her path has led her to her self-proclaimed dream job working as a trade officer for the UK Department for International Trade. The job has given her a front-row seat for important trade talks and trade deals at a crucial time in British politics.

Making connections around the world

Laura’s role as a senior trade officer for food and drink takes her around the world to international food and drink trade shows. At the same time, she gets to host foreign visitors in the UK, giving them access to the specialty foods and beverages that UK sellers have to offer. Those opportunities allow her to connect with people over their common interests

“It’s incredible meeting with so many brilliant people—suppliers and buyers alike— and forming new relationships with people you would’ve never met otherwise if you weren’t all working in the same field.”

Playing a part in historic trade deals

Working with the UK Department for International Trade while the British government navigates its exit from the European Union has given Laura a front-row seat to new trade relations and regulations. Within just a few years, she has witnessed new trade agreements, trade negotiations, regulatory changes and more, while still playing an important role in bringing new goods to British markets and introducing British goods to foreign markets.

“I’m very proud of how much I’ve learned about international trade policy, technical regulations, Incoterms®, agricultural products, and many other regulations since graduation. It’s also incredibly rewarding walking through a grocery store or liquor store and seeing an imported product on the shelf that I helped bring to market.”

The importance of dedication

Throughout her career, Laura said the one thing she has learned is that building a career in international trade takes hard work and dedication. Most of what takes place in international trade doesn’t come easily, and professionals in the field must be willing to put in plenty of hard work, time, and dedication to achieving their goals.

Demonstrating a commitment to the field with the CITP|FIBP designation

Earning the CITP designation had been a goal of Laura’s since she first learned about it as a university student studying international business. “To me, it’s a testament of dedication to international trade and a badge of honor within the industry.”

FITT’s program allowed her to work at her own pace while earning the designation, and the coursework provided her with practical knowledge and real-world case studies. The knowledge she gained gives her a foundation that she can refer back to as needed and opens doors to further her career.

“The CITP designation will help open new doors for me when I decide to take the next steps in my career by providing to potential employers or stakeholders that I have the knowledge and the skills to succeed in the field of international business.”

Her favourite FITTskills course

Laura enjoyed learning about all the areas of international business throughout her training, but she did have one particular course that stood above the rest:

“My favourite FITTskills course was Products & Services for a Global Market because I’m a regulatory nerd and I enjoy learning about technical compliance, labelling, laws, regulations, etc., as well as the human side of the business, like understanding consumer demand and cultural preferences.

Learn how to adapt your products and services to the regulations and requirements for selling in international markets with the FITTskills Online Course: Products & Services for a Global Market.

With so much accomplished already, we know Laura is bound for seemingly limitless possibilities on the horizon. There’s no doubt that the future will bring exceptional success to this young and talented rising star.

The post CITP Spotlight: Laura Pixley, Senior Trade Officer—Food and Drink for the UK Department for International Trade appeared first on Trade Ready.

As far back as he can remember, Maxime Anselme Laleye had envisioned a career in international trade. Initially, his goal was to sell manufactured agricultural products across borders. After completing his Bachelor’s in Business Management at Ecole Nationale d’Economie Appliquée et de Management, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin, and gathering a few years of professional experience, he decided to enroll in a master’s in business management program in the same school. 

“My objective was to develop an analytical capacity to be able to solve entrepreneurial problems and understand the opportunities that a company could seize, both in the national and regional markets.”

His interest in international markets and the ban on small Beninese companies from marketing seafood in European markets spurred his research work for his master’s degree that entailed analyzing the complexity of regulations that governed the continuous supply of products to international markets. 

This set the trajectory for his career in global trade as he found his niche in guiding small and medium-sized enterprises/industries on how to seize opportunities in international markets. 

Recommending solutions that helped boost international purchases 

While working as a Head of Administrative Service in a company where a large part of the activities was import-oriented, his CEO asked him to form a team to collaborate with an external purchasing consultant. Maxime then came up with a well-researched document that recommended solutions to translate the objectives of the collaboration into measurable actions. His efforts were immensely appreciated, and he was publicly applauded by the top management, which also resulted in an upgrade to his professional responsibilities. 

Contributing his skills to the design of a unique project 

Maxime’s proudest professional accomplishment happened when he was working as Marketing and Sales Manager in a company that designed and manufactured light equipment for processing agricultural products like cashew nuts and palm nuts. These production processes greatly increased the volume of goods customers were able to manufacture. He began by collecting information on regional markets and succeeded in identifying a few niches of captive markets. 

This is when his skills were called upon to contribute to the design of the “Project for the popularization of construction techniques and the use of light agricultural product processing equipment”—a project that aimed to: 

• improve the arduousness of artisanal transformation processes through the popularization of construction techniques and the use of semi-mechanized processing equipment for agricultural products (cassava, palm nuts, cashews, etc.)
• strengthen the marketing of goods to improve the income of small and medium-sized enterprises

The rewarding aspect of this project was getting to analyze and identify regional captive markets and offering turnkey project solutions:

“Providing high value-added solutions that improve the manufacturing practices of small and medium-sized enterprises and seeking regional market opportunities that increase the income of manufacturers and vulnerable layers is rewarding and empowering.” 

Find a happy middle ground that satisfies all parties 

Maxime believes that each market and every customer has its own set of constraints and specificities; nothing is concrete until a transaction is completed to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. Therefore, although the process of settling an international transaction can be very laborious, he recommends ensuring the conformity of all commercial documents and building a relationship of trust with the stakeholders. 

Maxime’s favourite FITTskills course 

“That’s a difficult question to answer, but I’d say my favourite is “Products and Services for a Global Market.” 

Learn how to adapt and conform your products and services to different regulatory, legal, cultural, and consumer/client requirements in international markets with the online FITTskills course, Products & Services for a Global Market.

Creating trust and establishing business relationships with a designation that spells excellence 

Maxime had been aiming to earn the elite CITP | FIBP designation since 2012 to be able to truly embody all that it stands for. Being conferred with the designation is the culmination of a goal that he had envisioned for himself almost a decade ago.  

“It is a feeling of accomplishment. I am proud to belong to this elite group. As a CITP, I am an asset to any organization with which I can interact”

Maxime now looks to expand his expertise to newer horizons. He is confident that his qualifications and credentials will lead him to exciting opportunities in Canada within the international trade finance industry, where he could gainfully use his skills to help companies go global. 

With his single-minded focus and keen business acumen, Maxime is all set to expand his horizons to limitless possibilities. 

The post CITP Spotlight: Maxime Anselme Laleye, Export Trade Specialist  appeared first on Trade Ready.

It was a short-term summer job way back in 1993 that introduced Subha Sundarajan to the fascinating world of international trade. To gain some work experience before starting her post-graduate study, she joined the British Embassy in Chennai, India, to fill a six-week temporary vacancy. That brief tenure gave her a taste of the kind of work the commercial sector was involved in and it spurred her on to equip herself with the skills necessary for a career in international trade. 

Subha completed an MBA, a Diploma in Export Management and also obtained an Advanced Certificate in International Trade from the Institute of Export, UK. Through her career journey spanning 28 years, she has worked on a range of sectors including agribusiness, automotive, clean technologies, infrastructure, ICT, life sciences, oil & gas, forestry, etc for British and Canadian clients. 

Playing a pivotal role in resolving a two-year payment dispute 

Business disputes are an inevitable part of international trade and that’s where problem-solving skills come into play. Subha’s favourite career story consists of the time she helped an SME to rightfully get back the dues owed to them. Products had been supplied for a project in a third market by a Canadian company and they were unsuccessful in receiving payment for over 2 years.  

“The client approached me for help as the HQ of their customer was based in India. Finding the right connection and approach resulted in getting dues settled in a couple of months. The client was an SME and would not have stayed in business without this payment.”

Providing end-to-end support for a multi-million dollar auto industry project in Chennai

Subha’s proudest professional accomplishment includes managing a project consisting of an investment of CAD 200 million in an auto-industry venture. The scope of her work ranged from getting approvals to setting up three manufacturing facilities, identifying potential partners, offering advice on leveraging funding, and problem-solving to meet deadlines for the commencement of production. 

International business best-practice—always cross-check facts 

A valuable nugget of wisdom gathered from Subha’s long and rich repertoire of experience in international trade is to double-check and confirm all information received, leaving no room for any assumptions. This proves to be a critical point especially while dealing with business disputes. 

“Acting on incomplete or inaccurate information can be disastrous.” 

Validating decades of work experience by earning a global credential 

Knowing that she already had the requisite experience and qualifications to be considered an expert in her field, Subha wished to progress her professional profile to the next level. She believed that the  CITP®|FIBP® designation would give her clients added confidence in her abilities to provide support to their business. The application process also offered her an opportunity to brush up her skills in international trade. Subha earned the prestigious, globally recognized designation in July 2021. 

“I feel the CITP adds to my professional credibility. Interactions with Canadian clients are mostly online, and I feel the CITP is a brand that is recognized by clients for excellence in professional skills and the ability to understand their business requirements. It highlights my capability to provide high-quality service.”

With a wealth of knowledge and experience in international trade, Subha already has a plethora of achievements to her credit. Now equipped with a designation that vouches for her expertise, there is no limit to how high her career graph is set to soar.  

Twitter: @subhasundarajan

The post CITP Spotlight: Subha Sundarajan, Trade Commissioner at Global Affairs Canada  appeared first on Trade Ready.