Fadi Ghaby, CITP|FIBP is a Supply Chain Analyst/Senior Coordinator at ALDO Group, based out of Montreal, Canada, where he supervises the complete customs operations group, including five supporting employees.

He is a highly skilled professional with over ten years of experience in the import/export and supply chain fields. With his exemplary abilities to organize and pay attention to detail, Fadi excels at managing multiple projects, as well as providing guidance and managing risks within supply chains.

Getting the right tools for the job

When Fadi decided global trade was the right industry for him, with an international background and language proficiency, he looked for the best education he could find to help him develop the skills he needed to break into the field.

After some careful research, he decided to pursue the International Commerce Import Export program, which delivers FITTskills courses, at LaSalle College in Montreal, Quebec. The program helped Fadi master the techniques, practices and laws he would use in his future career to develop strong, efficient supply chains.

FITTskills courses were very practical, and I use what I learned in the FITTskills program every day in my work in the import-export department at Aldo Group.

Wasting no time climbing the corporate ladder

Fadi got his big career break in March 2010, shortly after completing his FITT Diploma in International Trade, when he was offered the position of Export Administrator at ALDO Group.

After nearly two years in the role, Fadi decided to apply for the CITP®|FIBP® designation to show his commitment to the profession, as well as showcase his skill set and experience.

I decided to apply for the CITP®|FIBP® designation because I wanted to apply my knowledge and expertise in international business, and because the CITP®|FIBP® designation is the only comprehensive global trade credential recognized by the World Trade Centers Association.

Joining his fellow global trade experts was a dream come true for Fadi, and he sees it opening many doors for him in the future.

“I am very proud to have earned the CITP®|FIBP® designation, and I believe that it will help me to advance in my career as an import export and supply chain professional.”

In fact, he immediately began reaping the benefits of his new title by being promoted to a management role within ALDO Group. He started his new position as Customs Operations Coordinator in March 2012.

Shipments don’t go out without his stamp of approval

As Customs Operation Coordinator, Fadi was charged with coordinating all daily tasks and training for the export group at his company. He was ultimately responsible for ensuring his team met performance targets, and stepped in to solve any operations issues quickly and efficiently.

He reported his team’s results by performing statistical analyses and continually developing KPI’s to improve his team’s performance. He was also the last line of defence, reviewing customs documents, maintaining CIFTA, CCFTA and NAFTA compliance, and dealing with suppliers, brokers and carriers for each daily shipment from Canada to the U.S.

Fadi has recently been rewarded for his achievements by being promoted, yet again, to his current position as Supply Chain Analyst/Senior Coordinator.

This promotion gives him an elevated role in establishing and administering supply chain operations in order to improve global lead time performance.

To do this, he conducts research in collaboration with support departments to better understand logistics requirements, and communicates with partners, other logistics teams and freight forwarders to better achieve their goals.

Fadi is also involved in contract negotiations with freight forwarders and suppliers, and works with subject matter experts to resolve any supply chain problems.

Gazing into the future of logistics

An exciting aspect of Fadi’s work, is assisting in designing and implementing models and analytical reports – not only to evaluate and track current operations, but also to project future situations in order to identify opportunities for improvement.

On top of his international business training, Fadi has also received diplomas in Human Resources Management and Administration from the University of Quebec. He is currently completing a Professional Development Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the University of Waterloo.

Fadi was promoted to Manager, Business Navigating and Reporting in fall 2017.

Fadi enjoys getting involved in the global trade community and was proud to have been selected to take part in the Steering Committee for the International Trade Competency Standards (ICS) project, led by FITT and the Canadian Government.

He hopes to soon get involved in supporting the World Trade Organization.

Fadi has a bright future ahead of him in the supply chain industry and strives to someday open his own international business. We look forward to seeing what innovations his team achieves in the future.

The post Fadi Ghaby, CITP/FIBP – Manager, Business Navigating and Reporting appeared first on Trade Ready.

No doubt, based on your own experiences and area of specialty, you’ll have strong feelings on the subject.

But if you sit and think about it for a minute or two, is there one aspect that you would elevate above all others, or it is too hard to choose?

There are strong arguments for many aspects of importing and exporting, with each presenting many valid points. However, even when you set them all side by side, it seems almost impossible to narrow down the list.

Over the course of our International Trade Competency Standards (ICS) Project, we had many international trade experts share their wisdom and knowledge on their particular area of specialization.

Through discussion and debate, document reviews, surveys and webinars, they’ve had opportunities to talk about what they think is important in international trade, and why.

As a result, we’ve been able to gain significant insights into this question, and see what international trade professionals like you think is most important in their work.

While we can’t name all of them, here are seven areas that generated particularly high amounts of interest, discussion and debate. Will your top choice be on the list?

1. Conducting a meticulous situational analysis before you go global

Initiating business in another country is not something to be done lightly. It requires a lot of preparation, research and strategic re-orientation.

Deborah Youden, CITP, an Export Consultant with the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs, stated,

“We want to ensure that companies who look at international markets are ready to do so, or understand and identify what needs to be done and how they can do it before they launch globally.”

It’s significant because until you examine all aspects of a business and are aware of investments needed from the company, you could be putting the company in jeopardy.

Finding the right pairing of business and market involves taking a look at both halves of the equation. If your business isn’t prepared for expansion, entering a new market could overstretch resources, cause major supply chain disruptions or leave employees overworked, among other issues.

On the other hand, businesses need to know whether there is a demand for their products or services in a new market, and whether they are legally able to do business there without overcoming significant obstacles.

Deborah says that having consistency and standards for the process, as defined by the ICS project, will be a great benefit for any company looking to go international.

2. Impeccable analysis and mitigation of all types of trade risks

There’s always a lot of risk in any element of international trade. If you don’t know what they are ahead of time, and plan for them, your business could be in big trouble.

Currency exchanges, political instability, intellectual property rights, cultural differences, economic issues – the list of risks seems to never end.

That being said, risk shouldn’t stop you from doing business internationally. When properly managed, it is simply one aspect of many incredible opportunities.

The key is to identify those risks, create backups and margins of risk, and keep both the best and worst case scenarios in mind as you broaden your international horizons.

3. Managing financing and payment for trade transactions with confidence

While the payment methods and processes of international trade are very important, there are a lot of steps that companies need to take before it occurs.

Getting financing and credit before the transaction takes place is a crucial component of any deal, as most companies do not have the liquid assets to pay to purchase international products or services out of pocket.

Having a firm sense of the skills needed to acquire that financing, secure insurance on trade deals, and negotiate the details of payment will eliminate confusion, and streamline the process.

Once companies are on the same page as to how the entire financial process occurs, negotiating the best deal can then take centre stage for your company and its business interests.

4. Master research and planning to effectively manufacture goods for export

It’s one thing to produce a product for export; producing one that meets customer demands, operates exactly as expected and is packaged to meet specifications is quite another.

Before the manufacturing process starts, companies must conduct market research to make sure that the proposed product meets market expectations and consumer demands.

Once the product comes off of the assembly line, it also needs to be tested for quality and safety assurance, and then packaged and labelled in such a way that all of its features and uses will be clear to consumers.

With such a diverse skill-set required, it’s no wonder that manufacturing has become one of the most dynamic and in-demand career paths in international trade.

5. Handling the many variables involved in the international transportation of goods

In transport, the number of variables a company has to manage are simply staggering. As Audrey Ross, CITP, Logistics and Customs Specialist for Orchard International Inc. lists:

Costs are dependent on location of pick up,   port of departure, port of destination, destination of final delivery, INCOterm contract, mode of transport, type and size of product, customs cleared or in bond for customs deferral, and remote or popular location or destination.

“Timing is also dependent on location, destination, mode of transport, type and size of product, etc.”

While it can be difficult to standardize the differences in transporting all kinds of goods, Audrey says companies can agree on the variables involved, the differences between domestic and international transportation strategies, and the types of hiring and training needed for the staff involved, among other topics.

6. Implementing effective international sales and marketing plans

As Melanie Abdel-Malak, Director, Foreign Market Development for Quebec International reminds us, “You can have a great plan, know all the customs rules and comply with all regulations, but if at the end you don’t sell anything, your project is a fail!”

She also, however, identifies that the sales process poses significant challenges to SMEs newly entering international trade because of the many skills and processes needed to ensure success.

“There is an array of aspects that one must take into considerations before getting into international sales. The main problem is that, especially for SMEs, the concentration will be more in developing the sales network rather than planning, analyzing and getting feedback.”

At the end of the day, you do not only need sales but also profits, which means there is more to sales then just selling.

With this in mind, she added that standardizing the skills needed for sales allows even experienced professionals to assess their own abilities, and gain training to fill in any competencies they may need to address.

7. Recruiting the best talent for the job

Time and time again, we hear that having the right people in the right roles can make all the difference in global trade. But how can you make sure you get the right people in place, and manage your staff across international borders?

It starts with establishing HR, recruitment and training strategies. From there, companies need to decide on key issues like compensations, benefits and performance reviews, as well as developing guidelines to send domestic employees overseas and bring them back afterwards.

Though HR professionals in global trade companies might have differing opinions as to what the best way to do each of these would be, it’s important to make sure each step is covered in the way that works best for your company’s needs.

Did any entries on this list surprise you? Is there one you would add on, or want to take off?

The post The top 7 most important skills that global trade professionals need to master according to industry experts appeared first on Trade Ready.

Melissa Coombs, CITP®|FIBP®, is an Economic Development Officer (Business Analyst) with the Government of Newfoundland’s Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

Throughout her career, Melissa has consistently combined her business expertise with a desire to help others in a number of different ways. She has been involved in initiatives that vary from volunteering with several youth programs to creating provincial strategies for Newfoundland’s manufacturers to export internationally.

She has now had her designation for over a year, and enjoys the prestige and respect the designation brings her, as well as the opportunities to meet and learn from other CITP®|FIBP®s.

Accumulating and applying her entrepreneurship skills

Melissa began her international trade career with a marine equipment company in a small fishing community close to St. John’s called Bay Bulls, Newfoundland.

Her tasks included liaising with government officials, applying for grant programs, market research, working on their marketing plan, and planning business trips and trade show booths.

From there, Melissa joined the RED Ochre Regional Board in Parsons Pond, a non-profit association set up by the provincial government to improve regional economic development.

Her proudest accomplishment in the role was launching the Youth Venture program to encourage teenagers to become entrepreneurs.

Since 2007, she has also been a member of Junior Achievement, who offer youth education programs on entrepreneurship.

I believe that it is important that youth are given the opportunity to experience what it is like operating a business, which will help them decide in the future if they would like to own their own business.

Helping Newfoundland and Labrador businesses export internationally

In 2007, Melissa became an Economic Development Officer with the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development in Labrador City.

She received and analyzed business plans and proposals for funding, helped businesses establish these plans, and worked with various community groups and levels of government to implement economic development plans.

She then moved to St. John’s in 2009 to become an Industry Development Officer for the government’s Department of Business.

There she researched and developed a plan to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) to the province, and then worked closely with various stakeholders to move the plan forward through its stages.

Melissa took on her current role in St. John’s in 2011. Building on her FDI project, she focuses on developing the province’s entire manufacturing strategy, from surveying craft producers to developing a strategy RFP, new logic models for the province’s key industries and a Manufacturing Profile for the province.

She has aided Newfoundland companies to successfully become part of the supply chain of companies like Damen Shipyards, from the Netherlands, who are currently constructing the two new provincial ferries.

Melissa also serves on the Building Products Committee for Atlantic Canada’s International Business Development Agreement (IBDA).

She analyzes applications from businesses to access funding and other assistance from the agreement, and makes recommendations.

Becoming an expert in her field through FITTskills courses and the elite CITP®|FIBP® designation

Melissa first heard about FITT from her colleagues, and she was eager to take the courses to build upon her earlier education and get up-to-date on everything she needed to know in international trade.

She took a mix of in-class and online courses, and enjoyed the opportunity to learn from, and network with, more experienced professionals in the classroom.

She also benefited from the flexibility and convenience of online courses.

The FITT online courses were beneficial, as they allowed me to complete my studies while in Labrador and also at my own pace.

Once she completed her courses, Melissa wanted to apply for her designation because she felt it would bring greater credibility to her international trade expertise. She says that being a CITP®|FIBP® is one of her proudest accomplishments.

A few months after earning it, she also took the opportunity to be part of one of our International Trade Competency Standards (ICS) Project focus groups, in Halifax. She enjoyed getting to be part of the development of the project, and to meet and connect with other trade professionals across Atlantic Canada.

Melissa is very pleased with the benefits she has enjoyed as a CITP®|FIBP® since receiving her designation over a year ago.

“My CITP®|FIBP® designation from FITT has earned me recognition among my peers at work as a trade professional. The opportunity to network and work with various CITP’s has been instrumental in my career and professional growth.”

The post Melissa Coombs, CITP|FIBP – Economic Development Officer (Business Analyst) appeared first on Trade Ready.

The alibi is broken, however, when Elaine and George can’t even provide Susan with the basic details of his job, such as what he imports.

This example conveys a simple idea: international trade jobs are important, but most people still struggle to describe or define them.

This makes it difficult for professionals to understand what knowledge and abilities they need to gain to get a job in the industry, and a challenge for businesses in terms of hiring and training for skills gaps within their current team-structures.

The challenge is therefore to define and standardize international trade skills, responsibilities and jobs based on a common level of industry competency.

By ensuring that trade professionals, educators, employers and others are all on the same page, everyone involved in international trade can work together to ensure a competent and competitive global trade workforce.

A global first in international trade standards

FITT’s International Competency Standards (ICS) project is proudly taking on this challenge and breaking new ground for the global business industry.

So far, the project has involved international secondary research analysis, online surveys, a series of cross-Canada focus groups, document reviews and one-on-one interviews, all with international trade experts from around the globe.

These expert professionals are all selected for their many years of hands-on practical experience, as well as their ability to contribute meaningful ideas to how their skills and occupations must be defined.

Because of these steps and the methodology behind them, the project is enabling international trade professionals to self-define their competencies, their sector, and eventually how others will perceive their work.

While occupational standards projects done in other sectors have used similar methodologies, the size of the international trade sector and the extraordinary passion and willingness to participate seen in international trade professionals all across North America differentiate the ICS project.

International trade represents more than sixty percent of Canada’s GDP, and one in five Canadian jobs are dependent on exports.

“One of the things I’ve learned from this project is the breadth of the industry,” says Calum Macdonald, Product Innovation Manager at Emerit, a consultancy firm hired by FITT to help complete the project.

There are so many roles, and it includes so many people and occupations.

Phil Mondor, Senior Vice President at Emerit, similarly expressed that even many of the global trade participants, all experts in their industries, had underestimated the size of the sector.

While its size offers some unique challenges, Phil was excited about the opportunity to “break new ground for a sector that hasn’t been standardized before,” and create competencies that will be “the first of their type anywhere in the world” in global trade.

A sense of appreciation and pride for global trade careers

Since the ICS project is designed to enable international trade professionals to define the competencies and occupations in their own sector, FITT and Emerit were counting on those involved in international trade to offer their opinions, experiences and ideas to help shape the field in which they work.

However, those involved in managing the project have been especially impressed by the passion and participation shown thus far.

“In all aspects of the project, participants have enjoyed discussing and debating various competency topics, despite their busyness,” says Calum.

Jay Gulati, President of Raysim Ventures Inc., says that participating in the Vancouver focus group was a wonderful two-way experience.

“I contributed to the group what I have learnt through my experiences, and learned from my fellow group members as well.”

Susan Vaughan, CITP®|FIBP® agrees. “It’s important for me as a CITP to have the opportunity, not only to play a role in establishing competency standards, but also to engage with like-minded and qualified individuals who share the same passion for trade and, in particular, helping others succeed in their international trade efforts,” she says.

“I was looking forward to sharing my thoughts, connecting with new people, and learning from them – I wasn’t disappointed.  I found the session to be very useful and engaging, and I feel that we had a very productive two days.”

Defining international trade professions is no longer a job for television writers and characters, but for international trade experts themselves.

Do you think you can contribute to this effort? Join your peers in this ground breaking project.

The post Global trade experts bring their passion for international business to define competency standards appeared first on Trade Ready.

Everyone was prepared to sign on the dotted line; Ted could see the balloons and champagne in the next room. But all of a sudden, one of the representatives mediating the contract came in abruptly.

“I’m sorry, we want 25 percent off your price,” he said.

Ted cast a look at his colleagues. With a nod to each other, they rose and gathered up their paperwork.

Testing the limits during international business negotiations

Ted turned to the rep. “Thank you very much, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you. We’re leaving tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock, if you want to discuss this further, that’s fine.”

Ted and his colleagues left.

An hour later, they got a frenzied phone call from the company retracting their statement; they wanted to sign the contract. Ted knew immediately what had happened; the Chinese businessmen had been testing him. They wanted to make sure that Ted wouldn’t sell for less than originally negotiated.

By refusing to budge, Ted had passed the test. Later, Ted’s team popped the bottle of champagne and all laughed about it.

It all started with a simple passion to work overseas

Ted Benson has over forty years of experience in international trade. He has learned through trial and error, time and again, the skills he needs to be successful in the industry.

In his spare time, he also marks course projects for the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT), and is helping compile an international business glossary for FITT.

 Participate in the International Competency Standards Project

After graduating with a degree in geology, Ted started his career as a pilot in the air force, and had the opportunity to do some international programs. Later on, he found his calling in negotiating contracts for the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), on behalf of Canadian companies.

Ted’s passion for Asian culture, coupled with his contracting experience, earned him a spot as a Trade Commissioner for the Foreign Service in Beijing. From there, he did exchange postings in Shanghai, Bangkok and Hanoi before returning to Canada and the CCC years later.

It was then that he saw the shortage in global trade skills.

Because I mark exams, I have to be current on my skills and knowledge. I see skills that are lacking, and incorrect impressions from those who currently work in this industry.

Learning from a ‘not so friendly’ pricing strategy

He recalls a Canadian company he worked with that would typically use penetration pricing as a way to enter a new market. The company was headstrong and their product had value. However, their Chinese counterparts had an expression: ‘Friendship Pricing’.

The Chinese company insisted that because they had such a large market, the Canadian company could give them a really good deal and the size of the market would more than make up for the lower margins the Canadian company might receive. The Canadian company, eager to tap into such a large market, agreed.

But because the Canadian company had agreed to the low ‘friendship price’ once, when they returned to do business in the future, the Chinese company made it a rule to start at that fixed price, and wager down from there.

Needless to say, it didn’t end well, and the Canadian company earned little to no profit.

Ted has specialized in large-scale sales in Asia for years, and through all his experience he has developed the skills to avoid such massive mistakes.

Attention to detail and cultural competencies are vital to success

Some years ago, a colleague of Ted’s worked with a Canadian company that had signed a contract with another company based in Shanghai— but the goods were late getting to China.

This kind of mistake could cost a company thousands of dollars. The Canadian company’s one reprieve? The company in Shanghai had forgotten to put a Liquidated Damages clause in their contract.

The Shanghai company argued that even though it wasn’t written in the contract, the intent of their agreement was a penalty for late delivery of the goods. Therefore, the Canadian company would have to pay the fee.

The Canadian company firmly stated that they operated on the basis of what was in the contract. The Shanghai company, enraged, argued all the way to the airport.

Ultimately, the contents of the contract were legally binding.

The Canadian company had been lucky, but many companies would have had to pay penalty fees.

You have to know every aspect of drafting a contract. You have to know that 70 percent of letters of credit are invalid in most cases, and that for every day you’re late delivering your goods to the buyer, a Liquidated Damages fee could be charged. Educate yourself on these terms; develop those skills.

But it isn’t just sales and negotiating competencies that can make or break your global trade deals. Culture and language skills are also crucial to success in foreign markets.

Years ago, Ted was enjoying his breakfast in a hotel in Beijing, and his competitors were sitting nearby. They hadn’t recognized him, as he was new, and they were speaking openly about their strategy in Chinese.

Ted listened carefully, and then raced back to his team to relay all the information he had gleaned. He knew how important his language skills were, right then. He currently speaks Mandarin, French, Thai, Spanish and a social amount of Vietnamese.

Skills development is key to building a global business career

While working in Vancouver for the CCC, Ted took the FITTskills courses and found that the comprehensive international trade skills he developed were essential to his job. He then went on to teach the FITT courses in British Columbia, and eventually became a project marker.

Ted believes that in addition to taking international trade courses to hone the skills needed for global business, the job profiles being developed through FITT’s ICS project will also be necessary to ensure global trade professionals are fully equipped to do their jobs.

The ICS job profiles will identify which skills are needed to do the jobs core to international trade. This will enable practitioners to build on their existing skills through professional development, and it will ensure students are learning the skills they need to begin their global business careers with the tools to succeed.

There is an absolute demand for these competency profiles. You can’t play tennis unless you know how to hold the racket, right? You have to have the skills.

What does Ted think is ultimately the key to success in global business?

“Enthusiasm is so important,” he says. “You have to enjoy the multi-cultural experience, be persistent, determined and focused on the objective.”

Are you interested in participating in our International Competency Standards Project? Join international trade experts from all over the world. Come be a part of setting world-class industry standards and defining exactly what it takes to compete in international business!

I want to participate!

The post Why skills development is vital to the growth of your global trade career appeared first on Trade Ready.