Hiwot Regasa, CITP|FIBP developed a curiosity for international travel and culture at a very young age. She was born in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, and moved to Nairobi, Kenya during her childhood years. This background allowed her to learn three languages – English, Swahili, and Amharic.

“Growing up in Nairobi, I was exposed to the city’s diverse culture. I went to school with students from all over the world. I really enjoyed learning about my classmates’ cultural backgrounds and trying cuisine from different regions.”

A completely international education

Hiwot came to Calgary as an international student pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Mount Royal University. At MRU, she had the opportunity to study and work with other international students, which amplified her interest in international business.

“I declared my minor in international business  and started taking FITT-accredited courses as part of my degree. Once I graduated from MRU I got a position in international relations, which reinforced my commitment to international business and pursuing the CITP®|FIBP® designation,” Hiwot explains.

She decided to continue taking FITTskills courses online in order to earn her FITT diploma and increase her knowledge in importing and exporting. Hiwot enjoyed taking the courses at her own pace, enabling her to take in a lot of detailed information without interfering with her busy work and social schedules. Learning about how different cultures conduct business around the world was a thrilling extension of what she’d learned from her fellow international students and the dynamic regions she grew up in.

The FITTskills courses were very informative and enjoyable. Some of my favorite courses were International Trade Research and International Market Entry Strategies.

“The online courses were very convenient for me. I was able to pace myself and complete my courses during my free time while working. The course content gave me a broader understanding of the potential risks that could arise when doing business internationally and how to mitigate them. The program sharpened my knowledge of different cultures’ unique methods of conducting business.”

Channeling a childhood passion every day

Hiwot’s combined international background, education and passion for international cultures made her a perfect fit for her role as Student Liaison and Project Administrator at SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary.

Her primary duty is to provide continuous, comprehensive support to students and instructors overseas. This covers a wide range of international activities including supporting study tours, assessing students for enrolment, coordinating in-country training and global education initiatives.

“My current role has allowed me to meet and work with students, teachers and administrators from schools around the world, including Kazakhstan, Indonesia, India, China, Mozambique and Equatorial Guinea.”

Hiwot collaborates on detailed research for future international projects and contributes to proposals to build institutional capacity and workforce nationalization. Another important aspect of her job is delivering outstanding support to her company’s existing international clients, a task that allows her to make use of her multilingualism.

Joining peers with international recognition

After completing her education, Hiwot decided to develop her reputation as an expert in international trade by earning the CITP®|FIBP® designation.

I decided to apply for the CITP®|FIBP® designation to set myself apart, and show my commitment to this profession. I am excited to be a member of this select group of elite global trade professionals.

“I hope my designation will help me to connect with other international business professionals and grow my network and career.”

Hiwot also loves to give back to the international community and has helped new international students settle in to the right program for them by volunteering at study abroad orientations for both MRU and SAIT Polytechnic.

She is looking for new opportunities to do more to help international students as they make the same journey she once took, from international student to global business professional.

The post Hiwot Regasa, CITP|FIBP – Student Liaison appeared first on Trade Ready.

Alas, people have many different reasons for picking their favorite destinations, ranging from natural beauty and rich culture to prolific art and outdoors activities.

Now jump into the shoes of a business leader eyeing international expansion, and suddenly the criteria to evaluate potential foreign host cities sway less toward the romantic and more toward the practical and economic.

In our technology and knowledge-intensive era, business leaders must evaluate expansion opportunities based on the quality of a city’s human capital, volume of business activity, information infrastructure, quality of educational and research institutions, a native culture of innovation, access to cultural activities, transportation infrastructure and proximity to markets.

Companies will weigh each of these elements differently, depending on the nature of their business, but here are our choices for the top cities that have “got their global on” for each continent, including some strong runners-up, and up-and-comers.

Africa: Nairobi

As growth has accelerated, Africa has produced many up-and-coming cities that companies should consider as their base on the continent.

Tunis and Algiers, for example, boast strong human capital and excellent health systems. Accra, Lagos, and Johannesburg are particularly easy to do business in, making them relatively strong options as well.

Another interesting place to consider is Cairo, one of the world’s most ancient cities. It ranks well in most business oriented categories, including having a strong, educated middle class, as well as good infrastructure and transportation, though political instability is an ongoing concern.

We most strongly recommend Nairobi, Kenya, as it is targeted by a number of multinationals as a sub-Saharan or overall Africa headquarters.

Chinese companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars there to gain access to East African resources.

Nairobi is also sub-Saharan Africa’s leading city for human capital, technology readiness, transportation and infrastructure, and is a gateway to other markets. Nairobi is also one of the earliest metro locations for Global Chamber in Africa.

Asia: Tokyo

It’s hard to ignore several cities that have come on hard in the last couple of decades.  Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bankgok, Mumbai, Sydney, Beijing and Shanghai are all among the world’s top cities for doing business.

Yet surprisingly, one of the easiest cities for foreigners to live in and companies to do business in is Tokyo, Japan.

Certainly a gateway to a top economy and most of Asia, Tokyo has a fully developed infrastructure, top-notch transportation systems and more restaurants per capita than any city in the world.

Tourism in Japan has tripled in the last 10 years, helping to connect companies to the middle and upper class consumer and business sectors from across Asia. Global Chamber Tokyo is a great local resource for connecting businesses too.

And you haven’t experienced the true magnificence of sushi or ramen until you’ve tasted them in Tokyo.

Europe: Paris

Europe hosts many cities that are instantly recognizable as world class.

Only a couple of decades after the fall of the wall that bore its name, Berlin has rapidly emerged as a business capital.

Brussels is seat to the European Union’s governing apparatus and a transportation hub.

Often called the “Gateway to Europe,” Amsterdam has been a hotbed of trade for centuries, residents are routinely multi-lingual and the Dutch economy is built around global commerce.

Geneva is business-friendly and home to a rich population of multi-lingual professionals and executives.

But the two leaders in most-business friendly categories – including business activity, human capital, information infrastructure, and cultural activity – are London and Paris. Our pick by a hair: Paris.

The main difference maker is Paris’ location on the continent and therefore slightly better land and air access to other markets throughout EMEA.

Its status as the world capital for cuisine and reputation for romance check off two more boxes in favor of the City of Light.

South America: Buenos Aires

Brazil’s Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro are both respectable contenders for the South American title, with solid showings in most business categories. Bogota, Santiago and Lima are great cities as well.

But Argentina’s Buenos Aires is still South America’s shining star, with the continent’s best scores in intellectual capital, innovation, technology, infrastructure, transportation, and as a gateway to other regional markets.

Global Chamber Buenos Aires taps in to the power of the region with its close proximity to Uruguay and Paraguay, and access to the world via air.

And the food, oh my!

North America: New York

North America has many established global cities, as well as a strong bench of cities rapidly rising in the ranks.

Toronto, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC are all strong contenders.

So is San Francisco, which possesses perhaps the most vibrant innovation ecosystem in human history.

But our winner because of its dominance in so many categories, is New York City.

Across several compelling categories, including human capital, business activity, information infrastructure, culture, transportation, immigration history, and innovation, the Big Apple is a global leader.

When you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere.

Visit Global Chamber New York City, or connect wherever you are, and grow globally!

What other cities would you recommend to others as excellent locations for global business?

The post Top 5 global cities you should be doing business in appeared first on Trade Ready.