Story told to Ewan Roy by Nadja Schauer, CITP|FIBP

I am a trade commissioner at the Ontario Regional Office of the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) in Toronto, and have happily worked for the Department for eight years now.

A chance opportunity to fulfill my career ambition

I had a fairly international upbringing, moving to Canada from Germany when I was 13 years old and participating in school exchanges during high school (South Africa) and university (Chile). I’ve always had a passion for travelling and living abroad.

A few months before graduating from Queen’s Smith School of Business with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, I attended an information session held by the Trade Commissioners Service, part of what was then the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (now Global Affairs Canada).

This session truly piqued my interest in the Department, and it coincided with a post-secondary recruitment campaign to hire Foreign Service development officers. I started my full-time language training the following year, and in February 2009, began my career at Global Affairs Canada.

This may sound a bit like I fell into this career by chance. On the contrary, while recently sorting through some old papers at home, I found a memo I had written for one of my courses during my first year of university. In it, I wrote that my career ambition was to become a Canadian diplomat working in the international trade sector. I think I was always drawn to this field, but didn’t know how I wanted to do it until the opportunity presented itself.

Why it’s important to learn the important acronyms and abbreviations

From 2009 to 2011, I worked at TCS Headquarters in the Trade Policy branch, working on identifying and resolving non-tariff (technical) barriers to trade.

I remember being copied on many email reports during my first assignment at headquarters in Ottawa where “Candel” was mentioned participating in many international meetings, opining on matters, giving advice to the Minister, etc.

As a newbie to the Department, I was truly impressed – this “Candel” person was everywhere! When I finally mustered the courage to ask a colleague who “Candel” was, my colleague laughed and explained that “Candel” is government-speak for CANadian DELegation.

I also got to work on some of the early round negotiating instructions for one of the chapters in CETA, as well as the Canada-India FTA. Although this was an area entirely new to me, I thought it was very interesting and exciting to be a part of something so big that had the potential to have such a large and direct impact on Canada’s economy.

Advocating for Canada’s energy interests in Belgium

From 2011-2014, I was posted at the Mission of Canada to the EU in Brussels, Belgium, where I was responsible for monitoring EU policy-making development and advocating for Canadian interests in the energy sector.

My posting there has definitely been the highlight of my career so far. It was a true privilege to be able to represent Canada and Canadians abroad, and to work on issues that would directly affect real business and the economy.

In advance of this posting, I had the opportunity to go on an oil sands study tour. I spent a few days in Edmonton and Fort McMurray – it was an incredible experience, especially for someone who didn’t know much about the oil and gas sector. I know that the public has divided views on the oil sands – but oil and gas mining in Western Canada has been a huge part of Canada’s history for a long time, and it was interesting to get such a close-up glimpse into this sector.

While I was in Brussels, the European Commission had just passed regulations that, if implemented, would have had the potential to discriminate against Canadian heavy crude oil products over conventionally-mined/lighter crude oil. I was a junior officer on my first international posting, but since this was such a large bilateral irritant between Canada and the EU, I was given the opportunity to work on this file from the very start to my last day in Brussels.

Together with various colleagues in Canada and across the EU, we worked to advocate for Canadian interests with various EU stakeholders. I attended high-level meetings with the ambassador and ministers, and learned a great deal about the real workings of international trade, trade relationships, and politics.

Though my posting had ended a few months earlier, I was very proud to read that the EU would be taking another look at this particular regulation so that it would be in line with the EU’s trade obligations under the WTO.

I was also in Brussels when Canada pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol in 2011. For weeks, that was the only thing anyone would talk about. It was an interesting time to be abroad, but a great opportunity to hone one’s diplomatic skills!

Helping companies at home to expand abroad

Since 2014, I’ve been a trade commissioner at the Ontario Regional Office of the Trade Commissioner Service in Toronto, helping Canadian companies increase their exports on a daily basis. The two sectors I cover (surface transportation and automotive) are very important sectors in Ontario, both of which have dynamic elements to them.

What I enjoy most about this job is when companies offer me a tour of their production facilities. I don’t think that many people get a behind-the-scenes sneak-peak of how things are manufactured, and I find it incredibly interesting to learn more about the many different manufacturing processes.

Our Canadian manufactures and technology providers are incredibly innovative, and are so good at so many things! It’s always a pleasure to work with them and to be able to help them out with a specific issue or problem. This is probably the most rewarding part of being a trade commissioner.

I’ve also had the opportunity to spend one month working at the Embassy of Canada to the U.S. in Washington, D.C. I was helping the team down there prepare for Canadian companies’ participation at Greenbuild, a trade show for sustainable building materials. This was also a wonderfully rewarding experience!

Learning about new areas of international trade to become an even better Trade Commissioner

I was given the opportunity to take the FITTskills courses through Global Affairs Canada. I really enjoyed the Legal Aspects of International Trade course, since I had dealt with some of these issues when I worked in the trade policy field at Global Affairs Canada and our Trade Law Bureau. However, I’d have to say the International Trade Management course was my favourite, as it seemed to pull all aspects from the other FITTskills courses together into one comprehensive package.

I would definitely recommend the FITTskills courses to others (and actually already have!). It’s great to have gone through the material and to have the permanent resource (the text book) on hand.

For example, I was not aware of what Incoterms were before the courses. When I am faced with questions about different kinds of delivery and payment or financing options, I know exactly where to find the answers.

I then wanted to apply for the CITP®|FIBP® designation because it is directly relevant to my work as a trade commissioner, and on a broader level, to my work within international trade. When I started taking the courses for the designation, I had less than one year of trade commissioner work under my belt.

Although I’ve been active in international trade for a lot longer than that, I felt the CITP®|FIBP® designation would complement my existing skill-set and would allow me to be a better trade commissioner. This, in turn, means I am able to better serve Canadian companies that are looking for TCS assistance when taking their business international.

I think that my CITP®|FIBP® certification has already given me more confidence in my abilities as a trade commissioner, and that being part of the FITT network will prove to be an increasingly valuable resource in the future.

The post Nadja Schauer, CITP|FIBP – Trade Commissioner appeared first on Trade Ready.

Abid Samdani, CITP|FIBP, is a Trade Commissioner Assistant with DFATD in Karachi, Pakistan.

With a passion for international trade and over ten years of practical experience, he is setting himself apart as an elite member of the global trade community.

From a free trade agreement to a presidential visit

Abid began his international trade career in February 2005, when he became a Commercial Assistant at the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Karachi.

The opportunities in joining the international trade field are huge. It offers the chance to be a constant learner, to work in a challenging environment, travel and to make a real impact on the company or organization for which we work.

One of his initial assignments was to supplement the Sri Lankan Mission’s operation to provide relief to areas in Sri Lanka hit by the tsunami in December 2004.

His core responsibilities included promoting awareness among the Pakistani business community about the free trade agreement signed between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, a task which had a major influence on the rest of his career.

“Just after joining the Sri Lanka Consulate in February, the Pakistan – Sri Lanka FTA came into force from June 2005. I was made responsible at the office for studying and communicating its basics to local businessmen. Later, I got myself so involved in the subject that it made me adopt international trade as a career.”

He was an important member of the team which organized and recruited 27 companies from Sri Lanka for the “My Karachi Exhibition 2007,” which resulted in several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and contracts being signed between various participating businesses.

Abid also operated the Sri Lankan visa section of the consulate for a couple of weeks, under supervision, when one of the visa officers was absent, and assisted with protocol and administration when then-Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Karachi in 2006.

“Providing ‘in-market’ support to visiting trade missions and delegates had been an integral part of my portfolio; varying from event planning/management to handling high level protocol services.  This multi-tasking has really helped me later in my career to professionally handle multiple tasks within time constraints.”

Scaling new international heights with DFATD

After over three years at the Consulate, Abid decided to join DFATD and begin his current position as a Trade Commissioner Assistant at the High Commission of Canada in Karachi.

“Working for DFATD as a Trade Commissioner Assistant was my dream, to work for one of the largest OECD economies, and with a highly globalized North American economy. It has given my career a new height of success and international exposure.”

“At the Karachi post, we deliver client-focused services to Canadian business that includes market intelligence, match making for business partners, promotion of B2B networks between Canadian clients and local contacts, and more.”

Two of Abid’s main areas of focus have been forestry and education, and he has worked to see impressive results in both areas.

One of my proudest accomplishments was assisting with the business ventures, events and marketing of Canadian forestry products to achieve an increase of approximately 20% of Canadian lumber to Pakistan.

These forestry products are then primarily used in construction and allied industries, like cabinets, floors, door framing and furniture.

In the realm of education, Abid has been working on a program called “Imagine” to create awareness for Canadian post-secondary institutions as desirable international study destinations for students, parents and consultants in Pakistan.

The program includes school presentations, participation in local education events, newspaper editorials, connecting with local education groups, and general advertising.

As a result, there has been a steady increase in the number of Pakistani students applying to, and enrolling at, Canadian universities and colleges.

Abid hopes that “the quality of a Canadian education will provide them with the tools they need to develop their full potential. The program is therefore intended to be a springboard that will help them fulfill their dreams and ambitions.”

He also has a diploma in computer science, and was able to help the entire Trade Commissioner Service by suggesting improvements to their new corporate CRM tool.

An unending thirst for knowledge

In 2010, two years after starting with DFATD, Abid began working on his Post-Graduate Diploma in Economics and Finance (PGDEF) from the University of Karachi. However, one educational program wasn’t enough for him.

“I took the FITT courses as a challenge as I was also completing my PGDEF from the University at the same time.”

Online FITT courses allowed me to study at my own pace and at my given time, and it allowed me to login from anywhere to study – which eventually resulted in completion of both study programs in the same duration.

On top of his other education, Abid is certain that studying international trade, specifically through FITT courses, has been a great asset to his career, and will continue to be going forward.

“The FITT courses gave me in-depth and current knowledge of international trade. It expanded my horizon to a new level, empowering me to research and think analytically before going ahead in international trade work, or any other field of life.”

Joining the international trade elite

Once Abid finished the courses, he was excited to apply for and receive the elite CITP®|FIBP® designation.

“I am honored to be affiliated with the most prestigious professional CITP|FIBP designation by FITT, the only credential of its kind that is industry proof of the highest level of cross-functional international trade expertise.”

Though he has only had his designation for a few months, Abid says he is already seeing benefits to his career, and is excited to see the directions it can take him in the future.

“The CITP designation will advance my career and build professional credibility in the field of global business. It will set me apart in the competitive international business industry because it’s proof that I possess the competencies global business experts have identified as being essential for a successful career in international trade.”

The post Abid Samdani, CITP|FIBP – Trade Commissioner Assistant appeared first on Trade Ready.

I first became interested in trade during my time at business school in the Netherlands. The experience opened my eyes to many of the non-tariff barriers that enterprises face in reaching export markets and how businesses from a “small country” can actively participate in international trade.

My time in the Netherlands inspired me to dedicate my career to promoting international trade.

The road to working in the UN system, and for the International Trade Centre specifically, was the result of a move from the private sector to employment with two national governments.

Although I enjoyed my employment experiences with both SMEs and larger enterprises, I have always been interested in what makes for a strong, domestic, “enabling environment” for businesses and how to effectively promote trade.

I therefore began my career in trade promotion with the Australian Trade Commission in 2007, and subsequently worked for the Canadian government in 2010.

The motivation to assist enterprises in developing economies

During my early work in trade promotion I witnessed the important connection between business success and the level of international trading activity of SMEs in developed countries (particularly in Canada, given its small domestic population and the likelihood of market saturation).

I realized that, in many cases, these   enterprises have significant advantages, including highly developed infrastructure, less ambiguous regulatory requirements, and established trade support institutions.

This realization motivated me to work on behalf of developing country sectors to increase their competitiveness, especially producers in WTO member states that are highly exposed to the exports of developed countries.

Trade promotion organizations play a vital part in trade development

Some developed countries are fortunate to have highly successful trade promotion organizations.

I believe Canada’s federal trade-bodies, Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), have benefited significantly from FITT’s role as a training partner.

Unlike purely academic programs, the FITT program gives students practical information on the different aspects of exporting (e.g. trade finance, marketing, etc.). Although trade theory is important, and forms most of the legal bases for the rules of trade, being able to navigate and comply with export requirements is an essential skill.

On the multilateral level, United Nations agencies like ITC are important to improving the capacity of developing country exporters to trade internationally. This led me to ITC.

The team at ITC responsible for value chain development, in both product and services sectors, has been actively compiling the needs expressed by project beneficiaries for over a decade.

A number of colleagues and I have been analysing this large body of qualitative information to gain better insight into what the most common needs are in different sectors and regions.

Using a content analysis methodology, we were able to quantify these needs, and we intend to publish our initial results on the ITC website in the coming months.

Understanding a complex development challenge

Throughout my career, I’ve realized that with both general and specific education comes another challenge: engaging with audiences that expect simple answers to complex problems. My thesis represents an extension of my work at ITC. I’ve always been interested in the role of technology and innovation for development.

In my thesis, I am examining the impact of donor programs for “appropriate technology” transfer. In particular, I am looking at the transfer of small-scale peanut processing technology to communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

In the 1970’s, SSA had approximately 90% of the global market share for peanuts. Today, this market share has fallen to about 5%. The fall in peanut exports can be partially attributed to developed country import bans on food contaminated with aflatoxin, a carcinogenic chemical produced by mould growth as a result of moisture and humidity. Some of the moisture related issues have to due with manual shelling activities.

Improved processing may enable these producer countries to reclaim some of their world market share, and also improve national public health.

I believe my thesis topic addresses an important area at the apex of technology, trade and development.

I intend to continue to work in my thesis area, agri-food sector development within the UN/WTO system, but also to expand my consulting business further. I’m also pursuing more “entrepreneurial activities” in the IT, clean tech, and agricultural technology spaces.

International trade is a field of continuous learning

One of the biggest challenges in my career has been the continuous learning required to understand the multifaceted nature of international trade. After completing the course-based Master of International Trade from the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Saskatchewan, I continued to work.

Even after completing a Master’s, I wanted to explore a specific area in greater depth. This led me to pursue a second, thesis-based, master’s degree with a specialization in international development. Given the strength of the University of Saskatchewan in all disciplines related to agriculture, I applied to a thesis-based Master of Arts program.

Upon acceptance, I was offered a graduate fellowship with the faculty of Political Studies. The fellowship entailed completing research for the faculty, grading the work of undergraduates, and other responsibilities. I also won several graduate awards that will contribute toward funding my fieldwork.

Completing my first master’s degree, earning my CITP designation in 2013, and, more recently, receiving a graduate fellowship have been among my proudest achievements in my educational career.

The ‘VALUE’ of a designation

Being a CITP has given me practical knowledge and skills related to trade. I’ve heard people mention certifications in any field as “not adding any value” in helping them “sell themselves”.

In my opinion, the value of a professional designation lies not in the paper received as a means to “get a job”, but as a way that your knowledge can be recognized by fellow professionals.

That being said, it has been good to see the designation included in position advertisements with federal government agencies involved in trade and export development.

I have also had the opportunity to connect with other international trade professionals through the FITT community by being featured in an article on TradeReady.ca and participating as a panellist in #TradeElite Twitter chats.

I am excited to continue to be active in the FITT community, participating in Twitter chats, as either a host or panelist, and look forward to networking with my fellow professionals in the future.

The post How I am leveraging my education and experience for trade impact appeared first on Trade Ready.

The Economist which once termed Africa as the hopeless continent is now, a decade or so later, doing a complete about face by calling it the hopeful continent. However it is also true that in some African countries the risk exceeds potential reward, and companies need to adequately prepare before entering the market. The good news for Canadian small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) is that there are excellent resources to help them achieve business objectives in Africa.

We spoke with a couple of Canadian trade commissioners with extensive experience in Sub-Saharan African countries to give us an idea firstly of the opportunities that are available to Canadian businesses in that part of the world.

Opportunities in rising Africa

1) Infrastructure: The infrastructure sector represents both an opportunity as well as a constraint to doing business in Africa.

Deteriorating public infrastructure remains one of Africa’s most pressing challenges. The condition of infrastructure is a limiting factor in realizing greater growth and productivity. Some African countries are tackling the issue on a number of fronts including mobilizing financing and galvanizing political will.  Sustainability is a major issue i.e. the consideration of ongoing operating costs and the workforce to manage and maintain the infrastructure.

African infrastructure is being promoted as a promising asset class given the potentially high rates of return.

Though still a nascent market for many Canadian companies, these companies are already involved in infrastructure management, policy and construction. Canadian assistance in Africa often includes working with local workers and managers. Skills and knowledge transfer is thus a big part of Canadian business activity in Africa.

Canadian financing in infrastructure is emerging and represents a growth area in which Canadian SMEs may participate in value chain opportunities.

2) Mining and Oil and Gas (Extractive Opportunities): Africa is perceived as the next frontier, particularly in respect to the extractive sector (mining and oil and gas).  Exploration opportunities are widespread and resources have been relatively unexploited to date. When this is combined with a large, rapidly growing and increasingly affluent population, Africa represents a potentially attractive target for Canadian SME’s seeking to identify the next emerging trend.

3) Vocational Training: A skilled workforce is an absolute necessity for sustained economic growth. Challenges in vocational and technical training in Africa include a shortage of qualified staff and obsolete equipment. These are opportunities that Canadian SME’s, with their expertise, are well equipped to leverage. Canada has already taken some steps to engage with Africa, like with vocational training outreach in Nigeria.

Looking beyond stereotypes

Our trade commissioners in Africa then wanted to discuss some of the more common stereotypes and the corresponding realities of doing business in Africa. Many Canadian businesses may be holding on to outdated stereotypes. Getting past these incorrect notions may well be the first step towards enjoying the rewards of doing business with a rising Africa.

1)  High risk in all markets.
REALITY:  Some countries have lesser degrees of perceived risk and some are quite sophisticated.
An example is Kenya which leads the world in mobile money. The widespread adoption of M-Pesa (M for mobile, pesa is Swahili for money) and a reliable mobile payment platform has been instrumental in the growth of start-ups in Nairobi, the ‘Silicon Savannah’.

Although, of course, the recent Westgate Mall attacks in Kenya remind us that there are always other security threats (given the current global security environment) that could impact any business venture.

2) Incredibly poor and unsophisticated.
REALITY:  There is also vast wealth and opportunity in some sectors like information and communication technology; for example countries like South Africa are much ahead in 4G access compared to some western countries. The South African mobile app market is expected to be worth $220 million in 2017, up from $31 million in 2012.

3) Business culture is unruly and akin to the ‘Wild West’.
REALITY:  In some countries the business environment is rather sophisticated, though there are some risks that need to be evaluated by investors. As an example Nigeria, Mali and Chad are EITI compliant.

4) Businesses won’t be paid for services rendered; or licenses will be arbitrarily revoked.
REALITY:  It is recommended to have insurance, such as EDC’s Political Risk Insurance (PRI), in some markets and for some deals. On the other hand many countries have a reputation for prompt payment and adherence to contractual obligations. However, it is critical for the Canadian business community to do its homework because Africa is not a homogeneous continent. Individual countries, business cultures, etc. can differ significantly.

A regional office in Canada of the this list from the Trade Commissioner Service to get started with your prep work.

The Canadian TCS helps Canadian businesses assess market potential, find qualified contacts and resolve business problems. Being part of Canada’s embassies and consulates in Africa give Canadian trade commissioners access to governments, key business leaders and decision makers of the continent.

Looking for more help on doing business in Africa? Learn how the TCS can help you.

Do you have experience with business in Africa? What are some of the challenges you have faced? Have you used the TCS to help with your African ventures?

The post How Canadian businesses can grow with a rising Africa appeared first on Trade Ready.