CEO of Tesco Asia visits Warwick University

Trevor Masters, CEO of Tesco Asia, visited the University to speak at an event hosted by Warwick Asia Careers Society (WACS) on Monday 6 October.

The event had a good turnout with approximately a hundred people attending.

Mr Masters spoke about the challenges associated with working in an Asian country as opposed to a Western one. He listed diversity, language, governments and laws as some of the key areas in which he had faced challenges.

Speaking about government interaction in Asian countries, he said: “It is important to understand when you should be available and when you shouldn’t.”

He identified the generation gap as a key definitive factor in global cultures, with the difference being far more pronounced in Asian countries.

Mr Masters remarked: “I think you guys at your age will bring a different phenomenon to the world.”

He also commented on international students from the East, saying that they were in a position to “morph the best of Asia culture and the West.”

Summarising his experience in central European countries as well Asian countries, he said honesty, trust and pride were the “three most important factors for any businessman working in any country”.

The crowd was receptive and asked questions about Tesco’s mistakes within China’s ongoing expansion, as well as the scope of growth in Asian countries and the importance of language for a non-native worker.

Riza Septama Putra, vice-president of WACS, told the Boar: “I’m glad we managed to get him to come in because he gave us insight into the business activity, challenges and outlooks of growing Asian markets.

“I especially liked the video comparing the lifestyles of Korea, Thailand and Malaysia as it showed us how each of the markets is quite different in terms of consumer segments and products despite being in the same region.”

He added: “For me, personally, the talk was interesting and exciting because I’ve always been exposed to the financial industry and haven’t received such insight into the real goods market.”