Bonnie McLoud & Alan Colyer - Gensler
- 1st largest architect firm
- Architecture from the inside out
- 43 locations
- 20 practice areas
- 2,235 Clients in 2012
- Diversity helped them stay successful in 2008 downturn
- Hospitality and entertainment got hit bad
- Education continued to have projects
- Offices in 12 countries
- 152 languages spoken by employees
- Refer to themselves as a design company, not technically an architecture firm
- All projects are done sustainably
- Follow the clients – never open an office without a client in place
- Gensler Exchange – internship programs
- Companies responsibility to make sure their employees are equipped with the tools to be successful globally
- Cross cultural management
- Research the taboos
- Avoid humor; it rarely translates
- Avoid slang and jargon
- Err on the side of formality
- Be mindful of the love/hate relationship with the US
- South and Central America
- Build relationships; it’s who you know
- Respect individual and country
- Show local commitment
- Never speak ill of local business
- Speak their language
- Middle East: been one of the most successful
- Emphasize size, reach and blue chip client list
- The color red is not liked
- Asia
- Find the cheapest solution or merely “scare” the front runner
- Build bilingual marketing into design collateral but avoid a complete translation
- Europe
- Understand the “being the biggest” is a turn-off
- Emphasize our breadth of expertise: it’s a turn-on
- Advice for working abroad
- Don’t presume the client understands English
- 3 work days = 5 days due to travel
- Use local partners to minimize language and travel issues
- Insist on a retainer prior to project initiation
- Know that design competitions are a gamble
- Familiarize yourself with cultural nuances
- Social protocols
- Dining habits
- Proper clothing/attire
- Tone down your voice
- Successful because of listening to the client and be a part of their team
- 22. 90% of profit is delivered to the employees
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