Global MBA Dean's Travels

Seattle, WA - amazing city! July 3, 2011

I am in Seattle for a week - personal reasons rather than business - but I am struck by the vibrancy and economic success of this city!  

It is surrounded by natural beauty: the Cascade mountains on one side, and the Olympic mountain range on the other.  And when the skies are clear, awesome sites of Mount Ranier are available from many vantage points in the city.

That's Mount Ranier, in the background on the bottom right.  And on the left is the famous Space Needle - an iconic sight connected to Seattle.  You can actually take an elevator to the top and there is a restaurant there.

Seattle is the birthplace of Jimi Hendrix, the rock star - and of "grunge" music. One very popular museum here looks to be a hodgepodge of red and colored metal from the outside -- from above, it is in the shape of a smashed guitar -- similar to what Jimi Hendrix used to do in his concerts! Inside is the history of rock and roll - complete with a "stage" where you can take your place at an instrument, the curtains open and there appears to be a screaming crowd cheering you on!  All this is videotaped and a picture is given to you when you're done. A rockstar is born!

Of course, Seattle is the home to Starbucks, the world's largest coffeehouse company with a presence in 50+ countries. In the U.S. there are 11,000+ stores; in the UK, 700+.  Having travelled and spent some time in London, I can tell you that the bakery goods at the Starbucks' counters vary by location. If in London, try the Skinny Ginger Stem muffin - they are savory and delicious! Counters in the U.S. seem to exude sugar -- not so in other places. When in London, I go every day for the muffin!  They are truly amazing with pieces of real ginger in them!  Here in Seattle, the original Starbucks store is still operating. And Seattle barristas seem to KNOW how to make that coffee flavor "punch" whether it is a latte, or a cappucino!  Other coffee companies headquartered here: Seattle's Best Coffee and Tully's. They say that Seattle weather is the reason there are so many coffee shops here - many independent ones also. Perhaps the infamous grey and rainy weather is also part of the reason that Seattle is one of the two most literate cities among America's largest cities - Minneapolis being the first.  It is July 3 and the temperature will be in the 60s....partly cloudy.  Although they don't have a lot of snow in the winter - there is much grey weather, rain, cloudy. We had a gorgeous day yesterday -- and when that happens, with the site of the mountains and Mount Ranier, there is nothing better! Tomorrow starts a string of what looks to be at least 10 days of sunshine -- and that will be glorious! Unfortunately, I return to Boston tomorrow!  That trip should be interesting: I fly our of here at 1 pm which is 4 pm Boston time. I will fly across the entire country on the 4th of July -- I plan to watch out the windows....do you suppose that at a certain point, I'll be seeing cross-country 4th of July fireworks????

Of course, Seattle is home to Microsoft and the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation. Huge impact on this city and the world!  And you can't forget Boeing.  There is an amazing museum at Boeing -- quite incredible to see. Seattle is also home to Amazon.com.  You can actually go on line and order food from Amazon.com and schedule your same-day delivery time!  Those are just a few of the major companies with a significant presence here.  

Those of you from Boston, know the "Duck Tours".  A very fun way to see the city and learn its history - as well as taking a plunge in the Charles River to see the city from that vantage point. These are old WW II vehicles -- they go at tops, about 35 miles per hour on land.....and are very slow on the water. With crazy drivers who don many different hats during the tour, regale you with jokes, music, and bits of history, it's a fun thing to do.  Seattle also has Duck Tours.  90 minutes of viewing the city and then plunging in to the lake, including an up-close view of the lake house that is moored permanently in the lake - the house used by Tom Hanks in "Sleepless in Seattle".  Did I mention the "quackers"?  These are yellow and plastic, hanging on a green ribbon which can be hung around your neck for the tour. When put to the mouth and blown through, they make a very loud duck sound!  With 4 grandchildren (2 4 year olds, a 3 year old and an almost 3 year old) -- we had LOTS of quacking on this tour! Great fun -- just a little hard on the ear drums at times :)

And did you know that the "home" of the tv show Grey's Anatomy is also in Seattle?  Cruise boats also leave here for trips to Alaska. 

One aspect of this city that is problematic, while there is a great bus system, complete with bicycle carriers on the front of the bus, there is no "rail system" to speak of. The light rail does not connect the various parts of the city well --- so mass transit is a problem here. You can really get in some traffic jams.  But -- if the weather is good, and you're facing in the right direction and the path is clear, looking at the Cascades or the Olympics can take away some of the frustration of the stop and start traffic!

Should have looked to see what Suffolk alumni are here.  With family here, I will return and must add in 1 or 2 days of corporate visits next time.  GMBA internships and reconnecting with Suffolk alum would be great in Seattle!

Ah, and for those of you who might be coming this way: a restaurant tip!  Chinooks!!!  AMAZING!  Right on the water....GREAT fish!  Alder planked salmon is absolutely delicious. I don't eat salmon on the East Coast --- but here, alder planked?  It's an entirely different fish and taste! We also hit it during fresh strawberry season -- strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream.  Trust me....schedule a meal at Chinooks - you will be so glad you did!

Back to Boston tomorrow - flying to Boston on the 4th of July -- wouldn't Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops be pleased?!

LH

Global MBA Dean from Frankfurt

In the scheme of global travel over the past year, the flight between London and Frankfurt was quite short. I arrived at the hotel at about 10 AM -- thankful they had a room ready for me.  Unpacked, did some work and took a very short nap - waking up at 3:45 AM had taken its toll and I needed to be fresh to talk with prospective students.

12 noon saw me setting up the Suffolk table in the hotel conference room.  From 1 to 6 pm I was working the QS Top MBA 1-2-1 Connect event. I met some excellent candidates for the Global MBA and MBA. In Germany students are "tracked" to either University or a vocational type of higher education. I learned there is also a Cooperativa University that is separate from the private and public Universities. In this format, the student attends school for 3 months and then works full-time for three months - this means that a student accrues 1.5 years of full-time significant work experience during the time they attend the university - and they are a bit older when they graduate.

One young woman was selected from among 3,000 applicants as one of 30 individuals to receive a full scholarship from a major car industry. Thus, all of her 3 month full-time work assignments were with this major car industry - some in Germany and some abroad - and she was hired full-time when she completed her business degree.  

The quality of the individuals I met and the level of their professional work experience were impressive. Each person I met for a half hour time slot was unique - and therefore each meeting was unique. With some, I offered pointers on their CVs: with others, I explored their professional goals and queried them on what they hoped to gain from an MBA - what area of focus they were intersted in and, in some cases, suggested how a particular focus might benefit them and play in to their previous work experience and their previous education. I introduced the Suffolk MBA Programs to all. The 5 hours went by very quickly!

I did find a bit of time to wander away from the hotel, in search of dinner and a bit of fresh air.  Frankfurt is one of the cities in Germany that suffered extensive damage in the war - hence it is a very "new city". There is one tower that came out of the war unscathed, and it is an icon in Frankfurt.

 

The hotel is quite near the pedestian plaza and the opera house. Spring has definitely arrived in Frankfurt and in the early evening, many were out walking and sitting at outdoor cafes enjoying coffees. Hagen Daz was doing a brisk business, as was this "Brat Man" complete with umbrella awning for, I suppose, future rainy weather and/or bright sunshine!

 

I did stop in Starbucks -- actually a tradition of mine in any country I visit - to a) see if there is a Starbucks and b) to see how different the food items look in the case!  Remember I spoke of the delicious Ginger Stem Muffins in London?  They were no where to be seen in the Frankfurt Starbucks but they did have ..... cake on a stick!

 

As I always do, I got off the main pedestrian walk way complete with beautiful stores, high-end brands, gift shops, book stores, etc and on a very tangential side-street came across a "Chicago" store! I had an appointment to get to, so did not have time to go in to explore...but did note the clothing on racks -- should have gone closer -- do you suppose it was Cubs and White Sox tee-shirts?  Or does "Chicago" mean something in German and it doesn't refer at all to that grand city in Illinois?

 

One of the most enjoyable parts of my global travel is reconnecting with Suffolk alumni -some graduated before I joined Suffolk in 1997 -- others were MBA and GMBA students during "my time". Either way, it is wonderful to learn about their amazing career progression, hear what they are doing now, and update them on the "Suffolk story"!  Many alumni have been excellent mentors or offered introductions in to their companies for GMBA internship collaborations.

Reinhard came to the Suffolk MBA the same year I did - he was a Fulbright Scholar. I remember him well as an MBA who took advantage of all that Suffolk had to offer and immersed himself in the program and the American culture!  Another MBA who also started the program at the same time was Martin - he was also from Germany but, unlike Reinhard, had graduated UG from an American school: the Berklee School of Music!  Martin was a mean saxophone player - I still have a CD he gave me of his band. Martin left Suffolk and went to Guatemala for a bit.  Now - he and Reinhard are partners in a very successful consulting firm VanCore - with offices in Germany and Australia. One of Reinhard's major clients is Audi. It was great to catch up, learn about his successful consulting firm -- and talk about future possible internship collaborations.

I also had the pleasure of meeting with Robert - who graduated with his Suffolk MBA in 2002. He immediately returned to Frankfurt and went in to a year-long training program with CommerzBank.

 

Robert has done very well over the years with Commerz, receiving numerous promotions. He took me on a tour of the "trading floor" - the second largest in Europe.

 

Over coffee, we talked about his role, now in the executive management department. We also talked about the possibility of future internship opportunities for a GMBA in the international finance concentration. Again, it was a great visit -- but most importantly, to see the success story of another Suffolk MBA!

So on the way back to the hotel, I just had to snap a picture with my phone of this "smart car". There are a lot of them in Frankfurt and in London too.  I'm reminded of a comment made to me when these cars just came out, by a woman in Greece who is a professional driver for business people - and drives a BMW.  She looked at one and said, "I call them dumb smart cars!" 

 

And so I finish this blog - right here in Boston!  My trip home was uneventful - although I did catch Social Network and Red on the back of the airplane seat in front of me!  Totally different movies - both quite enjoyable! 

I began writing this at 4:15 AM Boston time - which is 9:15 AM Frankfurt time.  So jet lag takes a bit to get over -- but the global travel, connecting with businesses across the globe; meeting prospective students who whether or not they come to Suffolk - are so absolutely excited to be exploring the next steps in their career path; experiencing different cultures; sharing the "Suffolk story"; and especially reconnecting with Suffolk Alumni - all are truly excellent aspects of my job!

So -- it is back to the office today!  Signing off --

LH

Finishing in London

My appointment with the Founder/Director of Strategy for Web Liquid was excellent.  First: how I got there and a tidbit of British information.

Web Liquid is located in a different area of London from where I am staying and the best way to get there is by taxi rather than the tube.

 

If you've never ridden in a British taxi - you are really missing a "luxury" taxi ride. In Boston and New York City, I always feel like I am "eating my knees" in a taxi. There is so little leg room - I can't even imagine what someone 6 feet tall must feel like.

As a single person in a London taxi, you can stretch your legs full out and there is still half-a-leg room more! This is because, in front of you, on the back-side of the driver partition, there are two seats that are flipped up and flat on the partition wall -- unless you pull them down so 4 people can sit comfortably facing each other. 

 

Those are the two seats (advertising on the underside) that you can flip down.  For those of you from Boston or NY City, imagine trying to sit 4 people in a local taxi!

And, more important than the actual comfort, taxi driving in Britain is a true profession. I struck up a conversation with the driver and found out that drivers must pass a "Knowledge" before they get their license.  This takes two to three years.  You can go to a school, which most do -- or study on your own. You are expected to learn the city's streets, routes, where hotels are and how to get to them, etc.  The "Knowledge" is then the combination of a written and oral test -- asking you about points, routes etc.  After passing the "Knowledge", you must also pass a driving test -- showing you can do the routes and, of course, that you are a good driver. You never know where the tester will ask you to drive him/her to.  Beyond that, a taxi driver will either own or rent the cab. And the cab must be inspected every year. Drivers are also retested and the license renewed every 3 years. I suspect this means drivers must keep up with new subdivisions, roads etc. 

This driver told me he recently took his family on vacation to America and visited New York City. He had in mind a place where they were going and they walked to the taxi "rack".  I believe he meant the taxi line or que.  He tried to get in the first taxi and the driver spoke no English. He tried the second taxi, saying where they wanted to go and the driver refused saying he didn't know how to get there. The third driver said it was too far away and refused the fare. The family ultimately walked to the place, enjoying the sites on the way. The driver did not say this would not happen in London - it was the unspoken message -- not harshly delivered -- just very matter-of-fact.

So -- Web Liquid is in a very interesting neighborhood. The driver said, it's been "yuppified" and many businesses etc are coming in. This picture is the neighborhood:

 

My meeting was excellent.  Web Liquid is a fast growing advertising agency with offices in London, New York and Nigeria. It specializes in digital marketing. Key clients include Hilton Worldwide, Avis UK, Avis Europe, Southern Railways, and Hot Wire. One of our earliest GMBA alumni is at the WBL Web Liquid New York office. They are a member of IPA - the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. It will be excellent to expand the relationship between the Global MBA and Web Liquid.

Once back to the hotel, after doing some work - I wandered a bit outside for some fresh air.  Saw this interesting place: hmmmmmm as opposed to an "improper hamburger" which would be........????

 
 

My second business meeting in London was postponed as the Founder, my contact, had to be out of the country. We agreed to have a telephone meeting on Monday. I will call from Frankfurt to London.

I attended the Top MBA World Fair while in London - held at the Elizabeth II Conference Center which turned out to be a good brisk walk from my hotel. I was on the pre-fair panel that was attended by about 100+ fair-goers -- all individuals looking to do an MBA of sorts to increase their portfolio of skills and enhance their career and career opportunities. The show of hands illustrated those interested in the US, Europe, UK only, and Asia. I was on the panel with individuals from a top 50 school in the UK, Spain, and with Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.  Excellent company!  I had the opportunity to introduce myself and talk about Suffolk for about 5 minutes -- introduced our MBA Programs and at the end highlighted the GMBA, especially known for its focus on international business, concentration in international finance or international marketing - and, most career relevant, the 3-month full-time internship. The panel faciliator asked excellent questions, as did those in the room. It was a great opportunity to spotlight US MBA Programs - how they work etc - and to represent Suffolk.

From the panel, we moved quickly to the room for the Fair where many school reps were already busy as the doors had opened a few moments before.  I saw excellent prospective students. Many came up to the table, having been in the pre-fair workshop and expressed their appreciation for my participation, honest answers and insights. I am certain we will have some excellent applicants from London! Here's what the Suffolk table looked like - prior to my leaving for the pre-fair workshop.

 

Walking back to the hotel for my last evening in London: I snapped a few pictures of London by night! I'm sure you'll recognize these iconic images of London.

 

 
 
And tomorrow morning - it's up at 4:00 AM to take a 4:30 AM taxi to Heathrow for my early morning flight to Frankfurt!  Global travel means always having a good alarm clock!

 

Travels of a Global MBA Dean - from London

Milan was a very good experience.  I met with excellent prospective students for the MBA and Global MBA - all with exceptional English skills - all very accomplished, competent, and excited about the next steps in their professional development. Some are ready to begin an MBA in Fall 2011 - still others are excited about the Global MBA and plan to wait one more year to establish the required work experience for this specialized MBA in international business.  

I also had the pleasure of meeting with Michelle. (Some have asked why I do not give last names in the blog - I do this for confidentiality reasons). She is a seasoned executive with Luxottica - a high end luxury brand - thnk eye glass industry. Think RayBan, Channel, Prada, Coach, DKNY, Ralph Lauren -- Luxottica handles over 30 brands. An incredibly global company with regional offices all over the world, headquartered in Milan. Michelle is a graduate of Stanford and had an excellent global marketing career in New York City, prior to joining the NY Luxottica office. She worked in the wine and spirits sector and the telecom industry. Michelle literally travels all over the world, responsible for global PR for the Luxottica Group. She was leaving this week for China. We had a wonderful conversation about the company and I expect to meet with Luxottica global representatives in many cities during my travels next year. I met with Michelle near Milan's famous Duomo.

I had to walk through the arched entrance to the Galleria - and through the Galleria - to my meeting with Michelle. This structure was built in the 1800s - the grillwork, paned glass ceilings, and archtecture is beautiful craftsmanship. Shops and restaurants in the Galleria.

And inside:

This was what is known as Shrove Tuesday - the day before Ash Wednesday. Italy is a very Catholic culture and all over the city today, people were carrying small bouquets of yellow flowers - and on many of the corners, people were selling yellow daffodils, forsythia and these smaller bouquets -- it was quite beautiful. I did not notice it at all the days before - so perhaps this is a tradition prior to Ash Wednesday -- or the marking of Spring?

Leaving Milan - up at 4:00 AM; in a taxi by 4:30 AM; on the express train to the airport at 5:00 AM; and on an airplane to Munich about 40 minutes later - not much time to spare. One thing I noticed about Milan -- instead of having escalators in the airport that turn in to "steps" - their escalator stays flat - no steps - but gets a bit steeper as it moves you forward. It's similar to a "people mover" that you can walk on in many other airports that allows you to get ahead faster to your destination....but it is "raked" so it also takes you up.  

A first when traveling internationally:  Got to passport control in Munich - had to get through to then board the plane to London Heathrow. Security guard kept flipping through my passport, looking up at me etc.  I stood calmly - wondering what was happening. He asked, "Where did you just come from?" I said " Milan."  He kept looking and looking. Finally looked up at me and said " There is no stamp in your passport for Milan. Are you sure you were in Milan?  Where did you come from?"  Oh my.  I pulled out my itinerary etc from my briefcase and showed it to him and waited, calmly. " What did you do there?"  "Why are you traveling?"  "Do you always travel alone?"  Just as I'm getting nervous, he hands everything back and says, " Just go." He has not stamped my passport so I ask if he needs to and he replies "No need to now."  I just make it to my connecting flight.  Flying is beautiful today!

Tha's the River Thames and the Dome!

Once in London I take the train to Paddington and then a taxi to my hotel. It is much greener here in London than Boston - unless spring has sprung in the last 10 days in Boston? Unpack and get organized again!  Do work etc from room.  The hotel has spotty internet connections which is very frustrating. Out to dinner and snapped a photo of Trafalgar Square at night. Many people around.

It is now Thursday - and both my appointments for today rescheduled to Friday! Luckily I had most of Friday open and could redo. They should be excellent meetings. Up this morning and on the internet doing work etc.....contacting all the upcoming attendees at the London MBA World Fair....have to get the word out about Suffolk - it's all about creating visibility. I will be on the panel pre-fair which will be great. Usually about 100 of the fair attendees attend these pre-fair discussions. 

At about 11 I head to Starbucks -- okay I know I said it was "bliss" to not see a chain in Bellagio -- but that was because of the historical town, the winding streets etc -- where I expected to see a knight and damsel appear from a stone door! Here in London, I am thrilled I can walk about two blocks to a large Starbucks and bring work with me.  And the BEST about Starbucks in London?  They have Skinny Ginger Stem Muffins!  I first came to London about 2 years ago and found these. They have real pieces of ginger in them and are amazing.  Not sweet at all. On vacation last October in London, I introduced them to my spouse -- he'd heard me raving about them for about 2 months after I got home last time. He became a convert!  Try as I have in Boston to get them stocked there, Starbucks bakery goods are determined by the locale and the tastes of the culture.  So -- I have been looking forward to this treat since I left Boston for Istanbul! And they do not disappoint. So - anyone traveling to London in the future - go to Starbucks for the ginger stemmed muffins!  Amazing!

I shall have dinner tonight with Sumi. I met her sharing a taxi in India - from a hotel to the airport - a rather long ride so we got to talking. She is originally from India - lived in London for many years and for worked at the Economist. She left her position, as an entrepreneur, to set up a very successful consulting company. We will reconnect tonight. Should be a good meeting.

And headlines from London:

RBS Hands Boss £4.5m Bonus Pay:  ...the award - made under the bank's long-term incentive plan - is on top of a £2million annual bonus already confirmed by the group and Mr. Hester's £1.2million salary. It brings the 50-year old's pay package for 2010 to a potential £7.7million......RBS also revealed bonus payments for a raft of other executives at the bank, which is 83 percent owned by the taxpayer, including a £1.4million annual handout and potential £2.8million long-term incentive payout for finance boss Bruce Van Saun......News of Mr. Hester's shares bonus comes after annual figures showed the bank remained in the red last year despite an improved performance, with losses of £1.1billion. Trade union Unite branded Mr. Hester's bonus a 'disgrace'.

Royal Duties? No Flippin' Problem:  There was no need for Kate Middleton to stand on ceremony when she was handed a frying pan by Prince William. The royal bride-to-be entered the Shrove Tuesday spirit by tossing a pancade up in the air - and got it to land back in the pan. Miss Middleton was told by the prince to have a go for charity during their visit to Belfast yesterday. Amid a major security operation, she joined children in flipping pancakes....scores of people cheered and wished her well for her big day next month.

Young Women Hit Hard in Jobs Crisis:  A "crisis" in female unemployment is said to be looming as new figures show 71,000 more women were made redundant in the last year. The TUC claims that in some parts of Britain as many as one in five women aged 16 - 24 is out of work."

Top Cereal Brands Drop Toxic Cardboard Boxes: Leading cereal makers are changing their food packaging over fears that it could be contaminated with toxic chemicals. Jordans has stopped using cardboard recycled from newsprint while other leading brands such as Kellogg's and Weetabix are looking for alternatives. It came after Swiss researchers found mineral oils in printing ink from recycled newspapers can get into foods such as cereal, pasta and rice - even passing through protective inner plastic bags.             Has this story hit the US?

More another day!

 

Travels of a Global MBA Dean!

Travels of a Global MBA Dean - Even on a business trip, Sunday is a day of rest and so I choose on my time to do a little exploring in Italy! But only after I've done business on the internet for about 3 hours (time zone difference still has me working at 4:30 AM!)

It is a beautiful sunny day in Milano! Adventurous - I take the subway to Cardona -- and purchase a train ticket to Como Lago (Lake Como).  Unfortunately, I have a 40 minute wait for the train. Killing a bit of time, I go to the news stand and ask for a newspaper in English. Get that and ask if they have any magazines in English. It will be a one hour train ride. They gesture to a top row, across the counter where I can't even make out the titles of the magazine. I ask for a People Magazine. For 12.5 euros I happily walk away with reading materials that feed my professional objectives and a little junk reading on the side -- only to look at the magazine and see it is dated Feb 7.  Today is March 6. Since I don't follow this magazine or similar - it's all still news to me. :)

The train is an older commuter train with 4 seats that face each other throughout the train -- and many people on the 10:40 AM train to Como. hmmmmm I believe I've picked up a British newspaper. Of course! How ethnocentric of me. I asked for a newspaper in English and simply assumed it would be a U.S. paper -- I fear I've slipped out of my global citizen mode and fell back to the American way!  Of course it's a British newspaper - it's in English!

So here's the news pieces I'll share today: Big headline in business section: HSBC Considers Quitting the City Over Tax Row. "Britain's biggest bank is drawing up plans to move its headquarters from London to Hong Kong and it is a blow to the Coalition.....because of what it says are high levels of tax and red tape in the UK. The bank, which employs 52,000 people and paid 1.2 billion Euros in UK taxes last year, has said the move is "more likely than not."

And another headline in the Business Section: The True Cost of Prince's Trips: 4 million Euros (plus bodyguards): "The Duke of York's trips abroad as a trade ambassador have cost the taxpayer at least 4 million Euro in travel expenses. Official figures show that 3,861,904 euros was spent in the past decade to fund the Duke's work as a special representative for trade and investment....The sums are far larger than thought and will add to calls for the Duke to stand down from the post......The Duke's spokesman said: 'The Duke has delivered enormous benefit to British companies, whith deals worth hundreds of millions of pounds, and the cost of the role has to be set in that context."     

As the train approaches Como, the mountains begin to appear in the distance. There are many stops on the way and it seems that no one is getting off, as the train gets more and more crowded. A group of young boys gets on my car with what looks like a soccer coach? The rest of the way I am regaled with team singing - all in youthful Italian voices! Very fun!

Arriving in Como I must walk a block or so before rounding the corner to see this amazing view of

Como Lago!  

After purchasing my ferry ticket to Bellagio - I have 90 minutes to enjoy the beautiful sunny weather. Must be in the 50s or 60s.  It is now lunch time so I join throngs on the square and sit outside, shedding wool scarves and my coat - and order my lunch. I sit soaking up the sun and chuckle as I think of what Boston looked like just a short time ago:

 
Smiling - this is the perfect lunch to savor outdoors, looking at Como Lago!

 

As I board the ferry - I'm very glad I am on one that has an open middle. Since they only run the "fast ferry" (50 minutes to Bellagio) out of season, it is usually all enclosed (which is what I had on the way home). But, there I am, with about only 4 other brave souls, standing in the cold wind and snapping beautfiul pictures and enjoying the incredible scenery.

 

The mountains are absolutely amazing -

 

Every turn the ferry makes on the Lake, more beautiful scenery comes in to view. There are so many villages perched along the side of the lake and up into the mountains. I enjoy the many stops on the way to Bellagio. 

As we approach Bellagio, I now understand why George Clooney has a home here!

 

I have two hours to explore.  This is such a beautiful historical town. The streets are narrow and many are steep - in some places it is like a labrynth. There are many shops, cafes, tiny restaurants and gellaterias. But all older buildings - and all seem to fit in. Not a Starbucks, Burger King or any chain of any kind in sight. Bliss.

 

 

Now here is an Italian sign I understand --- from my days of high school French!

 

After savoring a delicious bowl of Pistachio gelato while sitting outside, I take one last photo looking out from the edge of Bellagio - and board the ferry back.

 
The 7 PM train back from Como to Milano is absolutely packed! Older folks, young children, couples with strollers and babies -- it seems everyone was taking advantage of this beautiful weather on a weekend day!

Back in Milano, I stop at a litte bistro on my way back to the hotel. It has outside dining. I decide to have dinner early. Well, early for Italy. Everyone else is in "happy hour" happily eating bar nibblies and I order dinner. Everyone else is eating off of uncovered tables. The staff bring me a dinner table cloth and a rose in a vase! I order Shrimp scampi with fettucini.  Surprise! It comes out with homemade fettucini, fresh herbs and wonderful tomatoes and 2 whole shrimp sitting on top - complete with beady eyeballs and feelers!  Wasn't expecting that! :)

So, that was yesterday.  And today it is Monday - another business day. Will hopefully make some business contacts and I will be meeting with, as of now, 12 prospectives students for our MBA and Global MBA -- in interview slots arranged by what is called 1-2-1 Connect MBA.

Ciao!

Arriving in Milan, Italy!

oooh.....I was up at 4:45 AM to be picked up at the Kybele Hotel at 5:45 AM for my morning flight to Milan from Istanbul. The airport was very crowded. When you arrive at the international terminal for departure, before you do anything, literally anything, you go though a security check with all luggage, shoes, etc.  Then go get your boarding pass etc....then through security again to get in to the departure area with gates, stores etc.  I purchase an apricot juice -- Istanbul has the BEST canned aprioct juice - so refreshing!  Relax a bit and then look up on the board and it says for my flight "Wait in waiting room". Now a first-time international visitor might wonder what that means - but I know it means you should now go to your gate. Or I think, over the years, that's what it means. So I do that and there, to enter that area, you go through security a third time.

Once on the plane I must admit, it's headphone and sleep time. Thus it seemed we arrived in Milan quite quickly. As we walk through the airport to the passport control, I am now looking at the people more. Okay -- I now see visually that Milan is a "fashionista city!"  Fur coats, very unique boots - many people, men and women, look like models. Rather than take the almost 100 euros taxi to my hotel, I am more adventursome and take the train to Cardorno. This is the last stop of the train -- so I feel confident. Wow - a sleek new train! And it turns out it's an express straight to Cardono so what would have been an hour taxi ride is a 29 minute train ride! Nice.  Before I board I head for the train station cafe and have a cappucino and a croissant.  Well - truly - Milan is right up there with Paris on their croissant making! Wow - Starbuck's croissants just don't compare! And the coffee is to die for!

On the train I hear many languages spoken. The couple next to me is from Finland on their honeymoon, traveling though Italy.

I take a taxi to the hotel from the train station and instead of 100 euros I have spent 19 and cut the time in half. I feel like a seasoned global traveler!

After the small, quaintly old and antique Kybele, a Marriott is a shock to the system!  But, I'll take it! The MBA recruiting event is here so it is very convenient.  I unpack and decide to explore a bit. Walking around the area there is shop after shop -- designer this and that. It is truly a fashion mecca. Very near my hotel is the National Theatre and....Mama Mia is playing!  I've seen it in Boston - and seen the movie. Enjoyed Meryl Streep in it.

 
I'm thinking I should go one of my free nights and see and hear ABBA music in Italian!  Think I should go and hear it in Italian? Thoughts? Comments?

I decide to forgo a formal dinner tonight....had a huge meal with Darya and just want to crash in the hotel room. So, turns out there is a Supermarket directly across from my hotel.  City shopping at its finest.  So I go in and what a surprise. I just naturally go for a grocery cart only to find them all chained together with what looks like a round disk with a key hole and slot in it. I'm tugging on the cart and trying to figure it out. An elderly Italian woman starts explaining in Italian. Okay -- I must at least look Italian!  I say "I' don't speak Italian" and she digs in her purse and shows me a Euro coin -- could be a 50cent or 1euro -- I don't know. I'm just so shocked you have to pay to use a grocery cart and watch as many people do just that.  Okay -- I've always been embarassed that Logan seems to be the only airport in the world that charges for its luggage carts -- guess that's not so bad!  But maybe the cost differential is what's wrong?  Logan is expensive and maybe this is just a small coin?  I remember my mantra when travelling internationally: things are just different; not better not worse; just different. This really works for me and I begin to enjoy the fact that even grocery carts can become a business! Maybe next someone will decide to rent the side of each grocery cart for placard ads -- similar to buses!

I don't need an entire cart so I look and see people with small yellow baskets and find one of those - which is free. I guess the lesson is to shop daily so you don't need the big cart!  I pick up some fruit, cheese etc and have a comfy intimate dinner in my hotel room while I watch the BBC.

I am about to head to breakfast. It is Sunday and I've decided to take the day "off". I will take the train to Como and then the ferry to Bellagio.  Shall report on it tonight -- complete with pictures!  Until then...

Final day in Istabul

Stories in the news ----Have the arrests of numerous journalists in Istanbul hit the news in the U.S?  Newspaper article says they were rounded up from their homes -- no formal charges are filed but they are being held. Also - two men, of legal drinking age, were arrested for drinking beer - their blood-level alcohol was not above the legal limit - they were not driving or about to drive. They were not drinking in an illegal place. Their photos were in the article and the journalist spoke of the government infringing on the rights of individuals. In a later discussion with someone in the hotel, I was told that the major company, Andalua (spelling may be incorrect) is a very private company -- ie not sided with the current politics. They own beverages including Efes Beer. The feeling is there is a crack down possibly because of this?

"Investors pull billions from emerging markets" was the biggest headlinel. "Investors disillusioned by the impolosion of Wall Street titans, economic anemia in Japan, and a debt debacle in Europe have found abundant opportunities to grow wealth in industrializing economies like China andIndia. But now, as angry populations roil one Middle Eastern regime after the next, and discontent over escalating food prices and lagging living standards is heard elsewhere in the developing world, investors are moving staggering piles of cash out of emerging markets - and back into what they hope are the relatively stable havens of the U.S., Europe and Japan. That represents a major shift in sentiment...."

For me, as I talk with people in the hotel and walk along the streets, Turkey seems in better shape than last year. Last year there were empty storefronts. The hotels were not full. It seems this year it is alive again. The Kybele was booked solid and has almost full bookings into the summer. More people in the bazaar were carrying purchases. It seemed last year there were many people just looking and not buying.

So -- on to my meeting with the General Manager of Marketing at Ulker - an amazing meeting!  I was so proud to see the accomplishments of this 1996 graduate of the Suffolk MBA.  Upon graduation, she landed a position at Gillette and worked for them for 10 years. She was in Boston for 5 years, then London and then Tel Aviv. She lived through the acquisition by P& G and was one of 2 individuals kept on in her role. She directed marketing in Western Europe for them.

She then was hired by Ulker and moved back to Turkey for her position as General Manager of Marketing. Such an amazing company: $12 billion. There are two major divisions of Ulker: Foods and Confectionaries. Of course confectionaries is where Godiva lies -- they acquired Godiva totally about 3 years ago.  Here are also biscuits, and chewing gum for example. There are, I believe she said, 17 categories of foods in the Foods division.

I learned much from Derya!  It seems that some new research was recently reported that in Turkey, with a population of 70 million, of which approximately 50% are women, there are 37 million internet users. Of these internet users, 60% are female. Turkey is in the top 8 in the world in terms of internet users; and the top 3 in Europe. Think about that in terms of marketing.

Another interesting factoid learned in our meeting: in Japan, people eat in small portions. So whern making products like candy bars etc, they are made in a smaller packaging and smaller servings...even something like a Toblarone candy bar - which I think of as very long so quite big - is in a smaller serving for the Japanese market. Translate this to a business reality: the penetration is great but the impact in revenue is smaller. The importance of culture on business!

While the CEO of Pepsico is from India, did you know the second in line is a woman from Turkey?

Derya is a remarkable woman - travels all over the world. Why am I not surprised to see a Suffolk graduate in such a successful position?!  It was an excellent meeting and I hope to have a collaboration for a future Global MBA internship with Ulker. Stay tuned to Twitter as we approach summer 2011!

And so I must leave Istanbul. It has been an amazing quick visit. It is a vibrant city and one in which I feel I have friends and colleagues. The best part of global business are the relationships you forge!

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul - and an amazing dessert

No visit to Istanbul, for pleasure or business, is complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar.  This is one of the oldest covered shopping "malls" in the world!  It is just a 5 minute walk from the Kybele Hotel.  Such an amazing place with thousands of shop stalls inside - some quite expensive with silver, icons, gold, carpets, etc. Also some for tourists that are less expensive. In all, the people working the shops will stand and talk with passersby: "Lady, want a cup of tea?"  "Where are you from?"  "Do you like carpets?"  "You must like jewelry - come in a see."  If you stop to look, the shopkeeper is right by your side, "What color are you looking for?"  "Let me take that one out." "I will make a good price."  And it is all about bargaining.

The sights to see are a delight to the eye:  the bazaar itself has walls that go up to a curved ceiling - painted in intricate designs in some places. The stalls with pashminas and scarves are a pallete to the eye: every color imaginable. There are hanging glass lamps, ornaments, painted ceramics, Turkish sultan shoes (pointey toes), clothing, bags, and carpets, carpets, carpets. It is a maze when you get in. I always must look at the number of the "gate" above the entry I go in....and remember the "street's shops" where I make my turns. It is a labrynth!

 

I find a place where there is a display of Turkish flags on the ceiling - quite decorative.

And in one place, as I go to take a picture, the shopkeeper, a young man, decides to take a pose and become a camera model!

I enjoy my visit and wander in and out of shops. The most interesting to me have always been the ones with the old silver and pewter pieces of antique artifacts and jewelry. The shop keeper will clean these up, put them together to make a necklace or a belt -- and you walk away with a bit of antiquity.

Last visit I ended up walking to the very back of the bazaar - and out on to the streets. I ended up on a street with no cars, lined with shops that appeared to mainly be for women...and I was the only American person there. This was a Muslim neighborhood with women in headscarves pushing strollers - nary a man to be seen. Shops had materials, women's clothing -- the long coats and skirts and headdresses -- children's shops, cooking / kitchen utensil shops, button shops, one after another. Every kind of shop you could imagine that the housekeeper of the house, the mother, would want. I passed by a rather upscale shop where I stood aside of the window, out of the way and did not use my camera out of respect. There were beautiful mahogony thin drawers all along two walls....with very small mirrors high up. Women were pulling out the drawers and examining beautiful head scarves - trying them on and looking in the mirror - high up so they would only see their faces. I remember this was the only decorative and colorful part of their clothing and the beauty of their faces as they would cock their heads to one side, smile and laugh and look in the mirrors.

This visit, I meet this evening with Aslihan. I've gotten to know her over the years. She is an entrepreneurial woman of great success. She owns several successful companies including one that does numerous educational fairs across Turkey and other countries - and an educational consulting agency that is very successful in terms of counselling individuals who want to go to school (undergraduate or graduate) outside of Turkey. I've attended some of her fairs, and in fact, at one, met Egemen Duzgoren, a now Global MBA alumni successfully working in Boston at the Bank of Missubishi (may have this bank spelling incorrect), She and her company have advised some students to apply to our MBA - as they do with many schools in the US and other countries. With each year of meeting with her, I've shared more and more about the success of the Global MBA internship program etc.  I hope to have more students from Turkey in the Global MBA - through my travels and contacts and word of mouth. We've had some excellent students from Turkey: Nilgun Candemir, Gokhan Uslu, Berfun Tosun - not to mention all of the MBAs and others in other programs. And each time I come to Istanbul, I marvel at their country and city. Tonight, Aslihan and I have a long dinner meeting and we catch each other up on all our news.

We get to a discussion of culture, the recession, Turkish customs, a myriad of topics. And on the drive home, she points to some of the bill boards I'd not seen previously: High end brand names (Louis Vuitton, Armanie etc) and they are huge pictures of beautiful women's faces with their very expensive head scarves on!  The luxury brands have recognized a growing luxury market of the wealthy in this culture.  This has appeared in the last year or so.  Quite interesting to see.

 We have an inexpensive but absolutely delicious Turkish wine for dinner.  Turkish wines are also now a very big and growing industry.  The restaurant itself is atop a hill and we are in a room with wall to ceiling windows on three sides.....and you see the Bosphorous and all the bridge and city lights at night. Quite amazing views~!  I would love to see it during daylight hours. The most amazing dessert menu I've ever seen -- I admit, I have a sweet tooth.  It is truly hard to decide. There is a roast pumpkin with pomegrante-walnut-cinammon ice cream!  All unusual desserts. But the last one onthe list- we ask about! 

I've eaten many places and had desserts many places, and truly, I had the most amazing dessert on this night!

It is made table side. There about 8 pitchers of pure fruit puree and you choose the flavor or flavors you would like.  We chose raspberry, strawberry, mango, blood orange,  The chef pours these into a large stainless steel bowl, followed by creme fraiche. THEN, the chef slowly pours in liquid nitrogen!  The steam comes up like you are in the midst of dry ice used in a Las Vegas show!  And the chef keeps stirring and stirring as he pours the liquid nitrogen in slowly -- until the mixture solidifies to the texture of a sorbet - but no sugar included. He stops pouring and the "steam" disappears and he ladles the lovely mixture into what look like martini glasses!  And voila!  You have the most amazing tasting "ice cream" in the world!  Do any restaurants do this in the U.S.?  Please don't anyone tell me this is unhealthy to eat!  It was the experience of a life time!  The picture doesn't do it justice. And that's Aslihan with the finished product. What an amazing experience! 

 

Tomorrow I have a meeting with Ulker -- a huge billion dollar company holding in Turkey. They own Godiva among many other things. And Kelloggs in Turkey is with them.  I will meet with Darya, who is the General Manager of Marketing for the entire Ulkers.  She is a 1996 graduate of the Suffolk MBA -- the year before I arrived at Suffolk from Iowa.  I've been trying to meet with her for three years and this time her schedule coincides.  And, who knew, it turns out that Cueynet, CEO of Mavi, used to work with her and they live down the street from each other!  In this HUGE city spread over two continents, with 21 million people - they live down the street from each other!  That will surely be a conversation starter when I meet with Darya!

More later.  Including my traditional newspaper bits.

LH

 

2nd day in Istanbul -

Taffic in Istanbul is very heavy - no matter the time of the day!  21 million people live in this huge huge city -- huge meaning the city covers a very large geographic area and in fact, the Bosphorous separates the Asian side of Istanbul from the European side.  Last visit here, I took the ferry to the Asian side for company visits. No time to do that this visit.

My taxi arrives at 8:45 AM to take me to Mavi. Of course I want to be on time....and you never can judge what the traffic will do to your time on the highway. Traffic is crazy!  But it is a different crazy from India or China - no cows in the road or people pulling carts or old tuk-tuks etc.  All modern cars and buses -- but just a ton of them!  No problem with speeding - it would be impossible to do!  I always enjoy seeing the sites as I am going to appointments.  Today is no exception.

I've seen in the U.S., Dominoes pizza delivery bikes and, I think, motorcycles and certainly cars in the US. Here in Turkey, they only have mororcycles. The driver's helmet is plastered with the dominoes logo, as is the carrier part on the motorcycle. For the first time ever though, I see the motorcycles parked in a row in front of the stores.

And  I see, outside a McDonalds and outside a Burger King, motorcycles also for home delivery. I really have to look twice to make sure it's what I'm seeing!  But there are the golden arches on the delivery part and on the motorcycles....and the Burger King logo.  Interesting to think of our "fast food" on a motorcyle. Would someone really order a Big Mac delivered to their house? Guess so....I've asked and it is very popular.  Except a colleague here said that unless you live quite near, the burgers come cold "and a cold burger is no fun".  Well, I'd sure agree on that for a McDonald burger! My judgement only.

Last year when I was at the Mavi office, they had denim couches in the waiting room. Evidently, there was a time when these were on display in the Mavi windows across the area.....that was the "theme" for a bit. This time there is what I can only call a Mavi mermaid!  The mermaid is made entirely of denim pieces that look wadded up!  Quite curious to see. 

 

There is also a literal wall made of Mavi jeans folded up and stacked....a real dividing wall for the offices!  People, of course, are all dressed in Mavi.  I wait in the conference room where I sat about a year ago the first time I met Cuneyt Yavuz, the General Manager of all Mavi.  Last year, I had a 30 minute meeting scheduled and ended up staying for 90.  He is an amazing individual, originally from Poland I believe. Nuwoe Goteh, GMBA, did his summer marketing internship at Mavi in 2010 as a result of that visit (got an excellent evaluation, of course!) .

This time I am greeted as an old friend and again, we visit for about 90 minutes.  Cuneyt catches me up on his very busy life with Mavi! The company has had great growth!  It is the leading market share, over Levi, in Turkey. It started as a family textile business in Turkey and has grown in 20 years to be a global brand. In the US it is a high end brand -- with a flagship store in SoHo; also sold through Lord & Taylor and Nordstroms. Corporate US office is in NY.  They are sold in many countries across the globe. More than 200 stores in Turkey. For the first time, they are earning more in retail than they are wholesale - a change for them. They are fairly new to retail in Turkey. They do very well in Germany also, with a small corporate office in Frankfurt. Here in Istanbul, the actual production facility is outside the city and shared with Tommy Hilfinger (sp?).  They are also opening a new corporate office in Amsterdam.

One topic I bring up -- I read in the Turkish newspaper over breakfast this morning....a very large story about sandblasting denim for jeans. It creates a severe health problem - gets in to your lungs and is terminal. Yet this is a technique used to get those jeans you're wearing, to have that washed out coloring. We talk quite a bit about this. Mavi has not used this technique in years.  They do stone washing and a laser technique. The laser technique was mentioned in the article as the best for the environment and the health of the workers....but the article said the sandblasting is still done by many. I am told that Turkey recently passed a law that made this type of disease, from the sandblasting of denim, an official "workers'" disease so families can not get treatment, help in expenses etc.  Very interesting discussion -- I will need to google it to read more about it. Levi and H&M also got hit with this criticism. I'm told that the sandblasting, can be done properly if there are masks, ventilation etc but the companies are being inspected and criticized etc.  I'm wondering how OSHA (sp?) would view this in the U.S.?  Or is it something that is only done when American companies outsource this type of labor?

Cuneyt now travels to NY quarterly. We plan for a visit to Suffolk, hopefully in the Fall.  It will be excellent to have the General Manager -- really the CEO of all Mavi, to speak to Global MBAs and MBAs.  He is an amazing individual and a wealth of information on so many topics: global business, family business gone global, supply chain management, etc.  We also talk about future internships.  It is a very good meeting!

Before I leave, I go downstairs to their shop - as I've never found Mavi in Boston - but never looked at Lord & Taylor!  As Cuneyt and I talked, Levi is about 120 years old and Mavi is 20 years old -- and yet rivalling them in market share. I try on Mavi jeans and purchase a pair.  Hmmm how do I put this: Levi was made 120 years ago for the American farmer and steel worker etc....they feel heavy on me when I wear them -- great for Boston winters!  The Mavi is softer, lighter, a totally different feel.  So, I am bringing some of Turkey home with me!  

Hello from Istanbul!

Arrived in Istanbbul, Wednesday, March 3.  Flight from Boston to Munich on Lufthansa - reserved a bulkhead seat very early to have maximum leg room in Economy seat.  A wise thing to do when travelling internationally if you can not do business class. Checked in, was shown plane photo and seat confirmed. Got to plane - different plane! A brand new one with wi-fi but a different plan to rows. Was in center of economy class with so little knee room I couldn't imagine what people were doing who were over 5- 8" tall! Literally when the woman in front of me reclined her seat, it was almost in my lap!  Thankfully I operate on time zone I am going to so about 1 hour later took my Tylenol PM and slept through everything.  That is definitely the way to travel.

Transfer in Munich was uneventful. Later heard that had I transferred in Frankfurt, or been doing that leg of my trip first, there was a shooting at the airport.  So very glad I was in Munich.

Istanbul is cold this time of year. But it is an amazing city - no matter the weather. This is my 4th time here, and I always stay at the Kybele Hotel.  Owned by three brothers, it is in the old section of Istanbul - about 1/2 block from the famous underground Cistern and 1 block from both the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. The Kybele is in an older building - the brothers have made it in to a tourist site in and of itself. Bright blue on the outside, the inside is literally a museum with all antique furniture (really old) - in the reds and golds of the culture. Most unique are the many colored and shaped antique lantern lights that literally cover every ceiling - in the rooms, the common places, the bathrooms, the small and intimate official dining area -- although people are welcomed in from the street to sit on the couches, in the chairs etc for lunch, breakfast and dinner. Here are two photos that give you the idea of how unique and beautiful these ceiling lights are. 

 

So when I turn on the light switch in my small room, these lantern lights light up -- no other ceiling light. Rooms are very small with no television....antique throws on the beds and antique textile hangings on the walls. Bathrooms are very very small - it is after all, in the ancient part of the city.  But I would never stay anywhere else. I truly know I am in Istanbul when I am here. A Hilton in the newer part of the city, with the newer designer shops you can see all over the world.....you might just as well be in New York!  Here there is also a roof garden -- too cold to use this time of year. But up there, is a library that can only be described as the room of a Sultan -- cushions to sit on with the walls lined with books.

There is also a door to one of the brother's antique store. When I say antique...it is hard to explain. It is rather dark inside, there are rugs, hangings, bells, tassles etc from the ceilings, all over the walls. Antique clothing and caftans and rugs and bags and jewely and artifacts for bargaining for sale. Mike sits on one of the many low couches, drinking the traditional apple tea. He orders you apple tea and you can simply sit and talk with him - rather than buying. I'm not sure how much he actually sells...but I'm sure he does. No time for that this trip. This is a family run hotel - and you are treated like family. Many Europeans stay here. It is truly a special place.

I quickly walked down the street to take pictures for the blog.  I've visited all of these amazing sites before. Pictures of Blue Mosque did not turn out....but here are some of the Hagia Sophia. Built in the 400s, it is the earliest seat of Christendom.....then taken over.....it is now a museum. Some of the original mosaics have been uncovered. It is truy a beautiful site from afar. Minarets (tall towers in photo) are amazing. Up close, you can see the age of the building. 

 

The Blue Mosque gets its name from the beautiful blue windows - and when the sun shines in, it is quite a site inside. This is a working mosque and every morning (very early) I am awakened by the Call to Prayer that is a recorded chant and piped out over the entire city of Istanbul, out of every Mosque. It is a beautiful sound and truly a part of the Turkish culture. Somehow, I don't hear it during the day or evening -- even though it is sent out over the microphones then too. But I look forward to hearing it in the early morning. I know I am in Istanbul when I hear this.

I have a light supper, kofte, in the Kybele -- and manage to stay up until 9 pm.  Another Tylenol PM and to bed.  I have a 10 AM meeting at Mavi Jeans in the morning!