The Story of BeijingMan
NOT ALL DONUTS COME OUT WITH A HOLE - proverb
Finland. Northern lights hip-hopped the night I was born. Soon started with violin. Summer holidays in Hanko town. Then tech life. The journey.
Tech. Played with mainframe computers, kept workshops. Banking and data security. The Net. Projects. Global services for corporations and governments. Groupware software. International marketing. China venture. Internet services. Working and courses meant travelling: 7 months in London, 6 months in Paris, 5 months in Copenhagen, and 2 to 4 months in Stockholm, Amsterdam, Baghdad, and the U.S. Then came China.
China. In 1998 moved to Beijing. 15 years in China. Business development. Two JVs, hardware and software, products for China markets. Mobile networks. Mobile phones. Market share. Patent. Mobile venture. Cable-TV networks. Witnessed China's awakening, getting-rich-is-glorious attitude. Chinese got Internet and phones, WTO contract and cars, wealth and Olympic Games. I became BeijingMan. Over the years I learnt that many know China but understanding Chinese Way and sensitivities, rare.
• Mandarin studies 5 years
• Exciting China moments
• Projects, no hesitation
• Over 720 flights, 276 hotels
• Impact and Results
2013 I left China and moved to Helsinki. China expanded my view about scale, culture and Guanxi. Did China years change me? They turned me into BeijingMan but not into a different person. I wish good to China.
2017 World Tour. Across Pacific Ocean from Santiago to Auckland, a lesson of scale. Easter Island. Tahiti. Small lagoons Bora Bora and Aitutaki. Rarotonga. Then across New Zealand. It was sweet to do nothing, enjoy nothingness, as they say.
2024 life on an island but still in town. Best in Helsinki: seaside, rocks, winds, seasonal change. Sometimes I meet knowledgeable persons, we discuss about past and developments. Everybody has their story, their turning points, their views and adventures. Often fun, seldom call-to-arms.
Now. More Espresso, Prosecco, Clair de Lune, Franz Liszt, Chopin, Tenet. Less adventures. Sycamore Trees by Jimmy Scott tells it all. I still miss some works and people, quite deeply. I still 'listen the noise and try to separate the signal'. And, I work with a project about life lessons: China. Travelling. Spotify, Steve Reich's Sextet to re-organize myself but not to rebuild or reinvent. Enjoy my macro diary, my story, my turning points, my I Ching!
-- BeijingMan aka Kippo
BEIJINGMAN BACKGROUNDER
1. Finland: The Journey Begins - Junior years
2. Nokia Data - Computer Centers and Mainframes (10+ years)
3. GEIS - General Electric Information Services (1987-1993)
4. ICL Corp. - International Computers Limited (1993-1994)
5. TeamWARE Group - Groupware Software (1994-1997)
6. Elisa Corp. - Internet Service Products (1997-1998)
7. OSCAL Company - Co-Founder, China Consulting (1994-1998)
8. China: Nokia Corp. - Business Development (1998-2005)
9. China: HappyHan Co. - Co-Founder, Marketing (2006-2009)
10. China: Teleste Corp. - Chief Representative (2010-2012)
11. China: Based in Beijing for 15 years - Homes, Life (1998-2013)
12. China: 30 years - Learnings (1994-2024)
13. Finland: Turning Points - New Brick in the Ice Wall (2024)
14. Patents, Research, Presentations, Media
15. Life Pictorial - 110 photos, details
1. The Journey Begins
JUNIOR YEARS IN FINLAND
I was born and raised in Finland. My mother Irja Kippo, maiden name Waris, was born in Katajanokka island, Helsinki, Finland (birth certificate). Her childhood home was in Katajanokka were her father Emil Waris served in steam ice-breaker Tarmo as Chief of Machines. Today ice-breaker Tarmo is in Maritime Museum of Finland. I never met my grandfather Emil Waris, he died by influenza in 1931 when 44 years old. The last of my grandparents, Emil Waris's wife passed in 1963.
My father Lennart Kippo was born in Vyborg, Viipuri, back then a major Finnish business center in Karelia region. Lennart was the youngest of seven children of Aleksander Kippo and Aina Mathilda Forsblom (Swedish speaker). I never met my grandfather Aleksander. He died in Vyborg when my father Lennart was 8 years old. My grandmother Aina Mathilda Forsblom passed away when I was one year old.
Lennart was many things: a boxer (military athlete), actor, musician, dancer and later business developer, company owner, marketeer, 16mm film maker, and a great traveller. Sportsman and traffic man. Lennart and my mother Irja met in Vyborg where Irja went after her father Emil had died. WW2. Late 1939 their young family lost their home, had to evacuate from Vyborg with a few bags and 2-year old son, my eldest brother Raimo. Lennart went to war, truck colonna to front lines, he got wounded in aerial attack. Later, two sisters and a brother were born until the 5th child popped into reality - that was me. I grew up with two big brothers and two big sisters. I was raised by a father who fought for Finland and by a mother who encouraged me tirelessly.
My First Months
Finnish Government gave every mother a newborn starter kit box. Similar box is still given to new mothers. I slept happily my first months in a cardboard box.
At 8 Months
Attacked by a bird, it was a crow, while napping in basket outdoors. Got bloody forehead and eye rounds. Hospital visit but soon recovered ok. That bird was well-known, his name was Kalle.
My earliest memory. Christmas, many gift boxes, Santa Claus, Christmas tree, singing.
No kindergarten, I was taken care by mother Irja at home.
At 6 Years
Violin started, two weekly lessons and two hours daily training at home for the next 10 years. At 6 years 8 months to school, an exciting day. Boy chorus at school was great fun for many years. Märklin trains. Mecano construction toys. Cuckoo clock with pendulum and cuckoo call sound. Bicycle.
At 8 Years
Exciting moment. With my friend Erkki Salo we were peashooters! We used long copper pipes with rubbery mouth tube. From 3rd floor balcony we blowed mouthfuls of hard green beans onto a car on street. Beans rained onto car and driver got mad! Only very narrowly we managed to escape that very, very angry driver.
At 9 Years
Hanko holidays. Hanko is the most Southern town in Finland with beaches and rocks. We went to Hanko for many summers 2-3 weeks at a time. Every year in Hotel Regatta, second floor room towards the sea and blue outdoor pool (no more there), towards the old anchor. Can proudly say that I know every rock and beach in Hanko.
With big brother Asko at Hanko Tennis Beach (Plagen Beach) near Casino. The sea and rocks, Hanko felt like being abroad.
Hanko Pyjamas Parade, every summer. Early morning, wearing just pyjamas we joined the parade at Hotel Regatta and sleep-walked to Casino Restaurant. That felt like a real holiday!
In Hanko Lennart taught me to drive car. I drove around sleepy Hanko town. Happiest memories!
Helkama Jopo bicycles were arranged for hotel quests. I learnt every corner of Hanko by biking and running there many summer holidays.
Hotel Hanko Regatta had a small swimming pool which in the evenings was covered to become a dance floor in their dinner restaurant. That pool was my swimming school, I learned to swim in Hotel Regatta's small pool. At that pool I met magician Solmu Mäkelä who showed me amazing coin flipping finger by finger. There I saw artist Lasse Mårtenson, Eurovision Song Contest 1964 and later hit song Myrskyluodon Maija. And I remember racing driver Curt Lincoln in Hanko.
We stayed there many summers.
We spent time at Regattaranta Beach beside Lions of Liberty statue (1918). Sometimes we walked to market place and up on the Water Tower. We shopped shirts and underwear from Nanso Factory Shop at the corner of Bulevardi Avenue. I biked by the house were popular washing powder advertisement was filmed, white laundry drying with the tunes of Vesi ja Visko. Evenings Lennart took us around Hanko, to harbours, to Silversand Beach and to House of Four Winds (Neljäntuulentupa). Everywhere.
Many days we went to Puistovuori rocks (behind us). At noon my task was to pick-up fresh newspaper to Lennart from Regatta Hotel. I run over the big rocks. I peeked into deep Giant's Kettle. Checked the old cannon near Casino. One summer my friend Pekka Pelkonen was with us in Hanko. We run. We had sailing boat trip to outer sea.
TV interview in Hanko happened at Hanko Tennis Beach by Finnish TV. Video about me rotating on famous Hanko Water Carrousel. Interview was done on Beach Bar Plagen's terrace. For TV the video and interview were combined. Got a small payment for that fun.
Shopping at Liljefors
Vuorikatu and Ratakatu corner
with father Lennart.
ShoePhones!
• Get Smart - Agent 86
• Adventures of RinTinTin
• Bonanza, Beaver
• Batman, Flintstones
• The Saint Simon Templar
• Monkees, Kenny Everett
Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. I saw a satellite crossing the night sky. Sputnik, or maybe Telstar reflected sunlight. Later my own path crossed with Yuri Gagarin's as he toured Finland after visiting space by Vostok capsule. Gagarin was a hero who used to say:
- Let’s go (poyekhali), if you are going to be at all, then be the first...
Snakebite. Summer camp near Lappeenranta, Eastern Finland lake side. Snake was quick, from under a tree. Two bite holes between the thumb and the forefinger on my left, violin fingering hand. High fever, medicine, two days later back to play. I went two summer camps, about 2 weeks each, and liked them both. In Partaharju Summer Camp near Pieksämäki I won Karting Trophy. Busy years.
Iivanansaari. I was around 10 years. Brother Raimo drove his family and me by light blue Opel Kadett to summer cottage in Simpele, Eastern Finland. Sauna, nature, lake crabs. We visited Koantaus Lake, by row boat to Iivanansaari island. There was a small concrete prison cell, memorial copy of Spalernaja Prison cell in St.Petersburg. I went inside, it was open back then. Exciting memory. That summer turned hot, Raimo judged it an Indian summer.
Around this age we made an exciting class trip to Korkeasaari Zoo.
Traffic Competition. I won a visit to candy factory in Valimotie, Helsinki and to public transport busses hall in Ruskeasuo. Very special. The same year I saw exciting Stunt Driver SimcaShow where Jose Canga drove Simca 1000 by two wheels and made many rubber burning U-turns.
Hula Hooping. We were wild! Limbo contests at home with Limbo Rock by Chubby Checker. At school first simple woodworks, then electronics. I built a crystal radio receiver, powered by radio waves received by its wire antenna. It worked. Cap toy guns were boost for imagination. This was the age of comic books, wooden labyrinth board and biking. And Jekovit A and D vitamin chocolade. For a short period I joined to Boy Scouts, our motto was Be Ready - Ole valmis. Quite happy times.
Violin Lessons. Twice a week plus two hours daily training at home became a stress. Later I joined a classical orchestra.
The Great Moscow Circus. Lennart took me to their huge tent beside Helsinki Olympic Stadium. All tickets sold, completely full of people. Noisy atmosphere, best possible trapeze show, will always remember it!
At 13 Years
Karting 100cc
Brother Asko became second while Keke Rosberg won Finnish Karting Championship (Keke won 1982 F1 World Championship). Our engine was italian Comet, Keke had italian Barilla. We checked and rebuilt the engine and changed new piston rings to every race. Asko did all the racing but I got good karting experiences, too.
Car driving
My car driving begun in Hanko. We had a red Opel Record Coupe with then big 105hp engine, registration number GZ-10. Holiday feelings. Pillow to raise driver's seat, straw hat onto my head, and go! Lennart sat beside and gave directions. I drove around sleepy Hanko town. We laughed, Lennart said
- Now more speed, make sure you get over those railroads...
- Next turn left, we go to Bulevard...
Volvo P1800S Simon Templar
One summer Lennart took me to trip with this car, famous from TV serie The Saint with Roger Moore (later James Bond 007) as Simon Templar.
We drove out the town. I flipped electrical over-drive switch. For me our road trip was a fun experience. But, Lennart never bought a Volvo.
Automobiles
Father Lennart had two antique automobiles refurbished as originals, his hobby. Both were Ford A models, for parade use.
1929 Ford Model A
Lennart had model A black,
two doors, spare wheel at back
- Net photo
1930 Ford Model A Cabriolet
Lennart had yellow/black
cabriolet, two doors and
rumble seat at back
- Net photo
My favourite was Ford A Cabriolet which became our summer fun. Lennart ordered new original roof to it. With Cabriolet I participated old car parades around Finland, towns Jyväskylä, Turku, Tampere and Helsinki. Parade trips took hours of driving. Sometimes I sat in rumble seat (mother-in-law seat) at back. Never tired of the horn sound, out-flipping turning signals or the throttle lever on steering wheel. Great trips!
Motorcycles
I was motorcycle enthusiast, Honda CB450 was on top of my wish list. Modern and powerful. Never got it. But I sent a letter to Craven Equipment in U.K. and got their catalog and dreamed. THX! My friend Uuttu had a single piston Ducati. Some had Yamahas, Suzukis and Kawasakis. British bikes were also popular: Triumph Bonneville and Trident, BSA 650, Royal Enfield and Norton. No Harleys then, and nobody wanted a Jawa or CZ. One summer I happily drove brother Asko's old, humble Suzuki 80cc, and 'fever' was gone.
China Pictorial Magazine
I subscribed it for years, mailed to me monthly from China. Its pictures, maps and stories served my China curiosity and imagination. For me China became something exciting. Those were also the shoePhone times!
At 14 Years - School Trips and Summer Jobs
Leningrad, later renamed St.Petersburg. A three-day school trip. My class visited Hermitage Museum and Peterhof Palace Museum. I saw the Foucault pendulum swinging and showing world rotation inside St. Isaac's Cathedral (1858). At Piskaryov Memorial Cemetery our guide was in tears when telling about numbers and the history.
Stockholm. School trip, two nights on boat and one day in Stockholm. We scouted Nordic Museum and Vasa Museum on Djurgården island. Vasa was a 64-gun warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. The Royal Palace and Gamla Stan - the old town. Finally shopping at NK store and around Kungsträdgården Park.
Jobs During School Holidays
When 14-19 years, summer jobs were character building! Each job 1-4 weeks. Bicycle courier. Car repair shop. Park care and fixing traffic signs. Packing Luxor stereos in Motala, Sweden. With friends briefly at brick factory and even a railroad team. On Christmas holiday salt-gunning pork legs. At home Turtle-waxing father Lennart's cars. Tax-free money!
PARIS
I needed a balancing act between real life and the classical music discipline. The Beatles and others, new rules. Radical change was a reality. At 17 years, during school summer holiday I hitchhiked to Paris. That proved my independence.
Arc de Triomphe, Paris
- Net photo
My Paris, in all over 6 months. I really like its boulevards and museums. Paris has played very important role in my life.
It was after midnight, I arrived to Paris by a truck. It dropped me at Champs-Élysees, Arc de Triomphe Monument to France’s war dead. I sat under winged Liberty of La Marseillaise (also national anthem of France) which celebrates French Revolution. I watched traffic on Champs-Élysees from Tomb of WW1 Unknown Soldier the whole night.
Paris. Place du Trocadero, overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Lazy times at Eiffel Tower, precisely under the centre point of it, green grass back then, now its a sandy field.
Paris. Seine River Cruise Trip. At Notre-Dame Cathedral park I was sitting and watching Seine. Suddenly a private cruise boat, not big, stopped and invited me onto deck for sight-seeing. Maybe 10 persons in total. We went around Seine islands La Cite and St.Louis, waving hands to people on those two islands. Huge experience.
Boulevard Saint-Michel. I enjoyed walking boulevards. Nights by Seine River at Pont du Carrousel. Via Lille city back to Finland.
Paris was to become part of my future. It had become sort of familiar. Soon that city became part of my work life with Nokia Corp. and Baghdad projects.
That winter was hard.
I went through a Beatles phase.
Tuning in to Radio Luxembourg
late at night.
Finnish version of Hair Musical.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond!
Not really proud about that
period. But got over it, and
then all was fine.
HOBBIES
Violin
My main hobby for ten years, from age 6 to 16. Twice a week training session with violin teacher Heikki Kuusi, viulu-ukko. At home daily violin routine was two hours. I played speedy, romantic Spanische Weisen Op.164 by Arthur Seybold at matiné when 13 years old. One year of training. Big audience, applaud, mentioned in newspaper. Still have my notes and violin.
Photo Lab
I developed B/W photos from negatives to paper under red lamp at home. Before the era of Internet, taking photos and developing them was fun. Copies to friends. Sometimes pretty good results. Now I use Leica Q and iPhone 13, all digital
• Camera body: Canon TX (1975), changed to Canon AE-1 (1976)
• Lenses: Canon 28mm F2.8 and Tokina 35-105mm zoom (1979)
• Developing B/W photos: Meopta Opemus Enlarger 75W
Music
Dave Brubeck Quartet • Emerson, Lake & Palmer • The Beatles • The Beach Boys • Led Zeppelin • Kraftwerk • Jean Michel Jarre • The Cream • The Doors • King Crimson • Jimi Hendrix • The Mamas and The Papas • Diana Ross and The Supremes • Frank Zappa • Pink Floyd • Elvis Presley • Steppenwolf • Miles Davis • Herbie Hancock • Curtis Mayfield • Herbie Mann: Memphis Underground when in Stockholm Kulturhuset after buying jeans from Gul & Blå • Harry Nilsson: Everybody's Talkin' from movie Midnight Cowboy (1969) • Soul Finger, many others, of course.
Readings
Not a real bookworm. My favourite classic books were Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and Crime and Punishment by Dostojevsky. Classics Illustrated, Kuvitettuja Klassikkoja in Finnish, was my favourite magazine. And China Pictorial which I subscribed. Mad Magazine and Alfred E. Neuman's world was great fun as we did mad adventures like climbing up tall radio masts, or train surfing... popular youth activities in a country with strong four seasons.
Movies
My imagination grew with French cinema and 16mm films made by father Lennart. Then, many important movies: An American in Paris. Singing in the Rain. West Side Story. 2001 A Space Odyssey: apes, black monolith, tech, space, judgement by HAL, heroic Dave. After 3rd touch to black monolith triggered intelligence, forward, into new. Amazing story.
Judo
Enjoyed training Judo to Kyu-3 rank, green belt. New sport back then.
I touched the 'black monolith'.
Computers were interesting new. At 16 years I participated my first tech course. Two weeks about computers and programming.
During the course we used TTY terminal by dial-up connection to ASEA Corporation GE-600 mainframe in Västerås, Sweden. ASEA, later ABB.
I joined another computer course about programming, data management, statistical math and operations. Four months in Turku town. During that course I got internship in PSP Bank's Computer Center at Turku Market Square, corner of Yliopistokatu and Aurakatu, up floor. PSP Bank (later Leonia Bank, then Danske Bank) had IBM System/360 and System/370 mainframe computers. Very interesting.
This was my entry with computers and tech. I was curious of this new, strange tech and felt fitting with. Processes, procedures, programming, binary, octal, hexadecimal... operating systems. I felt challenged, taken by force.
MY FIRST CAR
• Like my VW - Net photo
• Aquarius Blue, pre-owned
• Paid 7200 Finnish Markka
• Registration plate BC-674
• Hubcaps with VW logo
• 46hp 0-100km/h 18sec
Fatal Hits. Sadly, a cat sported across the road and it was a fatal hit! Later someone tried to steal my cat-killer VW, didn't get engine started but burnt it's wiring. Another fatal hit, that VW ended to Helsinki Tattarisuo and was put into spare parts. I got 200 Finnish Markka (about 35EUR) from it. Still miss my Aquarius Blue!
HOLIDAYS
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Before check-in to Finland's mandatory defence service, we took a holiday week at Mediterranean Sea in Spain. We were like four musketeers: Noro, Jammu, Jack and I. Year 1972, Spantax Air from Helsinki to Palma de Mallorca. Airplane meals were tasty and flying was fun! We had low cost package, humble Hotel Windsor, limited budget.
We scouted Santa María Cathedral and old streets. We drove around the island's rocky seaside. We focused its beaches, we climbed up a palm tree at the main Paseo Maratimo promenad for a photo. We had fun. Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 had a show there. When budget became a problem, Palma Hospital offered us solution by donating blood. Did it. A holiday, which prepared us well for the army.
CIVIC DUTY IN FINLAND: Defence Service
Mandatory for Finnish men (80%) - Women volunteer
Length of mandatory military service depends on training: 165, 255 or 347 days. My service, years back, took 11 months and 2 months reserve trainings afterwards. The first two months we learnt discipline: running, marching, nightly alarms. Then specialising to different roles. Gun training. Anti-aircraft heavy machine guns training, processes.
COURSE - RAUK
NonCommissioned Officer School - Reservialiupseerikoulu
Three months course. 20% of serving age group are sent to NCO School. Course is for the role of control. Training was more physical. Brapp, brapp, brapp... the earth vibrated during our guns shooting trainings. My team was good, shot down the flying target. Mobile 23mm twin gun 'Sergey' had a great voice.
Above: RAUK course. Front line, 3rd from left. Freezing cold weather.
COURSE - RUK
Reserve Officer School - Reserviupseerikoulu
Three months course. 7% of serving age group from RAUK is selected to Reserve Officer School and sent to Hamina town. Course is for the role of leader, command. Anti-aircraft battery is tactically independent, rapid mover with embedded support. After graduation the students return to their original Batteries.
Above: RUK course. Fifth line from top, then 5th from the right.
RUK Course Book photo.
Second Lieutenant, graduate
anti-aircraft officer.
Smiling forbidden 🌝
At service I learned air defence weapons systems, command procedures, coordination. Experienced Lohtaja shooting camp in winter (RAUK) and in summer (RUK).
SUMMARY: Finnish Defence Service - A Civic Duty
• Total 13 months: anti-aircraft service and reserve trainings
• Parades: twice marching with music and audience
• Celebration lunches: smoked salmon with Army Brass Band
• RAUK Ski Relay Night: team competition, across South Finland
• RUK Cooper Test: 12-minute run result 3400 meters (top 5%)
• RUK Kirkkojärven Marssi: group competition, Hamina
• RUK course in Santahamina: missile launch systems, a week
• RUK and RAUK shooting camps in Lohtaja, two weeks each
• Medal: Lohtajan Ruusuke, RAUK winter shooting camp
• Badges: RUK Course Badge; RAUK Course Badge
• Rank: Lieutenant in reserve
Fun of Learning!
Education
• Business institute, international trade
• Tampere University, Information Technology (work/study program)
• MBA program, custom, company sponsored, Beijing
Courses, Conferences, Workshops, Trainings
Tech programming, products, roadmaps, optimising, standards
Business sales, management, finance, strategy
Classroom learning
• Turku: 4 months tech, statistical math and programming course
• Paris: 6 months tech courses sent by Nokia
• Madrid: Project Management course, a week by Nokia
• Amsterdam: Optimizing course from U.S. a week by Nokia
• London: Client/Server software, a week by TeamWARE
• Beijing: Focus Program on leadership, strategy, finance, by Nokia
• Kepner-Tregoe method for analytical thinking, by Nokia
-- systematic problem solving, finding 'reasons for the reasons'
• Business Engineering Programme on finance, by TeamWARE:
-- pricing, business communication, and business simulation
• Business English Program, 2 years, native teachers, by Nokia
• Mandarin Language Program, 5 years, speaking/hearing, by Nokia
-- professor from Fesco International Teaching Center, Beijing
• many more courses/conferences: new tech, networks, standards
Locations
• Finland, Sweden, France, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium
-- U.K., Switzerland, Spain, China, Singapore, U.S.
Experiential Learnings
• Co-founder of OSCAL Ltd. in Finland
• Co-founder of HappyHan Company Ltd. in China
• Working in London, 7 months, for Nokia and for TeamWARE
• Working in Copenhagen, 5 months, for Nokia
• Meetings/trainings trips for Nokia, GEIS, TeamWARE and Elisa
-- 2 to 4 months (8 to 16 weeks) in each country: -- Sweden, Netherlands, Iraq and U.S.
• Business meeting trips to 20 countries
• Keeping computer center workshops at Nokia Corp. NITEC
-- 40 weeks in Nokia Information Technology Education Center, Helsinki
-- 50 weeks in Stockholm, Sundsvall, Copenhawn, Amsterdam, Baghdad
-- Participants: Banking; Insurance; Governments; Corporates
• International marketing, software company TeamWARE (ICL/Fujitsu)
• Established Internet products management unit, operator Elisa (HPY)
• Colleagues during the years from U.S, France, Germany, Sweden,
-- Denmark, Greece, Italy, U.K., China, Singapore, India and Finland
• Lectures for eMBA program of New York univ: Chinese Mentality
• 10 years work/study in so-called Nokia Data IT University
• 15 years work in Beijing: Nokia China, HappyHan Co., Teleste Corp.
-- in MNC-corporation, in Startup, and in SME-company
• State corporation meetings in 19 Chinese provincial capital cities
• Chinese culture, museums: arts, airplanes, railway, tanks, etc
• Beijing Hutongs Group, member, documenting old way of life
• Over 50 BeijingMan Blog articles, 300K readers in 15 years, refs:
-- China Daily article A Foreigner managed to Crack the Guanxi Code
-- Book Green Metropolis by David Owen ref to Hutongs article
• SARS epidemic 2003 stopped Beijing for 4 months - every day there
• South Pacific lagoons, Polynesian Maori settlers and culture
-- Across Pacific Ocean from Santiago Chile to Auckland New Zealand
-- Easter Island study, then French Polynesia and Cook Islands
-- Lagoons Tahiti, BoraBora, Rarotonga, Aitutaki: cruises, safaris
Presentations in 14 Countries - over 40 conferences, events
• Sweden - Stockholm, Lund, Sundsvall, Genarp Häckeberga Castle
• Denmark - Copenhagen and Billund
• Norway - Oslo and Trondheim
• Netherlands - Amsterdam press conference at RAI, Volendam
• Germany - Dusseldorf, Munich interviews at 7 media companies
• Belgium - Brussels at European Commission HQ
• France - Paris
• Italy - Lake Como in Grand Hotel Tremezzo Palace
• Switzerland - Montreux in Hotel Le Montreux Palace
• Russia - Moscow Concern Bank Business Centre
• China - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Kunming, Shenzhen
-- Shenyang, Zhengzhou, Lanzhou, Hangzhou, Chengde, Dalian, Jinan
-- Hong Kong, Hefei, Chongqing, Haikou, Shijiazhuang, Nanjing
-- Chengdu, Xiamen, Guanzhou
• USA - Rockville in Maryland and Dallas in Texas
• Iraq - Baghdad
• Finland - Helsinki, Espoo, Oulu, Turku, Tampere, Kuopio, others
-- List of presentations - roll below to Chapter 14.
Tech and Business Associations - total 22 years
• HLSUA Finland and HLSUA Nordic, 9 years: Nokia representative
-- Intl. coordinator, Computer Center Management Committee
-- Member, Scandinavian Installation Committee
-- Secretary, Computer Center Security Committee, 7 years
• EEMA Europe and EEMA U.K., 4 years: TeamWARE and Elisa rep.
-- Member, Internet Committee
-- Member, Directory Committee
-- Member, User Committee
-- Member, International Events Planning Committee
• FCB Finnish Business Council, China, 9 years for Nokia and Teleste
-- Member, experience exchange meetings
Patent: PreTone aka ID-Tone - 2003
• Approved by Nokia Patent Committee
• Approved by Nokia Mobile Phones Patent Board
• Approved for patenting in China, EU and U.S.
• 2004 Nokia Invention IPR Reward
• 2009 China Patent Grant No.03150198.2 / NC31640
• 2010 Nokia Patent Grant Reward
Hobbies
• Violin for 10 years, two weekly lessons, matinees, orchestra
• Photography taking B/W photos and developing them
• Judo regular trainings, Kyu-3 green belt
• Aikido practice in Helsinki Olympic Stadium training hall (Rainer)
2. Nokia Data, Finland - Computer Center
TECHNOLOGY ADVENTURES FROM MAINFRAMES TO PCs
With 4000m2 the computer hall in Nokia's Kilo-TK Computer Center was the leader. My first computer was General Electric 635, GE-635 with GCOS3 operating system. It was not just any computer but a mainframe, the same which was used by NASA in Kennedy Space Center for the launch process for Apollo moon rockets. My relation with GE-635 was first rational, then gradually emotional.
When operating GE-635 with Gcos3, master mode and slave mode, it sometimes felt nearly human. Computers were not a fashion but represented 'the new', and I dug into its soul. We were a team of people learning from each other. Sometimes I dreamed what would this be with Multics, a MIT and GE operating system project which actually led into smaller scale, Unix.
Gadgets, mainframes, adventures, Kilo-TK Computer Center was the right place.
For years I breathed purified and ionized air of that 4000m2 Kilo-TK computer hall filled with mainframe computers, peripherals and network datanets.
GE-635 was based on transistor technology and 36-bit processor. But Gcos3 was its 'soul' which had timesharing, batch applications, transaction processing, and frequent updates and development. Like today, success with information technology was about understanding, linking issues, learning faster than the others. Some could solve problems almost naturally while others needed long years and still couldn't find the way.
Nokia's GE-635 got publicity, it was like 'boxer Ali', the greatest. Along with commercial service business, GE-635 participated Moon Rock isotope structure processing and chess competitions. For me GE-635 was an adventure and friend, my 'international space station'.
When I joined Nokia Data Kilo-TK Computer Center, Seppo Vuorinen and Heino Laine became my chiefs for several years. Good guys, good times.
Nokia Data Kilo Computer Center manager Seppo Vuorinen operates GE-635 at the console. I met Seppo 2007, the man is a champion.
Brochure photo from Helsinki Cable Factory, Nokia's first computer center. New Kilo-TK Computer Center was in Karamalmi, Espoo, state-of-art computer hall.
CHEERS TO GE-635
GE-635 mainframe computer system was put down 30+ years ago. I saved its shining Input/Output Controller panel (IOC) which is full of switches, from the era before big screens. I also saved ferro-magnetic core memory modules and magnetic tape units' reels. My relation with GE-635 was first rational, but at its death almost emotional.
GE-635 mainframe ferro magnetic core memory module.
• Module size: 15cm*15cm
• Module total: 4096bits
• 16 squares, each 256bits
Cheers to GE-635 and GCOS3!
IOC, controllers, datanets, TSS,
SNUMBs, console commands!
??? Stats ??? Peek ??? Patch
??? Run all ¶
After GE-635 Honeywell H6000/H66 mainframes introduced the next levels of technology. At some point, their software introduced email capability, a minor feature at that time. But many understood that these things were to change everything. Look at now: music and media revolution; impact of cloud computing and broadband; the net and digital revolution, changing faster and faster.
THE FIRST EMAIL in 1982
Before 1990 email was a business application. I sent my first email in 1982 by using networked GE-265 system, famous for being the first time sharing system (= multiple users sharing computing resourse). GE-265 had physically large disc, one meter in diameter, with fixed read/write heads. In 1982 it was already a very old system and I just used it a few times.
GE-265 supported super-center based messaging system QuikComm. Before Internet, proprietary QuikComm system was in used in global level by multinational corporations (MNCs) and several foreign ministries for their embassy networks. QuikComm connectors integrated other email systems (LAN servers, mini computers) into seemless global email flow. Support for message attachments varied.
Was the use of QuikComm messaging expensive? Depends. Those were the times when international telecom charges were monopolistic. The price lists were agreed in cigar smoke filled windowless backrooms, not cost-plus but maximum margins for maximum profits. Fluent pan-European data networking for corporations was only a dream. Situation forced MNCs to seek efficient information flow from GEIS.
GE-265 was a front-end into GE's global MarkIII network, its three super-centers and services. In Finland GEIS GE-265 was hosted by Nokia at Kilo-TK Computer Center for a short period. GEIS Nordic Network Center was located in Copenhagen, and Europe's super-center in Amstelveen, Netherlands. When GEIS upgraded to new technology in access points, an unmanned location was established in Helsinki and GE-265 in Kilo-TK was permanently switched power-off.
NOKIA CORPORATION - BANKING
During 1980-1990 Nokia Data developed banking software and some hardware into finest levels, in technical means.
H6000 mainframe ferro magnetic core memory board.
• Board size: 40cm*50cm
• Board total: 327.680bits
• Capacity: 40Kbytes
• 20 squares, each 8*2048bits
Major Finnish banks had databases and transaction applications in Honeywell Bull mainframes (H6000, H66, DPS8, DPS88) serving Finland-wide online networks of bank branches offices.
Nokia Data was a technology, product and support partner for banks. At Nokia's computer center I was appointed as Manager (Konepäällikkö) for Honeywell Bull dual system mainframe and network which was dedicated for development. Back then relational databases were the newest new.
Later I was appointed as Product Manager for Honeywell 66 and DPS8, DPS88 and DPS90 mainframes with next generation operating system GCOS8. I left Kilo-TK Computer Center and moved to Helsinki, Keskuskatu office behind Ateneum Art Museum, beside Makkaratalo. There, the mainframe product structure and configurators became sort of fun.
HONEYWELL MAINFRAMES - INSTALLED BASE IN FINLAND
Nokia was strong leader with Gcos3/Gcos8 mainframes and computer centers. In Finland, installed base of Honeywell mainframes raised to
• 31 systems including 55 processors
• Operated by 18 organisations
Honeywell 6080 mainframe computer and operating console, around 1978.
- Product photo
BONJOUR PARIS - GROUPE BULL
Groupe Bull was Nokia's partner with Honeywell mainframes and other computers. Bull had ownership relations with GE, Honeywell and NEC. In 2016 they have secure smartphones for voice, SMS, e-mail and data communication, they operate in 100 countries in defense, finance, health care, manufacturing and telecommunication.
Mainframe operating system GCOS3 was replaced by GCOS8 with new architecture. For courses and product/marketing meetings I visited many times Bull offices in Paris Gambetta, Lumière and Vincennes, and by RER fast train in Marne-la-Vallee. Some events in Paris Bagnolet, Les Mercuriales towers.
My Paris. All trips stitched together, over 6 months. For me Paris was a great city: boulevards, architecture, museums, history. I have run up 270 steps of the Sacre-Coeur and scouted newer Grande Arche de la Defense, Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame at Paris center point and the most of Paris around. And if you just try to speak French, you get service, try Bonjour - Merci - Bonsoir. And if nothing helps, use Adieu!
The French. I learnt the French sometimes may have great ideas and strategies. They know how to do the top powerpoint presentations, and I have seen many. Made in France. But superior strategy or PPT may not be enough. The challenge comes with Plan and its Implementation. Hard to get on wings.
Minitel and CP8. Innovations, some may remember Minitel videotex online system from 1980s. Small Minitel screen box connected to telephone gave access to 25.000 services: information, timetables, tickets. Minitel was a pre-internet service, 25M users in France, used in 10+ countries. Bull CP8 smart card had a processor, encryption and memory, many patents related. 1978 from France!
Work trips like Holidays. Interesting topics on courses! Every trip to Paris felt like a holiday, tens of times. My weekends in Paris started with walk along boulevards, afternoon trips to parks and museums, by metro to distant corners, and evenings to check the wilder Paris. Some get stress when in Paris but not me.
Dinners. Paris dinners were experiences which became memories. With friends to medieval cellar restaurant Nos Ancêtres les Gaulois on Seine island St.Louis. It was probably more for tourists but we, everybody, liked it, noisy, crazy, CRAZY place. Wild experiences also in a Russian restaurant at Saint Germain near Odeon. Dinners with old times charm and arts atmosphere.
Tour Montparnasse aka Montparnasse Tower. Rooftop views of black Tour Montparnasse skyscraper (1973) near restaurant La Coupole. Amazing. Rooftop at 210 meters, 59 floors. I enjoyed views from Eiffel Tower, white Sacré-Coeur and all over Paris. As they say, the City of Light. For me Tour Montparnasse 'monolith' was fit, right. I enjoyed that old Paris.
Honeywell peripherals
- Product photo
Place de la Republique, Paris
I stayed many times at Holiday Inn Place de la Republique (now Hotel Crown Plaza), sometimes two weeks at a time. Hotel's high rooms with window towards inner yard were silent to stay. Breakfast and location, a match. But those were also years when bombs went off at Tati clothing store the opposite side of Place de la Republique (no more there) near Marianne statue, the symbol of French Republic with values of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Sometimes my hotel was small and humble near Pere Lachaise Cemetery (1804) at Boulevard de Menilmontant. It's the eldest cemetery of Paris, over 1 million burials. There I found Frederic Chopin, Maria Callas, Jim Morrison (1943-1971), Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde.
MONEY MONEY MONEY
Finland was early to convert money into electrical format which would enable use of debit/credit cards and banking ATMs.
For several years I was involved in such projects with view on logical security. There is some difference between money in electrical format or just information about money. In such major change people's trust into money was high priority and a must to maintain. That meant data security.
Magnetic tape subsystem
- Product photo
IFIP SECURITY CONFERENCE
May 1983 I participated IFIP's First Security Conference in Stockholm. Well organised conference. Dinner event at the Stockholm City Hall, invited by the City of Stockholm.
IFIP Security Conference 1983 labelled data security as a Billion Dollar Baby. Prediction to the point. Reporter Vesa Santavuori interviewed in Stockholm for his article Computer Security Discussed in Stockholm published by Helsingin Sanomat newspaper in Finland, May 19th, 1983.
THE FIRST DATA SECURITY SEMINAR IN FINLAND
HOW TO PROTECT THE MONEY IN ELECTRICAL FORMAT
September 1983 by Nokia Data. Inspired by realities in computer centers and IFIP Security Conference in Stockholm I proposed Nokia to organize data security seminar in Finland. My visionary Nokia chief Kari Kallio agreed with the idea and gave me the task to make it happen. And I did.
I wanted data security seminar to focus on logical security and not to include computer center physical security which at that time was much in media. Suddenly everybody, from banking and industries to defense, were interested about data security.
Major Finnish banks had hundreds of branch offices, country-wide, connected to their computer center via leased lines. Computer centers used datanet systems to connect their branch office network. Mainframes were mainly for transaction processing service which processed money transfers, from account to another on databases in real-time. Bank debit/credit cards and cash automats were just coming onto market.
I took a flight to Paris to meet Mr Albert Harari who was one of the architects of the Moscow-Washington hotline communications centers.
WHAT IS A HOTLINE
• Primary wireline Wash.D.C. - Moscow
-- via London - Copenhagen - Stockholm - Helsinki
• Secondary communication line via satellite
• Latin and Cyrillic alphabet devices
• Crypto system including encryption pads
• Encryption keys distribution via embassies
• Cipher text stream, then decryption
• Test messages sent hourly
• Message content translation and delivery to president
Meeting. Mr Harari wanted to know details about security interest in Finland. He wanted information about potential participants. I wanted to fix his lecture topics, material, requirements and fees. Didn't take long we agreed.
The first Data Security Seminar
in Finland, Helsinki
September 1983.
Personal invitations sent.
Advertisements in business/IT magazines and newspapers.
- Talouselämä
- Tietoviikko
I returned from Paris to Helsinki with Mr Harari's acceptance to invitation to lecture for three days at Nokia's Data Security Seminar in Helsinki. We fixed the seminar date to September 1983 and place to Hotel InterContinental in Helsinki.
Albert Harari
Goal is to give participants a 'key' to deep knowledge
in the rather new domain of their choice.
DATA SECURITY SEMINAR - Helsinki 1983
1983 "HOW CAN WE TRUST INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN?"
Nokia's Data Security Seminar was held in September 1983, 3,5 days in Hotel InterContinental, Mannerheimintie, Helsinki (now Scandic Park Hotel Helsinki). Over 40 participants was more than expected for this special topic. The first presentation was about legal aspects by Lauri Lehtimaja, later Justice at Supreme Court of Finland. Next presentation by security consultant Kari Liukkonen. Then Albert Harari started his full 3-day lectures about logical security.
Left:Speakers of the first Data Security Seminar in Finland, Helsinki September 1983.
- Nokia NET Magazine, Feb-84
Mr Harari - Key Topics
Risks and security on databases, networks, directories, searches, internal/external threats, organisation structure and priviledged insiders related threats, cryptology and key management, methods for login control, resource access tables and profiles, risks with Boolean logic and databases, trust on utility programs, contingency planning, and much more.
Mr Harari introduced and processed many scenarios. Two examples:
1. Cloned bank office, set up by former bank employees with knowledge
2. Terrorists taking control of a computer/data center
He compared major computer center to a missile launch site. How to get-prepared and protect? How to communicate with operators if they were controlled by terrorists and under the threat? There are advanced methods to verify identity of the person at commanding console. There are methods for silent alarm to activate counter actions and to simulate operative mode.
Mr Harari's scenarios were quite extreme but they gave development ideas to Finnish banking computer center managers who had new responsibilities: the money in electrical format, and privacy of financial information. In banking, the goal was/is to maintain people's trust onto the money in any imaginable situation.
The first Data Security Seminar in Finland, Helsinki September 1983.
- Nokia NET Magazine, Feb-84
Multinational corporations (MNCs) had to protect their business information: cost/margin level info in business communications, documents and transactions.
Banks had to protect the money in electrical format, the new responsibility they had entered. There was a need to understand the different priorities and levels of security when
• Protecting the Money
• Protecting the information about Money
MEDIA
Finnish TV reported Nokia's Data Security Seminar in prime news. Mr Harari and I were interviewed in Hotel Inter-Continental by TV news team. Our message was: add knowledge, get-prepared. February 1984 Nokia NET Magazine published an article The First Data Security Seminar better than expected.
FEEDBACK
All positive. More and ever deeper information was wanted. Nokia's Data Security Seminar in Helsinki was a wake-up call and activated Finnish data security developments. Awareness about complexity in data security spread in Finland.
Data Security Seminar demonstrated how close to each other
The Corporates • Technology • The State
had become. Seminar widened my horizon and was a personal milestone.
Dinner with Mr Harari. Table in Restaurant Mikado opposite to Stockmann Department Store, Helsinki. Harari told me these were busy times. He came to Helsinki from Argentina. Helsinki was his 18th seminar within 12 months period. It can be heavy, he was sort of exhausted. Next he was going back to Paris. At the Charles de Gaulle airport, north of Paris, he would give an interview to French TV news related to Star Wars, Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defence Initiative, hot topic back then. African town Harare was in his holiday plans. The day when Harari left, Helsinki got the first autumn snow but we made it to the airport just in time.
2024 "HOW CAN WE TRUST INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN?"
Earlier it was slow pace. When someone wanted to collect data with value, they might utilise insiders in target organisation. Then came wireline era. Ultimately someone could get an apartment from the same building, get into telecomm cabin to connect the target's telewiring to their apartment, and start monitoring data.
In 1980s more vulnerabilities emerged as complexity grew in digital computing. With networks, Internet and new user interfaces, many saw opportunity with data security consultancy and encryption software. A few years after Albert Harari's seminar the first Finnish start-ups appeared, got listed, with focus on anti-virus protection and firewalls.
In 2024 information sharing is a lifestyle. Social Media users willingly share their habits, contacts, location, messages, pictures and more. Net tracking, data mining, targeted marketing. Most have become addicts to reveive positive feedback from others. Person's values, principles, likes, dislikes and taste will become part of Big Data. A.I (Artificial Intelligence) knows and compares data to reference group for next steps, for, again, targeted marketing. A.I can know where person is heading and may give a direction to go.
Traditional legacy media is giving space to Social Media APPs like WhatsApp, WeChat, or TikTok (Douyin) and their 'talking heads'. APPs aggregate new functions to grow. Cyber criminals have seen a big door opening, they may use misinformation and their creativity to target individuals and masses. Big Data apps have proven partnerships with State actors. They learn and use A.I to find weaknesses and behaviour patterns. They want to influence, to challenge values and principles for their purposes. A.I is already the big winner. And with 5G now and Quantum Computing (possibly coming after some years, or, this might be overpromise), upheaval is only beginning. Trust? Return to off-grid? Is there an alternative?
🎶 Money, it's a gas, keep your hands off of my stack ... 🎶
-- Pink Floyd
Data Security Presentations, Reports, Activities when at Nokia Data
• 1982-1988 Secretary, HLSUA Computer Security Committee, 7 years
-- Honeywell Bull Large Scale Users' Association /Nokia
• 1983 Participant, IFIP's First Security Conference, Stockholm /Nokia
• 1983 Organiser, the first Data Security Seminar, Helsinki /Nokia
• 1984 Nokia Compus Report: Computer Center Security
-- Secretary of the research group
-- Members: Nokia, HOP Bank, KOP Bank, SKOP Bank, PSP Bank
• 1984 Presentations: Computer Center Security
-- Helsinki at Finlandia Hall, ICT Conference, Tiet.käs.liitto /Nokia
-- Helsinki at Finlandia Hall, SW Conference, Tiet.käs.liitto /Nokia
-- Oulu at Blanko ICT Conference, University of Oulu /Nokia
• 1985 Presentations: Securing Corporate Information Value
-- Helsinki, Nokia Corp. HQ internal auditors
-- Helsinki, Nokia Corp. IT management
-- several Finnish corporations and banks
• 1986 Presentations: Securing Corporate Information Value
-- Helsinki, Hanasaari Cultural Center, Sisäiset Tarkastajat Ry /Nokia
-- Häckeberga Castle, Genarp, Sweden, HLSUA Nordic meeting /Nokia
• 1987 Project: Data security risk analysis for a major corporate
• 1988 Nokia Compus Report: Impact of the privacy law
-- Secretary of the research group
-- Members: Nokia, Puolustusvoimat, HPY, Verohallitus, Luottokontrolli
HLSUA, HONEYWELL BULL LARGE SCALE USERS' ASSOCIATION
1980 - 1989
Being active in HLSUA association was part of my work at Nokia. Nokia represented, sold and supported Honeywell Bull mainframe systems, main customers being Finnish banks and major Finnish corporates. Over 30 installations were delivered. Nokia's major partner was Groupe Bull (former Bull General Electric; Honeywell Bull, CII Honeywell Bull; Bull) in Paris.
Nyhavn, Copenhagen,
May 24, 1984.
European HLSUA meeting.
Celebration dinner was held in Tivoli Gardens.
Computer center personnel wanted to learn best practices from each other. Computer centers of the time were dynamic environments. HLSUA, which was a global activity, became the key forum for sharing both technical knowledge and management practices. In addition, the members needed continuously technical updates and courses.
For 9 years I participated HLSUA meetings in Finland and in Scandinavian level, sharing developments and computer center practices at Nokia.
HLSUA - My Roles
• 1980-1989 Member, Computer Center Management Committee
• 1980-1989 Member, Scandinavian Installation Committee
• 1982-1988 Secretary, Computer Center Security Committee
• 1987-1989 Intl. Coordinator, Computer Center Mngt Committee
HLSUA - Meetings
• Sweden, Lund: Swedish Library Service process, meeting
• Sweden, Genarp: Häckeberga Castle meeting
• Sweden, Sundsvall, Södra Berget: Computer center, meeting
• Norway, Trondheim: Banking services center, tour, meeting
• Denmark, Copenhagen: European HLSUA Event, meeting
-- Tour at Carlsberg Brewhouse (1901) and computer center
• Denmark, Billund: Legoland Billund, meeting
• Finland, Helsinki: Helsinki University Hospital, IT-processes
• Finland, Vantaa: National Bureau of Investigation (KRP)
• Finland, Kuopio: Tietosavo Oy service center (Enfo Oyj)
• Finland, Turku: Turun Sanomat Oy, publication process
• Finland, Loviisa: Nuclear Power Plant, processes (Fortum)
• Finland, Nokia town: Nokia Rubber, factory processes
• Finland, Helsinki: regular meetings in banking computer centers
• Bank members: KOP Bank, OKO Bank, SYP Bank, SKOP Bank, PSP Bank
COMPUTER CENTER WORKSHOPS
1978 - 1990 FINLAND 40 WEEKS, INTERNATIONAL 50 WEEKS
I kept workshops. During 1980s I visited around 20 major European computer centers, corporations and governmental, keeping workshops and for meetings. Frequent updates, trainings and courses were needed for their personnel. Meetings with computer center managers and experts was needed to share information, best practises and learnings.
WORKSHOPS FOR PRODUCTIVITY
Large mainframe systems were major investments, complicated and their operating system software, back then, less perfect. Managing exceptional/problem situations in professional way had to be backed by knowledge and training. Optimising and productivity were the key phrases. Strength of self-confidense working with these systems was challenged.
My workshops were for Honeywell Bull mainframe installations with Gcos8 operating system. Key topics were how to operate mainframe system effectively and how to manage exceptional situations and re-configuration. Every computer center, every mainframe computer, had sometimes situations which required complex re-configuration procedures. Better understanding gave self-confidence, right actions were taken to avoid 'paralysis' and lose of valuable processing time. Or entering into time-consuming recovery processes.
Computer center tourism. Glass-walled computer centers became exotic touring targets for top management and their business partners. It happened (abroad) that such a visitor group had stopped to watch mainframe systems through the glass wall. Suddenly the person at the mainframe system, he hadn't noticed the visitors, dropped onto his knees and prayed hands up in front of the mainframe. One visitor asked:
- What is he doing now!
Well, probably there was time pressures and process uncertainty. Anyway, one reason more why access to computer centers had to be limited to personnel only. Rational approach, more training was needed.
Honeywell DPS 88/82 Dual system. Gcos8 mainframe around 1984. Liquid-cooled CPU based on micropacks design. Powerful for transaction processing.
- Brochure photo
MY WORKSHOPS
I kept Gcos8 Operator Workshops, 3-5 days each, in Nokia Information Technology Education Center (NITEC) in Helsinki for computer centre personnels. With 20 classrooms and workshop rooms NITEC was the biggest training center in Finland focusing on information technology. In NITEC, Helsinki, I did 40 weeks of workshops.
My 5-day workshops, basic and advanced, were wanted abroad by banks, corporations and state organisations for their computer centers. I went other countries to keep workshops in computing centres, banks and state organisations, in Honeywell Bull training centres and IT/engineering course facilities. Often my workshops were international with participants from two or three countries. I enjoyed travelling and meeting new people, great fun. Outside Helsinki, I did in total 50 weeks workshops in 4 countries, mainly in Stockholm, Sundsvall, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Baghdad.
Keeping computer center workshops was accepted by Nokia as a 'side role' while I went through several other non-related professional roles. Demand for these workshops was often more than I could handle. Great times, I learned a lot from others experiences and about working with group. After keeping an intensive 5-day workshop I felt exhausted like a warrior after a battle. I kept my last computer center workshop in 1990 in Copenhagen.
BE SEEING YOU
Once again I was to run a week-long workshop outside Finland, for a state organization. This was in the city center. They gave me a personal guard. He was beside me 5 full days. Each day received me, was literary beside me all the time and finally walked me out of the building. Their computer center was deep underground. When going down there I felt like Maxwell Smart with technology, stand box, and door systems before reaching the lift down. My 5-day workshop had twelve participants with call names, no info about their roles or positions. They were interested to learn and understand, and they did well. Five full days. Must say that they, back then, produced technologically very advanced services not many countries were able.
Left:Honeywell DPS8/49 entry-level ELS-2 system with Gcos8. Development systems or dedicated application processors from 1980. Integrated, microcoded. UNIX-based competition was raising.
- Brochure photo
MY WORKSHOPS - over 40 weeks in Finland 1978-1983
• All workshops at Nokia Data NITEC Center, Helsinki
-- NITEC: Nokia Information Technology Education Center
MY WORKSHOPS - over 50 weeks International 1981-1990
• At education centers in Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands
• At computer centers in Sweden, Iraq and Netherlands
• Denmark, Copenhagen: Honeywell Bull Mr Hans-Olof Lehnert
• Denmark, Copenhagen: 20 weeks multi-country workshops
• Denmark, Copenhagen: four locations, mainly in Domus Vista
• Denmark, Copenhagen: the last workshop of them all in 1990
• Sweden, Stockholm: Honeywell Bull Mr Björn Lyckman
• Sweden, Stockholm: 10 weeks for Swedish organisations, banks
• Sweden, Stockholm: at country's main computer center sites
• Sweden, Sundsvall: two weeks in RFV's computer center
• France, Paris: Groupe Bull (supercomputers, security)
• Iraq, Baghdad: workshops and projects during 1981-1989
• Iraq, Baghdad: National Computer Center (NCC)
• Iraq, Baghdad: Rafidain Bank, participants from universities
• Netherlands, Amsterdam: 3-weeks workshop for Iraqis in 1989
• Netherlands, Amsterdam: two training sites at canals
BAGHDAD PROJECTS DURING IRAN-IRAQ WAR
1980 - 1989 HOW I BECAME a NOKIA PATRIOT
During 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War I was invited several times to keep workshops and for projects in Baghdad. The war lasted from September 1980 to August 1988, about one million died and half million became permanent invalids.
May 1980 the head of Nokia Training Center Kari Lounasmeri sent me a message (on paper) to Kilo-TK Computer Center. His question was if I was ready and willing to go Baghdad to assist Nokia's French business partner. Technology business between Nokia and the French partner corporation was important. If I accepted the Baghdad project and helped the French, Nokia would gain flexibility and benefits f.ex. in commercial terms negotiations (f.ex. tech transfer price) between the two corporations, I was told. This was a major issue which, for me, became a turning point. I was curious and still under 30 years old at that time.
I had enjoyed my time at Nokia. Now Nokia patriotism was on call and I liked that attention and trust. War with Iran hadn't started yet. No hesitation, my answer was YES, I replied as a famous expression goes
- Yes, ready and willing
Being willing was not enough, must perform. My key partner in getting prepared for the first Baghdad project was Tapio Ratio from Kilo-TK Computer Centre. We listened to Miles Davis and King Crimson and studied tech hard. Tapio had good expertise in some areas and patience to go through tricky issues, great help. But, when iterating issues more and what was ahead, I probably got a few butterflies in my stomach.
My first two-week trip to Baghdad was booked for September 1980. Flight tickets were ready, from Helsinki via Geneva to Baghdad, and my luggage was packed. But the Iran-Iraq War started that very, same day. Because of security risk most embassies, including North European countries, closed their operations. Foreign companies in Baghdad closed their offices. Panic, fear. Foreign employees rushed out from Iraq by all means and routes, by land car caravans to Jordania and by air. My trip to Baghdad was canceled, manager Heino Laine called just two hours before take-off at Helsinki Airport.
The Iran-Iraq war had begun. I was told that in Paris HQ of French partner company, the decision to leave Iraq was delayed. Their presence turned into business advantage, loyalty became a useful tool when "all the others had left Iraq". Soon I was invited to Baghdad, Iraq again. Adventure, a long adventure was to begin. At the same time those were sad times as my father Lennart past away.
BAGHDAD PROJECTS - No hesitation
The need was in place, preparations had been done, and Nokia said me this time it's a go. It was the war time. I received a special invitation letter from Baghdad. With it Iraq Embassy in Helsinki issued me Visa for entry to Iraq. My trips to Baghdad lasted two weeks at a time. I travelled alone. And there were not many others going to that direction.
Flight by Finnair from Helsinki to Paris, then by Iraq Airways from Paris to Saddam International Airport in Baghdad. At Paris CDG Airport the Iraq Airways plane had armed guards at gate. Only a few passengers, maybe just five. Long wait inside the aged aircraft at the gate. Finally information: some luggages suspected not to belong to any passenger. Short line of luggages was placed on the tarmac beside the aircraft. Passengers had to go out to tarmac point own luggage, mine was there, which was then lifted into the plane. Several luggages on tarmac were left unclaimed.
A long flight from Paris to Baghdad. An hour before landing curtains were pulled down and cabin lights and airplane's lights were turned off. In the dark, inside and outside. This was a security measure when approaching Baghdad. Getting closure, followed a lot of twists, turns and dive in dark before finally landing after midnight around 2am to Saddam International Airport. That was all new experience for me.
Entry to the war time Iraq was by invitation Visa only, of course no tourists, only a few other passangers, my plane was almost empty. Three security checks to get into the country, into the military zone. Procedures were detail and took couple of hours. After 4am I met my pick-up person who took me via famous but empty Airport Expressway to Baghdad city. Only some lights, very few cars in traffic. He drove Peugeot estate high speed. Driver, who was Vietnamese origin Frenchman, took me to Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel.
A few hours later in the morning he drove me to French company's office. It was a hot day. Car windows were kept closed for burning sun and for dust. I didn't expect a holiday and felt excited but ready.
Saddam International Airport
later renamed as
Baghdad International Airport
- Net photo
Baghdad 'office' of Nokia's French partner company looked like from the movie Casablanca. This was nothing like their Baghdad corporation office which probably was closed. This was a humble, dusty room with betony floor, a few wooden desks, table, large fan rotating slowly in the middle of the ceiling. Not an office, this was a 'place' in somewhere. Two Frenchmen whom I never met before. Quite relaxed feeling. Our meeting, four of us, was brief: situation, arrangements, agenda and the next phase. I understood this was quite safe arrangement, there somewhere.
The war had begun, most foreign embassies in Baghdad had already been closed and their personnel left the country. Same with the corporations.
HOTEL AL-SADEER, BAGHDAD
Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel is located nearby AliBaba Fountain, and Hotel Sheraton at famous Firdos Square (big Saddam Hussein Statue 2002-2003). When Sheraton was hit by a jet, Al-Sadeer felt sort of safer. Al-Sadeer was always my base.
Personnel in Al-Sadeer was mainly from Filippines, India, and Sri Lanka. Reception and restaurants personnel were Filipinos, lobby personnel were Tamils and pool attendants Sinhalese and Indian. Filipinos at reception remembered to tell me about 1952 Miss Universe Armi Kuusela, a Finn who married Filipino businessman Virgilio Hilario.
Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel
in Baghdad. Net photo.
I stayed 2-week periods in Hotel Al-Sadeer, my room always facing over the pool.
Quests. Hotel quests were mainly from arms corporations. 30 rooms from up floor were all time reserved to one major arms dealer group. Some sales delegations acted in diciplined format even inside the hotel. Represented products covered full range, from ammunition and hand grenades to electronic upgrade kits to modernise tanks, and beyond. Sometimes life in Hotel Al-Sadeer felt somewhat surrealistic.
At the Pool. There were days when Baghdad was too hot even for an experienced sauna person like myself. At Al-Sadeer's pool side in +45C with ice cold Sprite, 30 minutes was my limit. Every week a group of Armenian children (probably Christians) came there to swim and have fun for hours. The pool was excellent. Iraqis told me that during the hot periods Baghdad people don't always sleep inside, they sleep out on roof terrace under the stars.
At Al-Sadeer's pool side I saw hotel's tennis courts being built by Egyptian managers and Kurdistan workers. During the hottest time the workers managed amazingly well. Some dipped into water barrel to wet their loose trousers from belt-level down for cooling. And work continued, they were strong men. My feeling was that workers were proud to be able to work in such hotness where I hardly managed to stay out 30 mins with my iced glass of Sprite. Sauna doesn't prepare well for desert heat.
The Baghdad Observer was the only English language newspaper available. For other sources of information I had a Sony ICF-7600D shortwave radio. Listening to radio was allowed only with earphones as Al-Sadeer Novotel was located near 14th of Ramadan Mosque. I often stayed at hotel's pool side scanning radio waves.
Evenings. Hotel Al-Sadeer was often active during the evening time. I experienced celebrations and wedding parties with music groups and decorated cars. Noisy events, dancing. Iraqi women cheered and ululated loudly in the dark Baghdad night.
In the evenings Hotel Al-Sadeer's restaurant and bar (entrance level but inside the building) were busy with foreign experts, weapons and expertise sellers, and U.N. officials. I never met any media personnel but there was a lot of curiosity talk about why others may have come to wartime Baghdad. Of course, nobody told anything but some kept asking.
- What brings you to Baghdad?
- We build subways...
- I am from U.N. (a black woman showing Norwegian passport cover)
Hotel Al-Sadeer's bar was relax but general feeling was cautious. Quite similar to Casablanca (1942) movie scene were Rick, acted by Humphrey Bogart says to Ilsa Lund, acted by Ingrid Bergman:
- Why did you have to come... there are other places?
I sort of liked the weird atmosphere at dinners and the bar.
Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel
in Baghdad.
March 9, 2005 attack,
explosion and sniper fire.
- Net photo
DAYS IN BAGHDAD COMPUTER CENTERS
I had a pick-up from Hotel Al-Sadeer every morning, a local driver, to and from and around when needed. Always the same driver, contracted, I didn't need to pay him. He often showed me a small photo of his child and asked for pens and notes paper.
In Baghdad I went to National Computer Center (NCC) and in Rafidain Bank Computer Center. Rafidain Bank, Arab world’s largest commercial bank, had a new, modern computer center building, Swiss construction. NCC's computer center was in a building beside a children's hospital (Ibn Al-Haytham Hospital) near Hotel Al-Sadeer. Both computer centers had the latest Honeywell Bull large mainframe installations. NCC had a high capacity dual system.
I had meetings with tens of Iraqi technical specialists, did workshops for computer center personnel and joined systems optimising with specialists and the management. My role was about individual skills, capabilities and motivation. Most of the personnel, no doubt about it, were top-level educated local talents. Only seldom I met another foreigner in these computer centers, in that case a visiting hardware engineer fixing some problem, then leaving.
My workshops and projects in Baghdad usually involved 10 to 40 persons. Everything was tape-recorded, such were the times, disturbing practise but I got used to it.
Personnel. As Iraqi men were in war, personnel in computer centers were mainly women. Some of them were called (by others) good Muslims, they wore traditional style light gray-blue clothing. Many of them had small work room with glass wall towards corridors. Others had Western style clothing, even miniskirts. Much of their role was to stand in given positions in glass-walled area of computer hall. Many of them were software/hardware engineers. Managers were men.
Warriors. There was a Honeywell DPS6 mini system (I was not involved on DPS6) software engineer, professional. He had been a soldier near Basra, some 500km south, area of 70% of country's oil reserves. He was very popular person. Every time when meeting him, he went through his war experiences, the story.
- The worst was not the war itself, or lack of sleep, or lack of food...
- The worst was not the hotness, snakes, or the deads, a lot of deads...
- The worst was... mosquitos!
He demonstrated mosquito's sound by propelling and dancing around a while. Then normalising. He wrote notes onto his arms and hands which were already full of texts and numbers.
There was an engineer who had lost an eye. He had visited U.K. for operations and got a glass eye. Many times his political views were quite extreme, which was exceptional as others never talked about middle east politics. His self-agitation raised like a storm and resulted furious anger. During those moments I focused on my little cup of strong, muddy espresso-type coffee and hoped the situation normalised soon.
There was a veteran who had been fighting Iran-Iraq war for three years period. For that service the fighters were given Brazilian made VW Passat Brasili as compensation/gift from the state. He was on his one year resting period, war holiday, working in the computer center. Thoughtful, not noisy, not stormy person.
Power-off Procedures. Computer centers were operating six days a week, five hours per day. Each day ended with systems' power-off procedures, all done afternoon by 2pm. I had not seen such power-off rule in any other computer center, and I had visited many. Usually these major investments were kept 24/7 in production service. Why power-off? Much thinking and thoughts were related to that seemingly non-rational way of using mainframe capacities.
Every day before 2pm tens of light blue Buicks arrived to pick the computer center women and to drive them back to their villas. Wives of Saddam's military officers, I was told.
MEETING THE HIGH OFFICER
I was asked for a meeting with the high Officer. I went alone. Earlier I sometimes had consultative Q/A meetings with computer center management but this was different. He was No.1 of the operations, the Leader, on the level where technology meets politics. Political appointee? Several minutes of waiting outside. Interpreter was visibly very nervous, looking like afraid. She didn't speak to me, we were just waiting to be informed to go in. I wondered why she was so nervous, restless. What was it going to be?
The Office. The top floor office was wood panelled with dark wood furnishing. When walking towards the Officer I felt like walking in The Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, shrinking by every step. This office was only a bit shorter. At the end, behind decorated large writing deck sat the Officer, his back towards window. He had thick, heavy looking, square glasses. Chair for me was a few meters in front of Officer's table. Interpreter sat on the right at the wall side. Just three of us.
The Meeting. During our 30 minutes discussion the high Officer didn't say a word! Secretary spoke to me English, made questions. Then she spoke to high Officer, followed a period of silence, and she talked again to me. Did the high Officer control secretary's answers by eye contact? No earphones, no Google Glass back then. Moments of silence. I am ok with silence. Then our surreal discussion continued.
The Question. The Leader had a question (professional, private). As I was not used to such thinking, I felt not comfortable to answer. But I clarified my view, stood up and even leaned forward towards Officer's table, probably not culturally correct act at all. This was serious. We couldn't agree and the meeting ended. The meeting left me confused.
PRESIDENTIAL PALACE - THE DORA FARMS
I was invited to dinner at Dora Dora beside the Tigris River in Southern Baghdad. My host, he was from the computer center, came to pick me from Hotel Al Sadeer with his new VW Passat Brasili, a compensation/gift for three years war service from the state. Drive to DoraDora took around 20-30 minutes. He drove, I sat beside on the front seat.
At Dora Farms Palace area my host took me first to the Tigris River to show the fishing pond and water pumping station which was used for date tree farm around the Palace. At water pumping station I met the family which took care of the pumping machinery for the water canal system. Inside the pumping station was a room-sized container and large rotary wheels.
Next he drove us back cross the date farm's narrow roads to the Palace. On the way we passed the old palace building. Years back it had been converted to personnel housing.
My host called the main Palace in Dora Dora 'the New Palace'. It was built around 1958. Palace compound had other buildings. Old palace, the date farm and the Tigris River were near and surrounding the New Palace. Palace's main entrance had several massive, high round pillars. In front of the entrance were three black limousines, one of them was long, new Cadillac limousine.
The Palace Hall - State Gifts. I took steps up, the pillars, and through high doors inside the Palace. I entered into wide, around 15 meters long and some four meters high Palace Hall. The hall was for receiving the state guests as this was a presidential Palace. My host introduced me details of the Palace. The floor bricks had been imported from Iran.
Palace Hall's walls were covered with carpets, gifts and large photographs. Low tables in mid hall had glassware and porcelain arts. At corners wooden cabinets with glass doors had metal works and arts. One of the cabinets had three units of 3-branch silver candelabras for three candles, each placed on their own layer. Gifts from Turkey. We stopped at them for a while as they looked, how to put it, love!
Palace Hall was filled with gifts from visiting heads of states and leaders. Erich Honecker (1912-1994) leader of East Germany, DDR, visited this Palace around 1980. His gifts were light porcelain, placed in the middle of the hall on a large, low table. Gifts from many other leaders.
Idi Amin (1925-2003)
President of Uganda had
visited Dora Palace. I saw
a big group photo, he in the
middle standing with Sheikh.
- Net photo
My host took time to introduce me the gift collections in the Palace Hall. Then double doors opened into the Dining Hall. Personnel opened the doors as we approached them, invisibly, I didn't see them. It was a prepared act to raise the mood. I felt curious about the next phase.
Dinner in the Palace. The Dining Hall was same width as the quest-receiving Palace Hall, but narrow. Its size was spacious enough for one long wooden dining table for at least 20 persons. Dining Hall's wall had several windows. It was night already, outside was dark. The lights in Dining Hall were very dim. At the end of that long dinner table had dishes readily served. Chicken, fruits, specialities and plenty more, enough for at least six persons and we were just two. Silent moments. Many famous leaders must have dined at that table. It was a long bench, I sat my back towards the doors to Palace Hall, facing my host and night windows behind him. To my left the long table was empty. The night was absolutely silent, perfect.
I never saw other people inside the Palace, only my host. But, of course, we were not alone.
The Palace complex was managed by the Sheikh who was Top-5 Leader in Iraq. My host was Sheikh's youngest son.
The reason for inviting me to dinner was related to some issues in the computer center. This was a 'relations' dinner and a work dinner, but we didn't talk much. As a Finn, periods of silence, thinking and watching, was fine for me. Just we two.
The Question. My host had a question (professional, private) which probably was the very reason for this dinner. For me that question was already familiar but complex. I gave the answer, simple and short. But was it enough for this 30 years old man, having his resting year after three years of service at war? I noticed his heavy stress. War time Baghdad was not exactly a relax place to be. After dinner he drove me back to Hotel Al-Sadeer by his Passat Brasili. Completely dark Baghdad night. Across Southern Baghdad, no other traffic, not much to talk, many thoughts, hotel.
WIKIPEDIA - Presidential Palace Dora Farms: 19th March 2003 four 2000-pound bunker busters were dropped from two F-117 stealth fighters and around 40 satellite-guided Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from four ships to Dora Farms. All Dora Farms buildings were destroyed except the main Palace. Surprise strike started the Iraq War (2003-2011).
SHEIKH'S GIFT - SILVER CANDELABRA
GIFT GIVING EVENT WAS A FRIENDLY SURPRISE
Before my Baghdad projects begun, I didn't take much time on learning their culture. A few days after visiting the Palace a big event for me was organised in the computer center. Speech. Then my host gave me a gift, three branch candelabra with heart figure in the middle, the one I had seen in Palace Hall. He announced that the gift was decided and now given by his father, the Sheikh, the man whom I never met. Big applaud.
Silver candelabra from
Dora Farms Palace, Baghdad.
Originally a state gift from Turkey to Iraqi Sheikh. I saw three of these in the Palace Hall corner cabinet.
I felt culturally unclear and wanted to give my host something in that situation. I had a new Sony Walkman and he had never used such. Inside was Jean-Michel Jarre's Magnetic Fields on C-cassette tape. I gave Sony Walkman to him. My host standing beside me, and we standing on stage with audience of 50 people below, he put Walkman earphones on and pressed PLAY. His eyes did rapid left-right moves but he continued listening. Event was over. Great memory. Now Sony Walkman has become a collectible.
I am happy for been invited by the son of Iraqi Sheik to Dora Farms in Baghdad. Their candelabra gift reminds me of Iraqi friendliness.
DINNER MEETINGS DAILY - Hotel Al-Sadeer
Four, five times a week I had a dinner with French partners in the first floor restaurant of Hotel Al-Sadeer. A lot of dinner sessions. Every time my French partners would start by making Filipino waitresses to smile, relax, to like, to take good care of us.
The main purpose of daily tech dinner sessions was a fresh report and feedback. Soon I understood the process: the day's flow, details, skills inventory, some analysis. I learned a lot during those dinners in the shadows of the war.
PERSON + SKILL = CAPABILITY
Besides report and feedback, I focused and enjoyed entrecôtes and Bordeaux wines, both imported to Baghdad Al-Sadeer from France. Quality was always good. Bordeaux wine gives impression, then turns into after notes. In my case, second glass of Bordeaux wine positively 'whistles' in the brain. I became Bordeaux wine lover (but remain still far from being an expert) at the most unlikely place on earth: at the River Tigris in hot, dry, war-time Baghdad. After dinner we might walk to nearby Ishtar Sheraton Hotel. There we took glass-box elevator up, through the lobby ceiling, on hotel's outer wall high up to the bar level. Drinks, thoughts exchange, views over Baghdad and the River Tigris. Quite a place!
UNINVITED NIGHT VISITOR - Hotel Al-Sadeer
As it happened. A Baghdad night, somebody entering into my room on 4th floor in Hotel Al-Sadeer. It was around 4am. A small 'click'. Happened that my sleep was thin that moment, noticed it. I popped awake, jumped rapidly up. No lights, door opened, room got some light from corridor but it was dark. Adrenaline! Will fight to defend myself! I shouted maximum loud
- Who are YOU!!
Uninvited visitor turned, in corridor he run. Failed attempt. There was some other rooms occupied near mine. I didn't leave the room to follow. By key? Intent? Was he alone? I had my theory about the reason why I had become a target. No alternative on where I could stay in Baghdad. A close shave! Baghdad was in war, war zone, and I was tired, worried, alone but alive. No more night sleeps.
Before leaving Baghdad I stayed short time in a villa with the French. They took me to the airport. My visits to Baghdad were put on hold.
ACROSS THE RIVER TIGRIS - Scouting Baghdad
Many places in Baghdad became very familiar: Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel, National Computer Center (NCC), Rafidain Bank Computer Center.
Going around, seen and been:
• Ishtar Sheraton Hotel at Firdos Square near Ramadan Mosque
• Saadoun Street (Saddam images), Al Rasheed Street (pillars)
• AliBaba Fountain near my hotel at Kahramana Square
• Tahrir Square - Liberation Square, Monument of Freedom
• Swords Gate aka Victory Arches of Qadisiyah (1986)
• Al-Shaheed Monument aka Martyr's Memorial (1983)
• Souq Al Safafeer Market, coppersmiths' bazaar (noise)
• Tupili Department Stores (no goods)
• Antiques shop in Al-Mansour district (dust)
• Presidential Dora Farms Palace at Tigris River (dinner)
• Dora Dora water pump station and date farm at Tigris River
• Saddam International Airport aka Baghdad International Airport
Saadoun Street. Always busy with people. Every shop had a framed, large photo of Saddam Hussein. Wall-sized president images in street corners, painted and mosaic images on walls. Coffee at the Tigris River, done.
Souq Al Safafeer Market. With the French I visited Souq Al Safafeer coppersmiths’ market. By car to al-Rasheed Street near al-Shuhada (Martyrs) bridge. Then into the hundreds of years old Souq, a long labyrinth of shops and workshops. Craftsmen shouted to get our attention as there were no other foreigners or even local customers. They hammered copper into new shapes and products. They made kitchenware and decorative plates, pots and vases. Souq Al Safafeer was not busy but it was a noisy experience, like wild drumming. When siesta begun I saw craftsmen napping on their large worktables. Money exchange at hotel gave one dinar for one USD. From Souq Al Safafeer I bought four decorative copper vases, two old, small Indian vases and a Kurdistan carpet.
Republic of Iraq July Festival 1980
• 100 fils stamp, Saddam Hussein
• Bought this in Baghdad in 1985
Antiques. A person at Rafidain Bank told me about an antique shop in Mansour district. 30 mins drive by his car. When we arrived the owner and his son, both wearing traditional white Arabian clothing, were standing outside to welcome me into their shop. Smiling welcomes, long handshakes. Antiques shop was no small. Probably no other customers visiting there for a very long time. They had antique furniture, lamps and metal works, all covered with fine dust. Some goods needing a little fix, from Marie Antoinette, they said. Their collection was vast but I didn’t find mine. I will always remember their warm welcome.
Curry. Food market was busy with people. At spice corner I saw an old man making curry. He had a big round punch of straws, mixture of many spices, probably curry, coriander, turmeric, others. He pressed straws against rotating grinder stone resulting yellow curry powder. Curry's strong aroma filled the place.
Round trips. From Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel to AliBaba Fountain. Then near 14th of Ramadan Mosque and Firdos Square where Saddam Hussein statue was erected April 2002 and pulled down April 2003. To Ishtar Sheraton Hotel (renamed Cristal Grand Ishtar Hotel, 2013) at Firdos Square. Tigris River and Saadoun Street.
Sandstorms. Seen such coming, massive. Dusty sand from desert cuts visibility to minimum, less than 100 meters. All becomes yellow-red-orange. The sun reflection turned into small violet ball on car windscreen. I know now what the word surreal really means: a sandstorm.
Sometimes fighter jets speeded across the Baghdad sky. Iraqi troops with Russian made ZU-23 23mm anti-aircraft machine guns were on top of high buildups, a lot of them, everywhere, alert.
AliBaba Fountain, Baghdad
near Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel.
Sometimes I walked to AliBaba
fountain, to Firdos Square,
to Sheraton hotel and back.
- Net photo
MAIL PIGEON
I was leaving from Baghdad computer center. A lot of hand shakings and picture takings. Tears, even cries as we had spent much time together and shared interest on computer technology to learn about mainframes. As individuals, we had developed some level of trust during stressful war time. Let's sing!
🎶 WAIT!
Oh yes, wait a minute Mister Postman -- Wait!
Wai-ai-ai-ait Mister Postman
Mister Postman look and see, oh yeah ...
Deliver the letter, the sooner the better ... 🎶
-- The Beatles
The Letters. During the war sending letters from Iraq to abroad was limited. One person had earlier asked me to help in mailing. I was non-political and pro-communication. But it was not so simple even after I learnt their reasons. They probably took much bigger risk than I did. I got a thick pack of letters to be mailed to their destinations once I was in Europe. I checked every letter carefully from outside. At Saddam International Airport, through multiple layers of checking. Then night flight to Paris. It is surprising but there is a little mail pigeon in every man.
Later at the Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), north of Paris, I bought stamps and mailboxed around 20 letters while waiting for Finnair flight to leave to Helsinki. I remembered my mother, she used to call me Pulu, a funny Finnish word for pigeon. This time I really felt like Pulu, licking the stamps, mailboxing the letters, and returning to home. A real human mail pigeon, Pulu, me.
BOX OF DATE PALM DATES
Guards at computer center's outer gate had earlier demonstrated me their trigger fingers by shooting around. So effective that I didn't seriously consider making any sudden movements, like lifting arm to wave for hello or bye-bye. Body language: restricted. But this time was different, the guards stopped me and smiled. Guards gave me a gift, big box of date palm! I thanked and took it along. Dates were of excellent quality, sweet. Amazing friendliness. I took that box to Helsinki.
AMMAN AIRPORT ROCKS
Once again, Air France flight from Baghdad to Paris (in Paris transit to Helsinki) had a stop around 4am in Amman, Jordan, Queen Alia International Airport. Airplane's crew announced one hour stop, allowed to briefly stretch the legs in Amman Airport. I went, other travellers, there were only a few in the plane, didn't leave their seats.
Been to Amman. I left the plane and walked into the Amman Airport. Behind the first corner a group of night guards. No friendly words, I got captured by a group of over-eager night guards. We didn't have a common language, no other people. They turned aggressive and rapidly pointed their rifles towards me. One of them pushed his gun hard against my face, under my nose! I pulled head backwards, against the wall. I was between the face-pressing rifle barrel and the wall. Moments my eyes focused on the rifle's barrel, I probably looked like a Chaplin but nobody was smiling. This was a real activity, not a dream or movie or prank show. This was a rapid development in Amman Airport, a surprise which turned an ugly experience.
No other people, 4am at night. Guards pushed me against the wall. I didn't agitate them. There was no point to resist, they had the control. They pushed me, shouted, got self-agitated. It grew into an attack, a brief punching and beating until they let me to dig my passport.
Survived Amman. Finally the guards let me go back to the plane. How did I feel when flying from Amman towards Paris? Hammered but surviving.
• My face had a red punch mark
• My neck was bruised
• My right arm was hurting quite badly if moving
Next time to Amman. I prefer having a flight stop in Amman during the daylight. After, landing to Paris CDG Airport had never felt as good. But there was still long hours until I would be back home in Helsinki.
MY LAST BAGHDAD PROJECT in 1989
Officially Iran-Iraq War ended August 1988. But a lot had changed, visiting Baghdad after the war was considered even more risky. Missiles had been used against Baghdad. My last workshop project for Iraqis was arranged to Amsterdam, for safety reasons. It was a 3-week long marathon workshop in September 1989. Participants flew in from Baghdad and Mosul, they were from Baghdad computer centers and from Mosul University. They stayed in a hotel at Damrak Avenue. I stayed in Hotel Sonesta Renaissance at Amsterdam Singel Canal for three weeks. For daily arrangement the partner provided a facility in their education centre.
Three Exhausting Weeks. For me those three Amsterdam weeks were mentally heavy. Risk, the adventure, was ending. I had grown during those years. I knew this was the closure. Experience was strong in mind, I felt like a patriot but was totally exhausted. Participants got productive three weeks. From Amsterdam they bought latest Sinclair ZX Spectrum home computers to carry back to home.
Some wars involving Iraq
• 1980 Sept 22 - 1988 Aug 20 Iran-Iraq War: over 1 million died
- 1980 Sept 30, Osirak nuclear reactors bombed by Iran
- 1981 June 7, Osirak nuclear complex destroyed by Israel
• 1990-1991 Gulf War: Kuwait, 605 oil wells set to burn
• 1998 Bombing of Iraq: WMD, infrastructure destroyed, 4 days
• 2003-2011 Iraq War: WMD, U.S. invasion, elections
- Foreign Minister “Baghdad Bob” performed amazing announcements
- Saddam Hussein (1937-2006)
• 2014-2018 Iraqi Civil War: over 8000 airstrikes, ISIS
BYE-BYE TO BAGHDAD PROJECTS
1980 - 1989
My computer center workshops and assistance in Baghdad started in 1980 in the beginning of Iran-Iraq War. I supported Nokia Corp's French business partner which operated in Iraq, in exchange for benefits to Nokia. My projects were proposed and accepted by Nokia as a side track while my professional career was developing. Baghdad projects were not made public information within the company. Nine years later in 1989 my Baghdad projects period ended in Amsterdam near Singel Canal.
Baghdad projects expanded my view about the Tech, it's power in good and in bad.
Diary. Details of my Baghdad projects are from my diary written in Baghdad at Al-Sadeer Hotel's room and pool side and in Amsterdam Hotel Sonesta Renaissance.
SUMMARY - Adventures in Pressure Cooker: done
• Baghdad projects were approved by my Nokia manager
• Experienced surrealist orange sandstorm while in Baghdad
• Projects made me feel a true Nokia patriot: corp. warrior
• French partners in Paris and Baghdad were professionals
• Projects and experiences were eye-opening, situations exciting
• Working with professionals made it a learning program
• I grew, felt as a student, learnt: I wish good to Iraq
SEIRENES CALLING - BUT I WAS STRONG
1986 - 1988 JOY of JOB OFFERS
I was still working for Nokia Data. During those years I got several interesting job offers. In Helsinki from a major bank, from the key security organisation, and from stock exchange related corporate. From abroad, an expat job offer from Amsterdam.
Left:Nokia Data Kilo-TK
Computer Center, Espoo
CASE Amsterdam
Three weeks of phone calls, contract draft was ready. I visited Amsterdam on 25th Sept. 1986. By Finnair from Helsinki to Amsterdam, after meeting back to Helsinki, paid by Amsterdam company.
Their job offer was related to computer centers, mainframes and trainings. Offer was based on expat contract including housing, insurances, and monthly flight tickets to visit Helsinki. But some details didn't match to my expectations. Amsterdam was a 'close shave', my answer was NO.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES
Bank - Security Organisation - Stock Exchange
Doors were open to several job positions and organisations in Finland. Interviews, calls and sleepless nights. I had good speed with everything I was doing and there was not enough motivation or reward for change. My answer to these three cases, my three amigos was NO. But I took the joy of receiving that attention.
THE FIRST OWN PC 1987
NOKIA MIKROMIKKO 4TT m336
Spring 1984 Bill Gates, Microsoft, visited Nokia Data, Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki. Nokia MikroMikko 4TT got his MS-DOS and Windows 1.01. When using Paint and moving that original grey mouse, it draw a line onto the screen. Earlier I had bought hardware parts to built own PC. Box, motherboard, parts and set it up. But now I finally I got my first own factory made PC.
- My PC is much faster than yours!
Autumn 1987 at Nokia Data computer factory in Karaportti, Espoo. I got my first own Windows PC directly from the factory. It was the latest model, Nokia MikroMikko 4TT m336, Intel 20MHz 80386 processor with math coprocessor 80387, 70Mb SCSI hard disc and DU146 14" VGA display. Grey mouse with MS-DOS-based Windows 1.01.
Nokia MikroMikko 4TT
- Brochure photo
My Nokia MikroMikko 4TT m336 was a bonus for keeping a week-long workshop abroad. Its list price was half of a new VW Golf. Got my MikroMikko thanks to visionary NITEC chief Kari Kallio.
That was the era of learning capabilities and finding roles for PCs, LANs, and mini computers as dedicated application or productivity extensions to mainframe computers. Back in the day before the internets.
MY VINTAGE TECH COLLECTION
NOSTALGIA WHICH I CAN REACH OUT AND TOUCH ANYTIME
• 1930s: Calculator Facit Model TK mechanical pinwheel, Sweden
• 1940s: Film camera Keystone Criterion Model A-9 16mm, USA
• 1950s: Exposure meter Sixon CF Color Finder by Gossen, Germany
• 1950s: Typewriter Facit Halda Cicero, Sweden
• 1950s: Calculator Precise pinwheel mechanical, Switzerland
• 1960s: Rotary telephone by Helsingin Puhelinteollisuus, Finland
• 1970s: GE-635 Input/Output Controller door panel IOC, USA
• 1970s: GE-635 Magnetic Tape Unit reels, disc plugs, USA
• 1970s: GE-635 Mainframe ferro magnetic core memory modules, USA
• 1970s: H6000 Mainframe ferro magnetic core memory boards, USA
• 1970s: Telephone answer machine Ekkofon type 654/0 by Mascot AS
• 1980s: Epson collection: computers, peripherals, software, USA
• 1999: China Mobile first PrePaid sim package, set value 300RMB
• 2003: Nokia 6108 2G phone with touchpad, stylus, China
• Epson HX-20 computer, 1982
• Epson PX-8 CP/M computer
• Epson P-80 and P-40 printers
• Epson CX-21 acoustic modems
• SW: Calc, Wordstar, Cardbox
• Micro cassettes for data
LITTLE THINGS in life
HEeeRE's JOHNNY!
• Saw President Urho Kekkonen on his way to theatre
• Saw Prime Minister Golda Meir at Stockholm Grand Hotel
• Saw Swedish King leaving palace in Stockholm, driving Saab 9000
• Saw President Gerald Ford in Helsinki
• Saw Marshal of Soviet Union Dmitriy Ustinov, visited Nokia, Kilo
• Saw politicians Eduard Shevardnadze and Kofi Annan
• Experienced Weather Report, bassist Jaco Pastorius and Shakti
• When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, saw it live in Turku
• Took a night flight by British Trident aircraft
• Survived a year with Suzuki muscle enduro bike
• Helsinki, Kalevankatu, a newspaper 4am from delivery carriage
• Helsinki, Iso Roobertinkatu, party, water boiler exploded
• Witnessed water test for rubber boots in Nokia Rubber Factory
• Money loan to classmate-lawyer-communist, he never paid it back
• Show-slurped raw eggs directly from the eggshell, twice
• Watched Kenny Everett TV Shows, viva Marcel Marceau
• Stopped dreaming about Olympic jetpack after Segway arrived
• Handshake with David Hasselhoff, The Hoff, Knight Rider
• Greece, Kos Island danced Zorbas, but only once, no photos
• In Leningrad pulled a Russian man up from icy River Neva. It was
--- midnight. We made a chain of three persons. I was the reacher.
--- Dipped my hand into River Neva until reached his hand.
• Punk rock band Ramones manager Danny Fields sat beside on a flight
--- Q: Do you know Ramones? A: No, never heard
MY FIRST TRIP TO CHINA 1992
BEIJING HOLIDAY
Alternatives for Christmas holidays 1992 were Manila, Florida or Beijing. I joined to a teachers group to Beijing. My plan to learn about China was that there was no plan.
No cars in Beijing streets, pre-WTO life, very orderly going. I was as curious about Chinese as they were about me, a foreigner. I stayed at then new Gloria Plaza Hotel located at Ring-2 and JianGuoMenWai Avenue corner. From hotel's gym I had direct view over Beijing Ancient Observatory, built in 1442 during the Ming Dynasty with the purpose to explore and observe the heavens. For me, very symbolic. Gloria Plaza Hotel was good to stay but had a short life, it was put down in 2011.
My trip was tourism: Great Wall, cloisonné factory, Forbidden City, Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, Peking Opera show. Visit to school and a farm. I biked around Beijing and the weather was cold. I saw slaughtered pigs being transported on bicycles to shops and restaurants.
For Christmas dinner I took taxi from my hotel to Sheraton Hotel Great Wall. It was an old Lada, taxi driver had covered the speedometer with Mao's postcard picture. While driving he studied that picture more than the road ahead. I had a chance to wonder about Chinese mentality.
Left:Year 1992, Great Wall at Badaling near Beijing. Windy, unbelievably cold, even for a Finn grown up with strong four seasons. For survival I had to buy that hat before climbing up the wall.
Fast forward 6 years and after more trips to China. I would move to Beijing as an expat for Nokia China. That would be my second time working for Nokia Corporation. In Beijing I would study five years Mandarin Chinese language. I would work for Nokia China, then for two other companies. I would have three homes and experience SARS outbreak. But before that I was located in Helsinki, there were other companies.
3. General Electric Information Services, GEIS
1987 - 1993 TECH-BASED BUSINESS SERVICES for MULTINATIONALS
“Neutron” Jack, Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of GE Corporation 1981-2001. In 20 years he raised GE’s value from 12BUSD to 410BUSD, that is 34 times. He made GE Corp. America's most valuable company. Champion of radical change and “Manager of the Century”. Jack Welsh demanded that all of GE’s divisions must be market leaders, or be sold. GE Information Services was one of then 12 divisions.
GE Information Services and Nokia Corporation were business partners. Nokia also was a GEIS service client. GEIS network had entered Finland already in 1973. I worked with GEIS technology, value-add and clients during 1987 - 1993. An opportunity to participate Jack Welsh's business school.
part of General Electric Corp.
CLIENTS
• 65% of Global Top-1000 corporations
• 85% of European banks
• 13.000 corporations globally
• 60 Finnish multinational corporations
• Governments
GEIS Corporate Clients in Finland. Globally available services and applications were critical for 60 major Finnish MNCs like Nokia. GEIS in Finland was sales and technical service to their HQs. We supported global spare parts and treasury applications. Finnish MNC was able to use email deep in Africa via satellite link after our person travelled there for setup and test. Several MNCs used Inmarsat (British telco) satellite connections.
In Finland GEIS served around 100 import clients, foreign enterprises which had an office in Finland.
Special Clients. There were special clients like members of World Economic Forum, WEF and governments. We delivered workstation and softwares, a controlled process, and service when needed. We served several countries' embassy communication networks with highest level of security and availability.
GEIS: INFORMATION IS YOUR WEAPON No.1
My GEIS years go upto early phase of Internet era. We had great times with Jack Welsh themes; empowerment, speed, stretch, and customer satisfaction. GEIS had sort of cloud computing service during pre-cloud computing era. This was the time when private networking was too difficult and costly to support globally by corporations or governments. GEIS magazine was Linkage introducing clients' solutions.
GEIS corporate clients were able to use services via local access points, globally. Email system was called QuikComm, mailboxes kept in SuperCenters. Client corporation was an email community, cross-community messaging was optional. Email connectors with support for attachments, connected client's proprietary email systems to QuicComm. EDI*Express was a global platform and service for EDI standard documents transfer f.ex. shipping data. GEIS client corporations had their own applications in SuperCenters f.ex. for mining, for ship engine spare parts, for treasury management or other critical purposes. Business intelligence services were also available. PC Mailbox and BusinessTalk were end-user softwares used to access services.
April 1988 Washington D.C.
The National Mall
The Three Soldiers (1984)
Vietnam War statue
GEIS Technology. GE Information Services was globally available network service for their clients. GEIS network and service availability was over 99,97% covering applications in SuperCenters and network connection from Access Point. Less than 3 hours of uncontrolled service downtime per year. GEIS network was also known as Mark3 network.
Technical Structure
• SuperCenters: mainframes, processing centers for
-- QuikComm email, EDI*Express docs, global applications
• SuperCenter in Amstelveen connected to two SuperCenters in U.S.
• SuperCenters connected to Network Service Centers, NSCs
• NSC in Copenhagen connected to SuperCenter in Amstelveen
• NSC in Copenhagen connected to north European Access Points, APs
-- in Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm and locally in Copenhagen
• AP enabled client corps to access global services locally
• AP in Helsinki had a sub-access point MUX in Tampere town
• Services available 24/7 for clients cwho onnected to APs by
-- dial-up async modems, sync modems, X.21, X.25, leased lines
Copenhagen NSC was connected and served Access Points in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. SuperCenter in Amstelveen served all NSCs and their Access Points in Europe. Three SuperCenters were connected to each other, backup for each other. Network structure was global. Clients used GEIS workstation software to log into nearest, local Access Point to use global services like QUIKCOMM.
GEIS slogan Information is your weapon No.1 was well understood. GEIS was the most advanced global value-added network and services of the time. GEIS European SuperCenter was founded around 1976, advanced tech very early. Global email was an important business application. GEIS did the first ever email to/from space craft. In spite of high prices, GEIS clients made rational decisions. GEIS services were copied and re-invented by others.
GEIS Competition. Technical quality and value-add were major competition advantages against international 'ownerless' Public Data Networks, PDNs. Back then Infonet offered low value managed service to IT-departments. GEIS offered high value-add service to business management with the hottest strategy: DSIM, Distributed System, Integrated Management.
GEIS Personnel. Globally 2500 persons, non-technical quality parameter was 'the people'. Presentations with sarcastic agitation were common:
- The only place where Success comes before Work is dictionary
- It's much more difficult to talk about it than do it
- We seem to be doing twist, a lot of movement without progress
- We are changing faster than the world around us
GEIS HQ in ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND
GE Information Services had strong, centralised business control by headquarters in Rockville. There could have been more business in Europe if understanding better European business culture/country mosaic and European approach. Global applications were customised but there was need for even more flexibility for corporates from outside the US.
April 1988 Washington D.C. This photo with President Ronald Reagan was taken in 2nd floor of Old Post Office Pavilion
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington D.C. ;)
Meetings, Workshops and Forums I enjoyed at GEIS
• 1988 Rockville, USA: WorldWide SDC Forum, week
-- SDC, Software Development and Consulting
• 1989 Lake Como, Italy: European Network Seminar, week
• 1990 Montreux, Switzerland: European Comms Seminar, week
• 1990 Madrid, Spain: GEIS Project Management, week
• 1991 London, Kingston, U.K.: Network topology, 3 days
• 1992 Amsterdam, Netherlands: SDC Forum, week
• 1992 Rockville, USA: WorldWide SDC Forum, 60 speakers, week
• 1992 Amstelveen SuperCenter, Netherlands: Mini-SuperCenter
• Oslo, Norway: GEIS Nordic Meetings, several
• Stockholm, Sweden: GEIS Nordic Meetings, several
• Copenhagen, Denmark: GEIS Nordic Meetings, technical reviews
• Helsinki, Finland: GEIS Meetings and trainings
All above were GEIS internal activities. My presentations in forums and meetings were reports about client statuses, requirements and competition. Here below more info about some GEIS events.
GEIS - ROCKVILLE, USA 1988
WorldWide SDC Forum. SDC, Software Development and Consulting. GEIS internal event. At SDC Forum we had over 60 speakers in a week, I was one of them. Side meetings, GEIS CEO Hellene Runtagh interviewed a few persons for the feedback, market directions and needs, and I was one of them. We had great dinners. We dined and had photo takings in Cabinet Room of Old Ebbitt Grill near the White House. Old Ebbitt is the oldest saloon in D.C., in service since 1856, known from news and movies.
In Washington D.C. I laid under sherry trees during their blossom. It was March, Cherry Blossom Weeks. I visited Washington Monument on the National Mall and peeked out from eight small windows it has. In National Gallery of Art I found works by Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Near Hirshhorn Museum I found abstract expressionism bronze by Henry Moore, an escape into imagination. Take-off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, I had great view over The White House and The National Mall. This was just one of my several trips to Rockville.
Lake Como, Italy
Grand Hotel Tremezzo
European Network Seminar
GEIS internal event, meetings
- Net photo
GEIS - LAKE COMO, ITALY 1989
European Network Seminar. A week-long event. Flight to Milano and from there some 60km north. Grand Hotel Tremezzo had big stairs, style and glory. My front side room No.214 had perfect lake view through high windows. Whole hotel was reserved to our event, 65 participants of whom 12 came from Rockville. A full week, long days with 19 presentations in all. Top hotel, ultimate care, GE Information Services style. Many topics, situation reviews, next steps, and info about DSIM, Distributed Services Integrated Management.
I shared taxi from Tremezzo Grand to Milan Airport with Mr Geoff Wiggin, technology of GEIS Europe (former CEO of Cable & Wireless). In Milan airport he invited me as guest to lounge. We went through the status of Finnish MNC clients. He told me about optical development and capacities growth. He predicted that billing of telecom services will go flat rates and the 'voice' will became free of charge. Simplified billing. Strong reasoning followed. For my mind this was a sonic boom. In 1989 that was seriously out-of-box thinking. But Mr Wiggin was right.
Soon after I watched TV the Berlin Wall come down, 9th November 1989.
Montreux, Switzerland
Hotel Montreux Palace
European Comms Seminar
GEIS internal event, meetings
at Lake Geneva.
- Net photo
GEIS - MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND 1990
European Comms Seminar. A week-long event. Hotel Montreux Palace had style. No lake view from my room 094 but it was elegant about six-seven meters long and wide space. Powerful body sprayers in shower, excellent! Our meetings and event took place in the hotel. We had 66 participants: 12 from U.S, 50 Europeans, 4 from Japan and Australia. Event started with welcome Wine & Cheese evening, followed by 12 hours per day presentations, Q/A sessions and meetings. The whole week.
Montreux, September 1990
at Lake Geneva.
GEIS arranged Chateau de Chillon tour. Then a boat trip by Belle Époque paddle wheeler with 3-hour dinner and jazz trio.
Tape happens. During the 1990 Montreux week I spoke personal daily memos to Sony TCS-470 cassette recorder. Professional device, bought it from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport a year earlier. Happened during our Chateau de Chillon tour followed by Lake Geneva boat trip, full day out. Somebody had visited my room 094 in Montreux Palace, found the recorder, took cassette out and made mistake when inserting it back: tape was placed wrongly, rec position lost. Hmm, a visitor hick-up? International telecom and information industry, unpredictable times, much was happening.
GEIS - MADRID, SPAIN 1990
Project Management. A week-long course at Telefonica's Madrid office. Learning all aspect of a project: result achieved within budget, within set time and according to set quality. One night we dined at historic Restaurante Sobrino de Botin, open since 1725. Garlic soup and filet mignon, both were right. Ernest Hemingway mentioned Sobrino de Botin in The Sun Also Rises (1926).
GEIS - HELSINKI, FINLAND 1991
Sales Training. Sales booster came from Rockville. XXL-sized person who acted like an aggressive beast. We enjoyed about being shocked. After, we took a chance to shock him in extra hot smoke sauna in Aavaranta. We won, beast-he got black and hot, and was more terrified. We also had meeting and sauna in Hvitträsk, the former residence of Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen.
MY WORLD VIEW CALIBRATED
GEIS view was that Marketing identifies the customers' problem and then defines the product/service to solve it. Marketing supports sales with strength in psyche and analytics. No less, GEIS calibrated my world view. In that view Finland was not in the center but had its place, its small scale, its six special characters in alphabets. By understanding its limitations and the value of information Finland could have voice with well-prepared, rational proposals. I was a GEIS tech fan, enjoyed the work and the humour.
- Laundry service, value-add for the water!
4. ICL Corp. - International Computers Limited
1993 - 1994 TECH PROJECTS, CONSULTING, QUALITY
ICL is a famous British computer flagship which acquired Nokia Data in 1991 and in 2002 merged into the joint venture of Fujitsu and Siemens. In ICL Helsinki I did projects, f.ex. global network consulting project for ABB Corporation and some other MNCs.
There was an ICL manager. During meetings he often slowly closed his eyes to create impression of thinking hard. When slowly lifting his eyelids his eyeballs were, even sideways, readily pointing some person in the meeting. Some body language! Participants didn’t dare to breathe while waiting him to open his eyes to see whom his eyes targeted. And yet, just chasing the details, not steering the direction.
ISO9001 QUALITY SYSTEM vs CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
In Europe the direction in "quality" was ISO9001 standard. In the U.S. at GE Information Services the key measure was customer expectations and customer satisfaction based on feedback, report cards. This is what GEIS VP told me about ISO9001 in Rockville, U.S.:
- Feedback, customer satisfaction, more effective
ICL: COURSES AND TRAINING
In ICL we had workshops about customer needs and sales process. We played enterprise games to learn profit making. We had tech updates and project seminars. Many internal trainings on team work with examples to trust the team instead of your own limited mind. No star individuals, one is less than many. Managers repeated slogans like
- Today is the first day of the rest of your life
- Want Internet or Cabernet! (Internet was new, coming)
Much of the personnel training was based on sauna, sausages and beer.
5. TeamWARE Group - Groupware Software
1994 - 1997 INTERNATIONAL TECH MARKETING, ANALYST RELATIONS
TeamWARE is part of the Fujitsu-ICL Corporation group, an international software company. TeamWARE had personnel about 1500 of whom some 1000 programming professionals mainly in Helsinki (where I was based), Tampere and in U.K.
My role at TeamWARE was international marketing:• Groupware products
-- TeamWARE Office Productivity Suite
• Internet-Extranet-Intranet enablers
• Encryption products
• Events, presentations, co-writer of
-- White Papers and Press/News releases
TEAMWARE - AMSTERDAM 1995 Press Conference at RAI Centre
Announcement Presentation. TeamWARE sent 15 persons from Helsinki to Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre. Major exhibition and TeamWARE media event where I presented announcement of new messaging products to European media. Successful event.
My trip was actually fun. I went to Amsterdam was via Bracknell-ICL in U.K. They had prepared the latest TeamWARE server software. I rented Ford Mondeo Estate, we packed big servers to it. I drove from Bracknell town to port of Harwich on the North Sea coast, Essex. By ferry over night to Rotterdam and then to RAI Amsterdam event. Afterwards I took the servers back to Bracknell before flight back to Helsinki.
TEAMWARE - MUNICH 1995 Media Tour
June 1995 I was sent to Munich for media interviews tour. Three days trip with tight schedule was organised by Interprom, they made all arrangements. They drove me to interviews with their masculine Land Rover. Interviews resulted articles in leading publications. Good publicity for groupware and TeamWARE, and I had good times with their questions. Interviews were published by seven German and Austrian publications:
• Computer Zeitung, Germany by Mr Hammerschmidt
• NetWorks Magazine, Germany by Mr Mayer
• LANline Magazine, Germany by Mr Mutschler
• PC Magazine Germany by Mr Wasem-Gutensohn
• Business Computing by Ms Eberlein, Ms Rudiger
• Computer Business, Germany by Mr Leierseder
• Computerwelt Österreich, Austria
TEAMWARE - MOSCOW 1995 Conference Presentation/Meetings
July 1995 I was sent to Moscow for banking security conference. Flight from Helsinki to Moscow was by Tupolev aircraft, my first and only time so far. Event was organized by Rosincass, Russian Encashment Association, at Bankcentre Concern. Around 250 Russian banks, I was told all of them, participated with heads of the banks.
Conference hall was like a theatre with high front stage. All seats were taken by participants. A wide table cross the stage for chairman and five moderators with microphones. Moderators' table was covered by dark, heavy red plush. Speaker podium with flowers and that same plush on the left side. Can't deny, feeling was Russian. No other foreigners with presentation in this conference. My presentation was in the afternoon, well taken and loud applauds. After, I had two brief meetings alongside the conference hall.
Conference closing party started with physical security show by well-trained group of fighters. Their show was almost art. Tens of scenarios were shown, and every time they ended with the win and kill. After the show a man came to me. He had darkened eyeglasses and four bodyguards around, they were fighters from the show that I had just seen. He spoke to me in Russian:
- What you presented... is the future of Russia
I thanked, we handshaked, he and his bodyguard group left.
- He is KGB, told my interpreter
Afterwards I recognised the man from some news reports.
Rest of the conference closing party was about vodka, caviar and small apples. Many vodka shots with apple zakuski (snacks) with many, many bankers. Good party!
Next day my interpreter took me to meeting with a Moscow State University professor as TeamWARE had special licensing for educational sector.
Moscow Tour with personal guide. We walked around Bolshoi Ballet area. Kremlin Burial Wall. Across the Red Square passing Lenin's Mausoleum from 1920s. We stayed longer at Saint Basil's Cathedral, nine chapels, open since 1560. Guide told me seriously but emotionally about a strange event long ago: a large group of (foreign?) military airplanes arrived and turned over Moscow. Years ago, he said.
Moscow. Red Square, Kremlin, Mausoleum, Saint Basil's Cathedral. Walked across Red Square
with my Moscow guide.
- Net photo
Taxi to Sheremetyevo Airport
I took taxi from Moscow Olympic Penta Renaissance Hotel to Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport. Traffic jam on the highway. My Moscow taxi driver took the center lane on wrong side of the highway, driving into oncoming traffic! He flashed lights and suicidally speeded towards the airport, a version of Russian roulette. Bang! Confirmed, time bends, Einstein was correct.
Extra tip. I had paid taxi at hotel before the ride by credit card, $61USD. Later the payment taken from my account was $81USD, number 6 stretched to 8. Such excitement the trip was that I let that 20USD extra be tips.
Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport, long line of travellers. Passport Officer looks my passport, reaches his black rotary desk telephone, speaks Russian. A traveler behind me translates to me, says:
- Your VISA has expired
Soon group of Officers-with-Hats arrive, leading Officer speaks to me:
- Your VISA has expired
Complete silence, then I explained:
- Mistake made in Helsinki, quick VISA for 3 days
Leading Officer looks my passport, then me, again, many times. We stare each other, no smiles. Time stops. After absolutely FOREVER the leading Officer speaks Russian to Passport Officer, a traveler behind me translates to me:
- Let him go
Officer turns, his group orderly leaves. Great decision! Traveler behind me laughed that I had almost won a weekend in Sheremetyevo's holding cell. But the Officer's decision to let me go was based on a fact.
My Moscow was like Bolshoi Ballet, choreograph was theirs and I tap-danced hard. My presentation got attention. Conference closing party was great. Taxi proved me Einstein's theory of bending. And the VISA drama where Officer let me leave the country. Lucky times in Moscow: done.
TEAMWARE - DUSSELDORF 1995 Sales Partner Event
Major event was held in a hotel in Dusseldorf, Germany. Big hall was full of TeamWare sales partners. I kept my presentation, but the great moment for me was the loud and long table drumming by audience. Great event.
TEAMWARE - BRACKNELL 1996 Sales Boost Program
The purpose of my stay in Bracknell ICL near London was marketing and sales boost campaign: to support U.K. sales, partners and customers.
• From Helsinki to Bracknell 15 times, each stay for two weeks
• Fish and chips, and yes, even coronation chicken
• My U.K., all trips stitched together went over 7 months
Smart times. TeamWARE sponsored F1 team Jordan (later team Force India). One of the key TeamWARE customers was the Metropolitan Police. We used known actors for groupware shows for top management. Speaking notes on teleprompts behind the audience was a good idea back then. Result: very convincing, effective case shows. In the U.K. I also learned that funny driving around roundabouts on the left.
CHINA OPPORTUNITY
I value TeamWARE's products, they compared well against Microsoft, Novell and other competition. After several private trips to China. The idea was this: to unofficially release groupware package to rapidly developing/internationalizing China market, to build user base and charge later for new fully localised software versions.
1996 Old Dragon Head
LaoLongTou at Bohai Sea.
Great Wall begins here. Destroyed by British, Battle of Shanhaiguan, 1900.
- BeijingMan in the middle
I believed that by just releasing groupware software into China, we had a good chance to make it 'standard'. But there was not big thinking in TeamWARE and China was too radical topic. Instead, TeamWARE tried and failed in rules-based-Singapore. Later, Microsoft allowed Chinese markets to copy its products, and got paid later with upgrades and localised versions.
COMPANY COPIED
After 10 years in Beijing, I found 'TeamWARE's China copy in Beijing. Similar set of products. Not surprising since I had already seen many other copy-companies: company name and logo, business idea, products, web-site, even complete physical office of a Beijing-based foreign company with paintings and furnishing in detail, were copied.
TeamWARE's China copy seeked partnership but the real TeamWARE showed no interest on seeking growth from Chinese markets. TeamWARE's Asia was just Singapore city at the time when China's biggest opportunities we like famous low-hanging fruits. Truth is that many success stories have been created when a foreign enterprise joined hands with its China copy which had the motivation and provided market access with ready relations (partners, distribution, society). Budweiser beer company being one such.
PARTNER EVENTS, TRAINING
In TeamWARE HQ personnel completed a play called Business Engineering Programme which included business finance, business communication, pricing, and business simulation.
Paradigm shift. In all, my TeamWARE times were great. Paradigm shift became fashionable discussion topic. Leap forward happened. We faced simultaneous changes in personal computers and networks, Internet and browsers, mobile phones, the software. Upheaval, change, was a standard and TeamWARE position was within, accelerating that change.
Events that I enjoyed at TeamWARE
• 1995 Amsterdam: TeamWARE Press Conference at RAI Center
-- Exhibition and Media announcements: TeamWARE Messaging
• 1995 Munich: media tour, interviews by seven ICT magazines
• 1995 Moscow: presentation at Russian banking conference
• 1995 Dusseldorf: presentation, sales event, TeamWARE partners
• 1995 London: messaging related course, week
• 1996 London, Bracknell, U.K. sales boost program
-- 15 two-week trips from Helsinki to U.K.
• 1995-1996 EEMA association meetings trips to
-- Brussels, Amsterdam, London and Inkberrow
6. Elisa Corp. (HPY) - Internet Services
1997 - 1998 INTERNET PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
In 1997 I signed a contract with telecom/mobile operator which was combination of past and new. There was need for update and modernize. I was asked to join and establish Product Management group for Internet services, as follows:
1. Consumers 2. SMEs 3. Enterprises 4. Public sector
• HPY founded in 1882
• Listed in Helsinki 1999
• Renamed to Elisa in 2000
HPY had traditional reputation.
My focus was in the Internet services.
Nokia/ICL had developed Elisa an email service called 'Elisa Sähköposti'. Email was now an important consumer application. Its noisy launch event took place in movie theatre Bristol in Aikatalo, Helsinki. Elisa's email service was a great leap forward.
WINNING THE INTERNET LEADERSHIP
I selected competent persons into new Product Management team. Complete Internet products portfolio was announced November 1st 1997. Roger G. Pineda was the key to define consumer product Kolumbus 1. Soon Elisa took consumer Internet market leadership from Sonera with 49FIM (8EUR) per month flat rate Internet package. Those were the times when Internet was rapidly coming and I was happy to boost it up. Those were the times of browsers, dial-up, CDs and ISDN.
I wanted to learn more and made a website. If I could do it, most could. I wrote Dreams Come True website by using Microsoft Notepad, and learned that one need not to be Nobelist to create a simple web blog.
In 1997 Internet was new with less than 1% of global population having the access to it. During Internet's ramp-up, it was all about 'learning faster than the others'. Everybody might not agree, but Internet back then was simple and basic. Back then Finland proudly became one of the 'most-Internet' countries in the world.
PARTLY CLOUDY: CANT-DO-THAT
It was a major challenge, strong can't-do-that spirit, symptom of their past as HPY, Helsinki Telephone association. The will to set milestones and get results, the X-factor, was missing. Progress happened in slow motion and by tiny fragile steps. At the same time Internet upheaval begun changing people's lives. Markets were full of growth opportunities, those famous low hanging fruits emerging and waiting to be picked with new tech products. Business processes were not defined, the old style enabled comfortable workdays with no effort of focused, targeted, combative, results-oriented approach.
Can't-do-that resistance prepared me for the next, larger and more demanding case: China. There, for many, progress was in conflict with the past. Going forward by little steps, 'crossing the river by feeling the stones' or rational Tech leap into new?
THE CHOICE: ELISA (GERMANY) or SONERA or NOKIA (CHINA)
I was appointed as consultant to company's Internet business affairs in Germany. I was not really interested as I didn't see the company having required value-add. By then I had already decided to leave and not to take Germany. I had two alternatives.
1. To sign a contract with Sonera, our main competitor (later Telia). They contacted and asked me to join. Discussions and paperworks had been done, all was ready for signing. Sonera was waiting my decision.
2. To sign the expat contract with Nokia, to be sent to China. I had asked from Nokia, meetings, and was waiting.
When Nokia informed my contract was OK, I moved to Beijing to work for Nokia China.
My employment with this telecom operator was over in one year, I resigned after shortest period that I ever had. During that year there were achievements: good team, results and market leadership.
"Information value grows by sharing..." Article headline was Small Big Network.
- HPY Yrityslinja, Nro 4/97
Elisa's advertisements were funny with quality. Pop star Björk's music and modern going defined the worklife inside. But as some say, at the end we are just wild animals. I believe Elisa will focus and do fine in the future. I wish good to Elisa. What was my personal best during brief period at Elisa? Taking the Internet market leadership from Sonera with our product was a great achievement.
EUROPEAN EEMA ASSOCIATION
Email and eCommerce onto every desk. I represented TeamWARE Group and then HPY-Elisa in EEMA Association, a think tank about business use of Internet: directories, email address formats, eCommerce in business, and logical security. EEMA's head office was near The Old Bull Pub in Inkberrow village near Birmingham. I was member of EEMA's
• Internet Committee
• Directory Committee
• User Committee, and
• International Events Planning Committee
ELISA: CONFERENCES, COURSES, TRAINING
The best part of the work. Organisational training, I had to climb top of a high pole, to stand on small plate on top of that pole. Standing up there the trapeze bar seemed to be meters away. Dare to jump to trapeze over that gap! It was a fit process during Internet boom, the era of discontinuities, paradigm shift, crossing the chasm, laissez-faire, and building-up the bubble. My jump succeeded, easier to do it than to plan for it, others followed.
Events that I enjoyed at HPY/Elisa
• 1997 New York: Jacob Javis Center, Manhattan
-- Internet Conference, Tutorial, Expo, week
-- Princess of Wales Diana died 31st August when I was in New York
• 1998 Baltimore: Baltimore Convention Center
-- Internet Service Provider Conference, week
• 1998 Helsinki: The House of Municipalities - Kuntatalo
-- Presentation: Internet Success Factors and Opportunities
• 1998 Helsinki: World Trade Center, Marski Hall
-- Presentation: Developing Networks - Changing Future
• 1998 Gothenburg meetings: Swedish Internet company NETSYS
• 1998 Stockholm meetings: Swedish teleoperator Tele2
• 1997-1998 Partner meetings and visiting foreign delegations
7. Co-Founder: OSCAL Company
1994 - 1998 CHINA INFORMATION for NORDIC MNCs
Helsinki 1994, parallel to working at TeamWARE Group we saw China rising and opening. With two partners I became co-founder of the OSCAL Company, name coming from Oy Scandinavian Chinese Affairs Ltd. With focus on China, OSCAL was ahead of the curve, its services fitting well for multinationals, MNCs. OSCAL became a success. Some media reports about China's human rights caused denial of the China market, especially for SMEs in Sweden.
Friendship flags were common in meeting rooms.
A holiday trip in 1992 to Beijing became my turning point regarding China. China's 'market economy' had started a few years earlier. In 1992 I had BigMac in China's first McDonalds, not far from TianAnMen Square. The new spirit was everywhere.
OSCAL's CHINA AGREEMENT - BEIJING 1994
OSCAL signed its first agreement with a unit under China's State Planning Committee in Beijing 1994. Agreement was reached after two weeks of daily negotiations. OSCAL tapped into the core stream of Chinese information. Our partnership agreement was the first for the Chinese party, too. After OSCAL the next to reach similar agreement with them was Gartner Group. OSCAL witnessed and was part of China's opening from the very beginning.
In 1994 I got my Chinese name 启思博 - Qi SiBo.
OSCAL SERVICES FOR MNCs
OSCAL China consulting got over 20 multinational corporate clients: Nokia, Kemira, Outokumpu and Rautaruukki from Finland, Ericsson from Sweden, Danfoss from Denmark, Telenor from Norway. Many smaller tech/ecotech companies. We even got a client from Italy. Our corporate clients understood the value of the information we provided to them.
Partnership with China was rewarding. I learned about China's transition towards market economy, opportunities, and role of Guanxi and Treat.
"If you are willing to expand your business in China, you need to understand Guanxi."
That message is still 100% valid. Successful partnerships and sales in China are based on Guanxi, relations.
In 1995 China was attractive for multinational corporations. MNCs used their resources to learn and utilise Guanxi, they took the growth market. For SMEs the time was too early, and in most cases still today is, because of China's business culture: lack of rule-of-law; need for strong Chinese industry expertise; difficulty of building image if no brand; understanding China-fit business strategies; Guanxi.
OSCAL was an early bird mainland China business booster. OSCAL explained project management difference between China and the West and did many China projects for MNCs seeking growth in China market. OSCAL was a great success.
Megatrends Asia writer John Naisbitt proved to be right about China's rise. OSCAL team was inspired by Naisbitt's views. OSCAL became prelude to my 15 years period of business development in Beijing. For me China was not just a decision but like a cliché, a voice inside, and that voice grew a must.
IN THE MEANTIME...
I NEVER LET YOU DOWN!
• In Berlin scouted around piece of Berlin Wall
• In Prague enjoyed about Soviet style hotel atmosphere
• In Amsterdam roamed through Dam Square and Kalverstraat
• In Barcelona had my best ever Patagonia beef Ojo de Bife
• In Germany drived laps around Nürburgring race track
• In Oslo joined Constitution Day Parade of May 17, 1992
• In Borneo, Malaysia scouted for orangutangs
• In Okinawa, Japan experienced Richter 7.0 earthquake
• In Moscow scouted Bolshoi Ballet and the Red Square
• In Turku, Finland had a cell tour in Kakola Prison
• In Helsinki Jean-Michel Jarre and Kraftwerk concerts
• In Brussels became Master of Brussels Airport: flight delays
• In Hua Hin, fellow Korean quests catched a snake in hotel
• In Madrid, fooled by taxi driver's fast-forward taximeter
• In Wash D.C. talked to peace protester Connie Picciotto 3 times
• In Koh Samui, dinner, guitar singers Strangers in the Night
• In Dallas beef but never visited the School Book Depository
• In New York, top of old WTC and Empire State Building
• In New York, tour around United Nations halls with guide
• In Helsinki, Viiskulma, cafe table with Nolla-Kojo (Zero-Kojo),
-- Eurovision Song Contest 1982 hero who won zero points
8. Nokia Corp. China - Expat in Beijing
1998 - 2005 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA 7 years
By autumn 1998 I had over 110 work trips done from Helsinki mainly to Europe and U.S. I left Elisa (HPY) and rejected offered position at Sonera, and returned to Nokia Corp as an expat in Beijing. My Nokia China was all about business development, from JV to critical market share projects (PrePaid and SMS), to search for Chinese talents, recruiting top resources, building new groups, coaching towards new. I worked together with mainland Chinese with China Mobile and China Unicom. I evaluated and worked with developers and partners. Life was projects, results, and fun.
My Nokia China period was planned for two years but it stretched to four contracts, to seven years. I served all three parts of Nokia: Networks, Mobile Phones and Research Center. In China my total Nokia employment years clicked to 20. I learned Mandarin language, Chinese way of business, and Chinese mentality.
NOKIA CHINA: TRIPLING THE BUSINESS
MARKETING AND MARKET SHARE - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
I consumed seven different business cards, roles related to strategy, business development, marketing, business management and research management.
China's communism sort of ended when economic reform started in 1978. In 1998 when I moved to China, Chinese people wanted to communicate and Nokia pushed voice and anonymous PrePaid voice, and SMS texting. Since SMS was a new communication method, it faced resistance from the Ministry and mobile operators China Mobile and China Unicom. We knew that 'control' was essential, everything was mirrored through it. This was understood. Business was not Western way rational. In that big picture, I was excited to become China change booster by pushing through PrePaid and SMS projects, and new partnerships.
China continues to be under transition from planned economy towards market economy. Real change is limited onto surface, the mindset change will take a long time.
For Nokia, China was the world's biggest market. Nokia China's business more than tripled during the years I worked for them:) If Nokia China were in Finland, alone it would have been the biggest company in the country. For several years I was member of extended management team, regular meetings of Nokia China business.
Of course, many persons contributed to Nokia China's success with their work: Nokia's products (networks and mobile) were fit to Chinese markets, sales channels for mobile phones were developed and smartly expanded to 3rd, 4th tier cities. Major achievements! Nokia's slogan in Mandarin language was excellent match to Chinese mindsets of the time. But my PrePaid service and SMS text messaging projects were essential business development milestones for Nokia China's market share. Target was to grow mobile phones sale in scale, to take bigger slice from monthly 4 to 7 million sale of handsets in China.
Mobility became new fashion. Chinese consumers, phone sellers, mobile operators and the dotcom community were all learning about it. Nokia China won Motorola in sold handset units and in value of the sales. Nokia China took No.1 position in Chinese mobility. Great moments, big celebrations. Nokia China's personnel of 8000 got mobile phones gift. Mobile operator customers were given 6000 units of latest Nokia 6600 phone as gifts.
1. Nokia Networks NET
2. Nokia Mobile Phones NMP
3. Nokia Mobile Phones NMP
4. Nokia Research Center NRC
-- Total: seven years
NOKIA CHINA - ORGANISATIONAL TITLES
My role at Nokia China was business development. Business card titles, below, were fitted to working unit and project. Each title was in use around one year.
1. Nokia China NET - Group Manager, Intelligent Networks
2. Nokia China NET - Business Manager, Partnerships
3. Nokia China NMP - Senior Manager Market Development
4. Nokia China NMP - Senior Marketing Manager
5. Nokia China NMP - Business Development Manager
6. Nokia China NMP - Strategic Development Manager
7. Nokia China NRC - Head of Asian Mobile Applications Groups
MY NOKIA CHINA PROJECTS
For seven years my focus was in marketing and relationships based on strategy to grow market share; in sales and in business development. Projects helped Nokia China to reach the scale: JV Nokia-Neusoft, PrePaid launch to Chinese markets, SMS market making project, mobile applications projects, content, apps and tech partnerships, and talents into new functions/groups.
In Beijing I had meetings with tens of startups. I had close contact with leading dotcom portals Sohu, Sina and Netease. I met with tech companies from China, Japan, Malesia, Korea, U.S., Finland, Norway... with ideas, features, products and willingness to become Nokia's China partners. Chinese markets were developing faster than Nokia Corp. in Hong Kong, Singapore or in Finland.
Inside Nokia I faced strong 'cant-do-that'-spirit. Nokia Corp's HQs in Finland wanted control and didn't want to accept market-rational activities in areas like China. High market share caused sort of paralysis against making changes. Traditional if it works, don't fix it.
CANT-DO-THAT EXAMPLES
Voice Messaging. In 2002 I met a Chinese team which had developed voice messaging for SMS. Because typing Chinese by phone was a headache, voice messaging was an early try to solve that problem. I saw great potential. I wanted voice messaging China project established but such project was rejected by Nokia Corp's HQs. They did't believe the idea and had no interest onto it. In 2017 China had over 730 million active internet users, and everyone loves WeChat Weixin with voice messaging. No bueno, Nokia!
Parnerships. I got partnership offers with music and multimedia contents in China. Denied by Nokia HQ. Opportunities for deep co-operation with major Chinese portals Sina, Sohu, and Netease and search company Baidu. All rejected by Nokia Corp's HQs, cant-do-that. A major Chinese portal on winning path offered major block of their shares with less than 1% of soon-to-be value. They wanted brand co-operation and Nokia had nothing with the internet. Rejected, cant-do-that. Nokia China's market share with phones was getting over 30%, many potent local doors were open. Stepping in would have needed courage and decision, and would have added Nokia's speed, competitiveness and power. China was progressing faster than Nokia Corp's HQs management in Finland could even imagine.
NOKIA CHINA: THE FIRST PREPAID SYSTEM TO CHINA
LARGER USER BASE - MORE NETWORKS - MORE MOBILE PHONES
Project took 12 months in 1998-1999. This was my first project in China after moving from Helsinki to Beijing.
Challenge: to enable anonymous mobile communication in China.
Celebrating China's first PrePaid package. PrePaid Project closure meeting, Beijing May 13, 1999.
- BeijingMan back, right
China's first PrePaid system and service project took a year. Project ended with capabilities demo session at Beijing Mobile (BMCC) XiDan Data Center, to China Mobile and Nokia China management.
PREPAID PROJECT
For the project I established a new IN (Intelligent Networks) group. Good persons into the team. PrePaid service was based on Nokia Network's IN system which had been delivered to Beijing Mobile's (BMCC) XiDan Data Center for trialing purposes. My new IN Group kept weekly meetings and seminars with BMCC's management and IN personnel. Open issues became action points and cleared in a flow.
BMCC had to do many decisions and choices to enable PrePaid service. With information we helped BMCC to win their hesitation. Hundreds of choices turned into decisions related to the PrePaid system. Difficult for Beijing Mobile personnel because of their culture which didn't tolerate misteps. Impact of everything had to be understood before acceptance. At Nokia China we worked under time pressure. Everybody was very busy.
My China Intelligent Networks Group processed every detail that Beijing Mobile asked or requested from us. Can do. I asked our specialists from Nokia Finland to help and many persons visited Beijing, several times. Their support was essential in making the system functional.
Nokia China's President Folke Ahlbäck followed Prepaid Project and I frequently updated him about the progress in GuoSiJuLeBo, International Club Office.
China's first PrePaid package had 300RMB value SIMcard (1999).
The first PrePaid packages were given to China Mobile (CMCC) HQs, Beijing Mobile (BMCC) management and Nokia China management. My PrePaid package is still unused.
Nokia Network's PrePaid system was based on industry standards and there was no willingness to make non-standard add-ons to it.
Chinese Huawei was willing to fulfil all requirements which were set for Chinese PrePaid system. Huawei won and delivered network elements to Chinese mobile operators. Siemens also won a role with their partly tailor-made solution. But for the history books, Nokia China was the first to deliver and activate PrePaid service in China. Nokia's PrePaid Project included educational consulting.
Nokia China's PrePaid Project resulted major boost to our competitors which provided the needed network elements to provinces. In mobile phones market, every vendor benefitted about PrePaid services. But Nokia China with its wide portfolio of phones on offer, benefited the most. PrePaid also boosted Nokia Networks infra sales. More users needed more networks.
Project took 12 months in 1998-1999. Beijing Mobile had smart people and we all worked hard to make this happen. Project ended with capabilities demo to Beijing Mobile and Nokia China management, followed by commercial closure. Soon after, Siemens won major role in Chinese prepaid market with their tailor-made solution. Nokia's solution was strictly standards-based and Nokia was not willing to modify.
NOKIA CHINA: SMS MARKET-MAKING AND ACTIVATION
MINISTRY and CHINA MOBILE: "SMS IS NEVER FOR CHINA"
Beijing, May 1999. I started my second project in China (first was PrePaid Project which ended with launch of China's first PrePaid service and SIMcard package). The goal was to reach markets that didn't exist yet, i.e. market making, to activate SMS text messaging business in China. Market share. SMS was already popular in Europe but not much known outside.
Nokia China wanted to activate SMS texting as the second mobile service after “voice” in China. And with SMS to raise Nokia's market share in China. My SMS Market-Making Project had to succeed, cost was not limited. It took 1,5 years till the end of 2000.
Challenge: To enable new method for communication, texting, in China.
Back in 1999 China had only 0,5 million Internet users but 10 million GSM mobile phone users. Motorola's pagers were common. For China Mobile and China Unicom SMS Market-Making Project aimed to generate more money from their fast growing mobile subscriber bases. For portals and developers SMS would enable the ecosystem and partnerships by linking Internet content into mobile.
meeting in Beijing. Back, right.
'SMS IS NEVER FOR CHINA'
I soon realized that activating SMS in China was not going to be easy and straightforward project.
During many meetings with Chinese representatives, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and China Mobile HQs, they made it clear to Nokia, they said:
- SMS is an European success story, SMS will never succeed in China
- SMS is not for China, SMS is never for China
Actually, Chinese approach towards SMS was understandable. SMS was not only a new technology but it was about communication and content. Sensitive issues to decide in China's tradition. Another view, back then Motorola was the mobile phone market leader in China, and they didn't have SMS user interface in their phones. Nokia had UI, and it was good.
SMS TECHNICAL TRIAL
Chinese Internet portals Sohu.com, Sina.com, Netease.com, and some sport portals had a lot of aggregated content but they were not interested in SMS texting. Internet on your palm and WAP browsing hype was strong. Portals saw WAP based Internet browsing as new channel for their aggregated content. They also knew about SMS is never for China thinking. And SMS was just a short message.
I offered key Chinese portals WAP technical and user interface trainings. But before that they should take small effort to learn and understand SMS, and develop simple SMS services in our Beijing lab. Many portals agreed and we got step forward.
Testing SMS and WAP at
Sohu.com in Beijing.
- Photo from my collection
Technical learning was fast. Soon SMS tests were made in Nokia Beijing HePingLi Lab. When Chinese Internet portals learned about text messaging, phones begun to beep. Their curiosity won and word went around. We provided them European SMS success stories to study about and they liked it.
China Mobile accepted technical trial to connect SMSC element into mobile network for Internet content. Many twists and turns followed as Chinese wanted to standardize SMS services and introduced complex and cumbersome rules which almost managed to kill interest onto SMS.
MUCH TO LEARN
Goal of SMS Market-Making Project was to initiate and activate ecosystem by training developers, by promoting partnerships between developers and portals, by training the portals, by technically linking internet into operators' mobile network by adding network elements for SMS service. Revenue sharing was a great challenge as mobile operators wanted 100%, no less, of the SMS business. For China Mobile and China Unicom SMS meant more revenue from their fast growing subscriber base.
In all, technical part of SMS was easy but there was a long list of other topics to learn. Discussions were whether official multimedia bureaus, small companies, or maybe big private software companies would be the best partners. Guanxi, of course, was part of partner selections, but control was the most essential aspect.
Marketing, partnerships, product management and business related issues were all new in Chinese market economy. They had operated with posters, slogans and campaigns. Chinese often interpreted and defined new business topics/words in their own way, which then took some extra time in communication.
New topics for Beijing operators in 2000
• Branding • Marketing • Segmentation
• MoU • Business Model • Partnership • Revenue Sharing
• IPR • Content • APPs
• Value-add • Win-Win principle • Empowerment
• Service product / management • Flat rate
• Total product • Launch • Press Release
• Pre-launch procedures • After-launch procedures
• Feedback • Customer satisfaction
NEW MANDARIN WORDS INVENTED
There were cases when Chinese needed to compose new words to describe above issues and new SMS services. Since China is as large as USA or Europe and Chinese organizations are big, a lot of confusion was the reality. Repetition was a must.
PT/EXPO Comm China in Beijing
- Exhibition photo
ROADSHOWS
We introduced mobile services and SMS service examples to China Mobile and China Unicom in 15 Chinese provinces.
Roadshows took over three months continuous traveling. Meetings were arranged in province capital cities separately with China Mobile and China Unicom province headquarters. Every week trip to new Chinese province and capital city to have meetings with China Mobile and China Unicom: presentations, MoU introduction and signing, dinners. Also meetings with multimedia developers and multimedia-minded state representatives.
Everybody was eager to learn technical part of the new SMS service. Often their expectations were more on WAP browsing, but SMS awareness and learning happened.
MoU TIME
We prepared a MoU document for partnership. MoU was also a tool to introduce new terminology and the business opportunity to provincial operators and content portals. During the meetings I proposed signing a 3-party MoU: mobile operator, Nokia, and content portal. Intent, testing, trials, partnership, revenue sharing. With MoU we raised awareness, provincial mobile operators were hungry for new revenue stream. They wanted to understand responsibilities, terminology and the service business, described in the MoU document.
MoU topics needed to be clarified and we had good discussions about enabling middleware, value-added services, developers, APPs needs and the service business. Several tens 3-party MoUs were signed.
Connection between internet and mobile network was not simple decision since SMS text messaging was new to both ministry and mobile operators. They where driven by control rather than rational business decisions. Finally trial connection was established and internet portals understood the SMS opportunity.
CHINA SMS BREAKTHROUGH
Breakthrough came during Sydney Olympics Games 2000 with a Chinese idea. Chinese dotcoms knew SMS and made a smart offer to send good news text messages to mobile phones when Chinese athletics won medals. Phone number registration via web was needed. China Mobile accepted the idea and good news SMS started to peep-peep in tens of thousands handsets.
SMS-based good news text messages became an eye-opening success. Chinese dotcoms probably got never paid for their idea and service. But suddenly everyone was eager, ready and willing to take more business opportunities with SMS texting.
LOW TARIFF
China's decision to start SMS with very low tariff made it match for mass market. Later the tariff for MMS was set high and service became a flop: my recommendation for MMS tariff was 0,5RMB but much higher value was set without proper arguments. Fast growing mobile subscriber base opened opportunities for new developer companies, hundreds of them, to start business with SMS ideas, content and games.
SMS - CREATIVE OR RATIONAL?I saw a Chinese water-colour painting, hills covered with mist. Chinese colleague told me the painting was creative.
I asked him to tell more. He explained: "It's that mist. You can imagine anything you like since there is the mist. Your creativity is enabled by that mist, it is inspiring. Think of the difference between Chinese water-colour and European oil paintings".
In case of SMS texting, Europeans might call Chinese creative choice as rational business choice. But creativity, the mist-factor, was there when SMS was activated. Behind the mist was a pandora, choice, decision, function. SMS begun in China and gave the birth to creative industry of Chinese developers and service providers.
SMS MARKET-MAKING PROJECT
Project took 1,5 years, till the end of 2000. It achieved all its targets: Chinese got new way to communicate, and Nokia which had phone portfolio with the best texting UI of all phones in the market, got more market share. SMS became a real sales boost and phones/networks market share upgrade for Nokia China.
"SMS is not for China" was the first reaction and it didn't keep. SMS texting became part of Chinese culture, major revenue source for Chinese dotcom portals and over 10% revenue source for China Mobile and China Unicom. Chinese loved their daily SMSs. Finnish stubborn, sometimes inflexible mind may have had something to do with this...
Nokia China became hugely successful and boosted Nokia Corp's value for the shareholders. High market share in China turned into investor success around the world. In addition to people working hard, I see many winning factors and many results from SMS and PrePaid projects:
- PrePaid market opening, Nokia had phones for every segment,
-- China Mobile/China Unicom got >10% new revenue from their user base
- Nokia China got market share with the best SMS texting UI in the market
- Well managed distribution networks up to 4th tier cities helped Nokia
- Society relations, helpful, Nokia was Beijing's biggest tax payer
- Chinese got a new way to communicate (after 'voice')
- Portals and Developers got opportunity for innovations, and partnerships
- China got birth of the whole new Creative Digital Industry
CHINA's SMS IS DYING
20 years later Nokia Mobile Phones is history. China's SMS text messaging is going down. SMS is dying, replaced by mobile data. Now smart phones in Chinese hands use WeChat, Weixin for messaging, games, fitness, music, wallet, red-bag gifts, for community and discussion topics. For sales and payments. WeChat has sophisticated features for communication, and has linked APPs.
Tech keeps coming closer and closer to the users. For 20 years China's SMS was the low-cost method for communication, the beginning. It was a crucial tool to boost China's raise and wake-up. Now it's becoming outdated.
NOKIA CHINA: MORE MY PROJECTS, MORE BD
TALENTS, PARTNERSHIPS, JV, S-KOREA, PATENT and more
EU-CHINA Market Entry Project Consortium
- Established EU-China consortium of five organizations
- Project: Mobile VAS in China - Market Entry
Consortium Members
Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, VTT,
France Telecomm, Fraunhofer Institut, Nokia Corporation
• Meetings with European Commission reps at EU Embassy, Beijing
• Project plan meetings in EC Berlaymont building, Brussels
• European Commission approved full finance for this project
CHINA: Research Management & Projects
Nokia Research Center, Asian Mobile Applications Group Manager
• Three groups of Chinese researchers (master's, doctoral degrees)
• Resources in ten Chinese & international research projects
• Reorganising the group structure
CHINA: Personal Navigation Project
Personal Navigation based on location based service, LBS
• Project was ordered by Nokia Ventures
• Location, maps, POIs, GPS, user interface evaluation
• China's map/GPS policy was still evolving
• Chinese LBS partners and requirements
CHINA: Strategy & Marketing, Sales Projects
Goal: Market share, sales to mobile operators
• Mobile VAS, middleware, new business models, innovations
• Consultative sales to provincial mobile operators HQs
• Province level sales projects: network infrastructure
• Presentations in 16 province capitals: meetings, seminars
• Presentations in conferences: PT/Expo Comm China, others
Meeting with mobile operator in ZhengZhou, 10M inhabitants, capital of Henan Province of 100M.
- BeijingMan in the middle
Nokia China was the main network infrastructure vendor for Henan Province. Large scale bidding projects were organized regularly. Size of our bidding team was often 20-30 persons.
CHINA: Patent Grant
My invention: Musical signature as pretone or ringtone
• 2004: Invention IPR Reward by Nokia
• 2004: Approved for global patenting by Nokia Patent Committee
• 2009: China Patent Grant No.03150198.2
• 2010: Patent Grant Reward by Nokia
• 2018: Relevant but not utilised, yet
CHINA: Talents Search & Recruitment
Goal: Find talents for new positions and groups, management
• From China Mobile, from competitors, and graduating students
• Several successful recruitments for management positions
• Established new groups and functions with Chinese
• Coaching of Chinese talents
CHINA: Business Partner Evaluations
Goal: Search of win-win-win business
• Technology, APPs, content, skills transfer
• Partnership meetings with over 120 Chinese tech/APPs companies
• Meetings with major content aggregation portals Sohu, Sina, Netease
• Meetings with leaders of the game developers
CHINA: Developer Cooperation
Goal: Activating China's mobile developer community
• Key developers recruited into Forum Nokia programs
• Sample phones given for testing SMS, WAP, games, content
• For partners, lab services for end-to-end testing in HePingLi
• Innovation, promoting SMS at a time when WAP hype was reality
• Ericsson and Motorola had generous partner programs
CHINA: University Cooperation
Goal: Mobility awareness, innovation, opportunities for students
• Mobile technology presentations at universities
• Innovation: mobile games contest for student groups
• Sample phones given for testing the game APPs/content
• Memberships in Nokia's developer program
• Beijing University of Aeronautical and Astronautical, BUAA
• Zhejiang University of Technology, ZJUT, Hangzhou
CHINA: ONL-Games into Mobile Phones
Goal: ONL-Games into 3G mobile with MMORPG extensions
• Essential project towards mobile gaming and smart phones
• Sensors into mobile handsets (planned for tens)
• Project was aborted for finance reasons by Nokia NRC HQ
• 'Market size don't justify finance for extensions' - Wow!
SOUTH KOREA: Technology Exploration
Goal: Korea's direction with technologies, apps, content, mobility
• Two visits to Seoul, Hotel Renaissance, Gangnam-gu
• Meetings with local Nokia: experiences and views
• Meeting with ministry leader
• Meetings with technology companies
• Meetings with tens of APPs developer companies: innovations
• Games market differences Korea vs Japan vs China
• To understand the different mindsets and requirements
• GSM test lab in Seoul for mobile vendors, for developers
CHINA: JV Process Nokia-Neusoft
Goal: Sales partnership, software development
• JV with China's leading software company Neusoft
• Licensed billing systems developer for operators
• Member of Nokia's JV process team
• Evaluation meetings in Dalian, ZhengZhou and Beijing
CHINA: SMS Market-Making for Market Share (story above)
Project to enable and activate SMS text messaging in China, 1,5 years
• Chinese dotcom partnerships, training: SOHU.com, others
• Target: China Mobile HQ and China Unicom HQ and provincial HQs
• SMS text messaging boost roadshows in 15 provinces, in 3 months
• Over 20 SMS-MoUs signed with provincial mobile operators
• Chinese multimedia: partnerships for development
• Nokia's market share up, Nokia phones had the best SMS UI
CHINA: PrePaid Service for Market Share (story above)
Project to deliver China's first PrePaid Service/System, 1 year
• PrePaid IN system to China Mobile, Beijing (BMCC)
• Establish new China IN Group in Nokia China/Networks
• China's first complete PrePaid SIMcard package
• To widen the mobile user base in China with PrePaid users
• Boosting Nokia's infra sales and Nokia phones market share
NOKIA CHINA: COURSES, TRAINING, EVENTS
1998 - 2005 CHANGING MARKETS, LEARNING FASTER
Telecom and mobile industry were changing, new Chinese players entering. Developer-partnerships were new frontier. Evaluations of 3rd party innovations. Complexity required fast learning, judgment. Stretching into new and unknown was a must. During those China years I also took custom MBA.
Nokia Networks, NET
After GSM came 3G. It was important to understand 3G and the research process needed to its development. I studied 3G's impact on network elements, handsets, cost and onto mobile operator business.
Nokia Mobile Phones, NMP
I needed time with product portfolio and market segments. We had regular updates about product roadmaps, the whole product, and campaigns. We all in marketing and sales read Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore. Our market share went high, leading position, and thousands working in Nokia China got a phone gift.
Nokia Research Center, NRC
The role was 'knowledge'. In NRC I learned specifics about the technical research projects and their management. I learned latest technologies related to sensors, displays, cameras, engines, user interfaces and software. APPs related network problematics. Linguistic and localisation. Some people believed we-Nokia were already a true software company. NRC had 'the knowledge', if NMP's product development had listened, maybe NMP didn't need to die.
Travelling inside China and out from China
During 1998-2005 Nokia China's projects took me to 18 of 31 Chinese provinces. Each province has around 40-100m inhabitants. Meetings in capital cities of provinces.
• Provincial HQs of China Mobile and China Unicom
• Governmental multimedia offices
Dinners. Lots of fun in China's provinces.
I left Beijing over 40 times to abroad: meetings, workshops, events.
FROM BEIJING
• Over 15 visits to Helsinki for Nokia internal meetings
• Over 10 visits to Hong Kong for meetings, workshops, events
• Over 5 visits to Singapore for meetings, workshops, events
• Seoul for meetings with ministry, tech, and developers
• Seoul for meetings with apps and games developers
• Brussels: EC funding for project in China, meetings
• Brussels: EC project approval meeting; LBS conference
• Cannes: Nice, 3GSM Mobile World Congress, China Mobile, a week
• Cannes: 3GSM Mobile World Congress, a week
• Prague: 3GSM Mobile World Congress in Kongresove, a week
• Barcelona: Nokia developer workshop, a week
• Dallas, Texas: Nokia internal meeting in Irving, a week
• Paris Disneyland: Nokia internal meeting, 3 days
NOKIA CHINA - MEETING WONDERS
ONE FINGER CHOPPED OFF STILL LEAVES NINE - proverb
For several years I was member of extended management team. We had regular meetings about Nokia China business, how to win more market share. My main role was with my projects, looking for partnerships in/for rapidly developing China market. Hundreds of meeting.
Meeting-1: Voice-only 3G Phones
Beijing, sidelines of a telecomm conference. I met a famous Chinese professor who was involved in 3G networks and 3G phones. China had their own R&D process ongoing. Professor suggested
- Nokia should begin with voice-only 3G phones for China market
- No 3G data, make 3G voice-only phones
Proposal was aimed to pull attention away from delay in China's own 3G development and get more time to handle control issues in 3G data.
Meeting-2: Your Market Share is too High!
Nokia China was invited to meeting at China Mobile HQ in Beijing. They said 'important' but gave no reason or agenda. Our team for the meeting was five persons including the top level. At China Mobile HQ we were left to wait in the meeting room. Its big oval table was for 14-16 persons, fixed microphones, open space in the middle. We lined at the table, back towards windows. Soon their team arrived, two persons from the ministry (MIIT) and five persons from China Mobile HQ. It was a verbal attack. Their Leader, a high MIIT officer, spoke and the message was clear.
- Your market share is too high
- You Nokia! Your market share is too high! TOO HIGH!
This was repeated again and again. Message was echoed by other team members while turning their heads left and right. At that time Nokia China's market share was around 25%, won by fair play. We faced direct talk with strong message, nothing left of Chinese indirectness. Verbal beating took 20 long minutes.
- Why you Nokia have so many models of phones? Why?
- Your phones should ALL be like this (waving black Nokia 6110)!
I wondered how our key person would reply to this. But he was good. He begun to praise the Leader and their team for the opportunity to get direct feedback from them. To get their attention, to get their time. Face to face.
- Thank you for this information, we take this seriously
- Thank you so much. We will process this all at our side
- We thank you for taking time to this...
Reply took full 10 minutes and the meeting was over. We kept silent when leaving the building. Afterwards we analysed it all and I believe we got quite bottom of it. Logical reasons found but let's keep them private. Soon this 'market share meeting' faded from our minds and business-as-usual won. Meeting had no impact, instead, all out efforts. Nokia's market share continued to grow much over 30% in China.
Meeting-3: Privacy under the Table
Major city, South China, meeting with mobile operator. More than 10 persons around large oval-shaped table with flowers in the open middle. One mobile phone rings, call was to 'assistant to CEO'. She must answer but wouldn't leave the meeting room. Solution? She bended her head completely under the meeting table and took the call there. No disturbance to others. A few minutes later she popped back like nothing ever happened.
- Uh-oh, interesting, and it didn't even mess up your hair!
Meeting-4: A Destroy Strategy
Beijing, Nokia China internal meeting about mobile phones market, marketing, sales, channels, distribution. Major companies have access to their competitors through sort of industry friendships. Somebody had got hold of strategy-plan powerpoint from Motorola China. One slide in the set stated their strategic target:
- We will destroy Nokia's distribution network... (more)
Left:China business, a learning process.
Details followed how Moto planned to achieve it. Nokia China had learnt that some buyers walked into shops to buy new Nokia phone but walked out with a new Moto phone. Our adapt: training, rewards (motivation), placement, relations and some control. Too much Sun Tzu, too much I Ching.
Meeting-5: Artists and Royalties
Ringtone download businesses booming. We, Nokia China, went to meet the major music royalty collector in Beijing. Stylish office, tens of framed photos of artists on walls. This was a meeting without prepared agenda. Music was going into mobile and raising copyrights topic in China. I asked the Leader if Nokia could join hands with them and do a campaign with Chinese portals, to say the artists should get there share.
- No, no, NO. We don’t wan’t publicity. If we find a case of rights violation, we will process it in the court according to the law.
Meeting-6: Online Games will reward You
ONL-games showed rapid, enormous growth. At Nokia China I searched for the reasons to understand and match, to support. Why geometric growth in onl-gaming? Chinese game designers must know the answer. I met top designer Chen in Beijing, he gave me the answer.
- It's culture related. Chinese gamers build digital image of themselves for acceptance and positive feedback, reward, which is not available enough from their physical relations, from their homes.
Meeting-7: Yahoo! We, Yahoo!
We left from Beijing to meet Yahoo in Nokia Singapore office, for co-operation in mainland China. I never understood why Nokia Singapore was involved as they could not add value in mainland business. Yahoo had sent their team including several VPs. Nokia's market share in mainland was nearing 30% while Yahoo was practically unknown in China. Adding a Yahoo link into Nokia phones' menu caused an ego-clash. Who would benefit of it, who should pay to whom? Big brands partnership without ownership. Yet, it took miserable 6+ hours night flight back to Beijing, via Xiamen.
- Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof. (Pharrell Williams)
Meeting-8: Europe, Here We Come
During just one year Nokia China organised 125 Chinese groups to meetings in Nokia Corp. HQ in Finland and reference visits in EU countries. That's 2-3 groups per week the whole year. Travelling was a well-defined process. Chinese customers and partners spent two hours in Nokia HQ where managers told them about roadmap and directions in mobility. Meetings were followed by EU touring.
- Usual meeting trip to Europe took two weeks
Meeting-9: 100% Copy not a Copy!
Top-level Chinese dotcom portal, listed in Nasdaq, U.S. We found they used content that was 100% copy, not a remake, taken from Nokia China’s web. We asked for a meeting and explanation. Portal's VP of Business Development came and we showed the proof. This was her explanation:
- Not a copy. Our creative persons just have similar experience background as yours. That’s the reason.
Meeting-10: Me-too Proposal
Beijing, sidelines of a telecomm conference, this happened before Chinese ZTE, ZhongXing was known as a phone maker. A lady comes to exchange business cards, she was from ZTE. She proposed meeting related to technical co-operation between Nokia and ZTE. They wanted to start making mobile phones and wanted partnership. I took the message forward knowing the result. A few years later...
- Nokia Mobile Phones: history and gone
- ZTE: major market player in phones
Meeting-11: A Lone Star
When I started at Nokia China in 1998, the soon leaving strategy director advised me that work is about interplay between people. He said:
- No stars, the only star in Nokia Corporation is CEO Jorma Ollila
Uh oh, over 8000 persons in Nokia China but no stars!
Meeting-12: Leave Immediately, Leave Now!
Meeting day at Beijing customer. Two experts had arrived from Denmark. Happened that U.S. EP-3 military plane were taken down to Hainan in South China. Event triggered demonstrations in Beijing. Tensions up. Afternoon the Danish duo got a call from Denmark ordering them to leave China immediately, to go directly to the airport and to take first possible flight out. No picking luggages from hotel. A real interruption. I stayed and on way to home near Beijing WTC my car got surrounded by angry demonstrators, one came partly in, noisy moments. Huge mass demonstration was beginning.
- There, CNN news team's talking head got a hit
Meeting-13: Feedback from Developers
Key Chinese APPs developer company wanted to focus their work on Nokia mobile phones. They prepared a detailed report about needs (APIs, features) what would enable to make the market. Their feedback was analytical based on examples which demonstrated that limitations in developer support caused lost opportunity. The meeting in Beijing was arranged, a group of software Nokians from Tampere town, Finland, arrived. Developer feedback was not taken seriously. They were not going to fight for China market. Their answer to almost everything was ‘cant-do-that’. Probably they didn’t understand China market potential, scale, importance, behavior felt almost arrogant.
- The moment I became suspicious about Nokia’s ability to lead APPs and mobility
Internal Meetings: Progress needed!
Progress is made through meetings and by decisions. Based on my experiences working for companies in Europe and U.S., internal meetings could be more productive. Mostly, when a person joins meeting without opinion or suggestions, everyone loses. In meetings, you got to have an opinion, need to say it, multicultural meetings in China no exception.
• No leader: no Village-Head leader, no agenda, not even purpose
• No results: only nice-to-know participants, not having opinions
• Not prepared: I only got to know 2 hours ago about this meeting
• Nobody: person has no business cards to avoid later activities
• Time killer: read emails, browsing, no opinion, no suggestions
• Latecomer: plays busy, leaves early to avoid action points
• Early leaver: leaves before meeting ends to avoid action points
• Wasted meeting: no memo, no decisions, no action points
MORE WONDERS IN CHINA
THREE FELLOWS WALKING TOGETHER, ONE MUST BE MY TEACHER - proverb
Business Development with Chinese Spices
A telecomm conference in Beijing. My Chinese colleague kept repeating JuDaZhongHua, the Great China, so much that I asked to explain. He told this was used to describe China's first four telecom companies. Synchronised business development! The companies:
• JuLong - meaning Great Dragon
-- Telecom equipments. XiaoLingTong Little Smart PAS/PHS phones.
• DaTang - meaning Big Tang, the most prosperous dynasty
-- Invested on TD-SCDMA 3G networks and mobile phones.
• ZhongXing (ZTE) - meaning China raising up, prosperous China
-- Rapid globaliser. Rapid growth. R&D centers. Mobile phones.
• HuaWei - meaning China's strong ability in development
-- China's crown jewel. Domestic domination. Globalizing with speed.
-- Many R&D centers. Mobile phones. Rapid growth in export.
Take the first part of each company name and you will get:
JU-DA-ZHONG-HUA = The Great China
Chinese Media: Let's Not Compete Too Hard
"China Mobile and China Unicom have reached a gentlemen's agreement to ease price competition in their latest effort to boost earnings. The understanding comes after both said the cut-throat price competition had eaten into earnings and driven down their share price. Consensus was reached that nobody wins if they both keep cutting prices. Both carriers agreed to compete on quality of service and value-added services instead of low prices."
- February 2004, Beijing
Chinese Media: The Great CEO Rotation
"CEO shifting will take place among China's telecom operators
• Mr Wang Jianzhou CEO of China Unicom to be CEO of China Mobile
• Mr Wang Xiaochu CEO of China Mobile to be CEO of China Telecom
• Mr Chang Xiaobin CEO of China Telecom to be CEO of China Unicom"
- November 2004, Beijing
Rotations. Premier Zhu Rongji ordered probably the first rotation: banking sector. Rotation helped to solve wrongdoings by breaking the Guanxi links. After, many Chinese SOEs and institutions accelerated their internal rotation speed. Three years rotation period has impact on investments as every new leader wants to invest. Rotation has impact on vendors: longer product lifespan is costly and not a right reference. Products with three years lifespan can be made of cheaper components.
VISA Problem. Chinese need a VISA to travel Finland and vice versa. This sad event happened in 2006. Nokia China's former president whom I knew well, liked by everybody, died in Finland. He had served many years in Nokia China and taken the effort to learn Mandarin language. Speeches in Mandarin. His business partners, Leaders at Chinese mobile operators, asked to travel Finland to attend his funeral. The VISA process was too slow. No go.
NOKIA CHINA: MY BEIJING OFFICES
1998 - 2005
Most Nokia China's offices had a harmonious working spirit in Chinese way. I met many talented Chinese individuals who had ability to co-operate and who were results-oriented. I have respect for many of my Chinese team members and colleagues. I worked these offices in this sequence order:
• Factory 506 Office in JiangTaiLu
• GuoSiJuLeBo Office in International Club at Ritan Park
• HePingLi Office HPL-2 house-2 at North Ring-2
• Nokia Tower Office 18F, PCP at GongTiBeiLu Avenue
• HePingLi Office HPL-1 house-1 at North Ring-2
NOKIA CHINA FACTORY 506 OFFICE
JiangTaiLu, Beijing
Factory 506 was my first office in China. Guarded entrance lead into Factory 506 area of buildings around a park. 506 is well known among elder Beijingers for its historical manufacturing contributions. Factory 506 had been transformed into offices and factories for several companies. Its main Nokia unit was Beijing Nokia Mobile Telecommunications Ltd., BNMT, a joint venture (JV) between Nokia and Beijing Telecommunications Equipment Factory 506.
Nokia Networks had some office space in Factory 506. Office hall was furnished in western traditional way. A few rooms and meeting rooms which had China-Finland mini flags for partnership spirits. Steely lunch restaurant hall was underground, under the building.
Lunch time. Factory 506 lunch was industrial, served at long, windowless dining hall underground. Rice and dishes were loaded onto compressed steel platform. Steel bow for soup. Dining hall had very strong industrial food smell, many couldn't handle it and went out-factory for lunch. Fish lunch at Factory 506 measured your real skills with Chinese food culture.
Left:White Horse Statue in Factory 506 park. Nokia's office and factory workers relaxed here during lunch breaks. Central system broadcasted harmonious Chinese masterpieces and Going Home by Kenny G.
Pillow time. In the afternoon Factory 506 office workers pushed keyboards aside. A colorful, hand made pillow was taken up from drawers, put onto work table, and forehead put onto pillow. A little nap. 30 minutes later keyboards continued clicking as usual. Forward leaning pillow rest position looked surrealistic. I wanted to join but never got that pillow, and I didn't have that time.
Beijing JiangTaiLu and Factory 506 area didn't have many street lights. Evening dark offered daily element of real life excitement when heading home. Most taxis didn't dare to drive in dark streets of JianTaiLu, drivers were afraid. Walk trip in dark to bigger road was needed. Tens of late evenings, open Leatherman tool knife into right hand, to home from work. There, some work partners lost their laptops, two got stabbed. Later JianTaiLu got lights and wide roads integrating it better into Beijing, and its reputation is now improving.
NOKIA CHINA INTERNATIONAL CLUB OFFICE
GuoSiJuLeBo, Beijing
Nokia China HQ was for long located in GuoSiJuLeBo, International Club, mix of old and new buildings at main avenue. Beside was CITIC Tower, the first foreign trade office building in Beijing (WTC came after it), Hotel St.Regis where President George W. Bush stayed when in Beijing, JianGuomenWai Diplomatic Residence block, and famous Ritan Park.
Beijing International Club is known as Chairman Mao's meeting place. I was told that old times when people passed it, they hardly dared to look at it. Now it's buildings are for office and hotel use. I visited in International Club's Chairman Mao's old events hall, there were two tennis courts.
Office. Nokia China HQ office in International Club was filled with small blue cubicles. Back then Nokia China's president was Folke Ahlbäck. His corner room and a few other rooms had traditional Chinese furnishing. Both Mobile Phones and Networks were booming, more and more personnel was recruited.
Lunch. Lunch restaurant was on underground floor's small, windowless space. Often full-packed restaurant was a shoulder-to-shoulder experience. Food was typical: rice, tofu, chicken or pork with a white steamed bun. When its food became tiring, there were many restaurants nearby with high-priced western-style services.
Left:International Club Office,
blue building, in Beijing.
International Club Office location was convenient as my home in HuaQiaoCun Overseas Chinese Village was just five minutes walk from it, the opposite side of JianGuoMenWai Avenue (part of ChangAn main avenue), beside SciTech Department Store.
NOKIA CHINA HEPINGLI OFFICES
North Ring-2, Beijing
I was located two periods in Beijing HePingLi Offices, Nokia codes HPL-1 and HPL-2. Two buildings, a period in both office. Offices were inside a gated area which had yet another gated area within for a Chinese organisation. Our offices formed sort of protection layer. There were some speculation about that Chinese organization but we really didn't know.
HPL-1 OFFICE: I was not Impressed
Q: What is the difference between optimist and pessimist?
A: Pessimist probably knows more.
HPL-1 Office was about Chinese research projects and international research projects. HePing means heavenly peace but in HPL-1 Office I saw emotions taking control resulting serious bursts, often. Me being polite here. In HPL-1 Office it happened that my group member's ThinkPad's motherboard 'broke' and was replaced four times in a month. A person wanted to avoid project reporting, and there was much more into it. In HPL-1 Office defamation emails flew around in try to hide unpleasant activities. Unfortunate period of dealing with betas, when I wanted success with alfas.
Left:HePingLi Office HPL-1, Beijing.
A sophisticated surveillance camera system pointing to my desk was found by Nokia HQ Security Audit Team which made weekend auditing. This raised questions: Why? Who? How long? What next? A visual key-logger to get access into encrypted data in my ThinkPad? Targeting the process for developing new generation network? Details about research programmes composed of international projects? Reports, memos, plans, and emails, contacts? I asked auditors to smile - only they did't know how.
HPL-1 Office, I received threats, even the ultimate threat. Nokia HR was not able to support as they had, in my mind, grown 'over-localized' and arrogant. They were afraid. No support from there. 'Over-localised' HR can convert a healthy multinational company into backwards moonwalking zombie by creating competitiveness deficit. In HPL-1 Office the corporate values like "Respect: treat others with trust and respect, communicate openly and honestly" didn't apply.
No surprise, in HPL-1 Office 5th floor toilets had galosh level overflow every afternoon. And more, a thief was caught in the office but managed to escape. He was chased into water channel in front of the gate. He drowned.
HPL-2 OFFICE: Standard
HPL-2 Office was a big and modern space, cubicle halls, almost boring. I noticed a good working spirit. I stayed there only a short period and did a lot travelling that time.
NOKIA TOWER OFFICE
Pacific Century Place PCP, Beijing
Nokia China HQ moved from GuoSiJuLeBo International Club to Nokia Tower Office in Pacific Century Place (PCP). PCP was located at GongTiBeiLu Avenue near SanLiTun Village and Worker's Stadium. PCP also had offices for IBM and Boeing, many restaurants and Starbucks, and a major department store. One tower of the PCP was apartments.
For several years my office was in PCP 18F. Good views. This was also professionally interesting period. Mobile data service was followed by APPs, and limitations were in phones (many phone models, different capabilities, Symbian in all, APIs openness, etc). Marketing, Society Relations, and key account sales teams were in PCP 18F. Back then Nokia China's president was Urpo Karjalainen.
Nokia China's Product Development was also located in PCP (some lower floors) were they also did some testing and usability works.
Left:Nokia Tower Office PCP, Beijing.
I enjoyed years in PCP Office working for Nokia Mobile Phones. Next contract was HePingLi Office HPL-1 for Nokia Research Center.
NOKIA (BEIJING) FACTORY MOVED TO XINGWANG
XingWang factory was opened in 2001 in Beijing South-East suburb, 20 mins drive from Beijing downtown. I never had an office in XingWang but visited there for meetings and factory tours a few times.
Only Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) was left in Beijing downtown at East Ring-2 also known as GongYeJie Industrial Street which is the base for major Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) f.ex. in petroleum and telecomm industries.
Left:New Nokia handset factory, XingWang, Beijing 2001.
Following years Chinese bought around 5 to 7 million mobile handsets in total each month.
LEARNING MANDARIN CHINESE
1998 - 2003 BEIJING FESCO INTERNATIONAL CENTER
During my Nokia China years 1998-2005 I took Mandarin lessons for 5 years. Early morning three times a week linguistics professor Qie JinShen - Qie LaoShi - from Beijing Fesco International Teaching Center came to my home for 1,5 hour lesson. I studied advanced speaking/hearing courses and received certificate of academic completion. Professor Qie taught Mandarin also to other Nokia China's managers, including Nokia's president Folke Ahlbäck. My Fesco bills for 5 years were paid by Nokia.
Professor Qie's experience and knowledge made Mandarin language studies and Chinese culture great fun. He was often able to explain the Chinese thinking and reasons behind the actions and reactions. He had experienced China's change and had logical way to handle it to a foreigner. I hope he writes a book about his experiences and views.
Left:Professor Qie JinShen
MY MANDARIN TODAY
I used Mandarin language in semi-professional manner with friends, colleagues and business partners. Sometimes in situations like recruitment and project interviews. With customers my Mandarin was for speeches during the events and Chinese proverbs during ritual dinners. Understanding spoken Mandarin is of course the greatest benefit. To get the tone. My Mandarin skill peeked in China 2012. Recent years not much use for it.
SARS OUTBREAK
2003 BEIJING STOPPED FOR FOUR MONTHS
During my Nokia China times SARS epidemic stopped and shut down supersize Beijing. Streets became empty. SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) took control of the city for several months. Around 8000 people in 26 countries got it and up to 700 died.
I stayed in Beijing every day of the SARS epidemic. Empty streets were good for roller skating but the future looked uncertain. When skating around Beijing's modern blocks, thoughts were in what might it be next. This was serious.
WORKING DURING SARS
Expats were first to receive credible information about SARS epidemic. Chinese personnel in Nokia's offices didn't react on foreign news or coffee discussions. For Chinese, the state-run CCTV was, and still is, the trusted source and it didn't report. My Chinese colleagues reacted strongly when they learned that some hospitals had been closed without explanation. The military hospital opposite to our office in Pacific Century Place (PCP) at GongTiBeiLu, was closed without explanation. We saw no 'life' in hospital itself, only armed guards. This caused a lot of discussions among Chinese.
Left:SARS, Spring 2003. TianAnMen Square, guards using KouZhao.
SARS epidemic changed the way of office work. Many Chinese colleagues used their holidays to avoid public transport and crowds. At workplace we had less and less meetings, no handshaking, more email. Later no meetings at all. Vitamin C drinks became popular and personal alcohol bottles were used to disinfect hands.
More cleaning personnel arrived (probably few tens per floor). Doors and doorknobs, lifts and buttons, toilets, corridors, and work cubics were wiped several times daily with disinfectants. Air disinfection during non-office hours.
Western doctors gave us situation briefings: chemicals used in disinfectants would cause cancer and more deaths than SARS. We were between two fires. Nokia China top management sent the personnel daily SARS reports and safety information by email, very effective way to communicate at that situation. Many expat families who had children, left China.
It would have been nearly criminal to cough even once inside office. Going out for lunch stopped. Rumors flourished. SMS text messaging was used for harsh humor. Soon someone always knew a person who had died SARS. Any office which was known been visited by a SARS person, was closed for a few days for thorough disinfection, that happened in another Nokia office.
DAILY LIFE DURING SARS
When outdoors, most people used KouZhao, a mask. Taxi drivers, 70.000 taxis in Beijing, disinfected their cars frequently. They used white surgical KouZhaos and drove windows open in Beijing's cool spring weather. Gradually SARS cleared most traffic from Beijing. It felt like everything in Beijing had stopped.
Left:SARS, Spring 2003. Scouting Beijing with N95 level mask, KouZhao.
Roadblocks sealed Beijingers inside Beijing from surrounding Hebei Province. Other cities informed that travelers from Beijing were not welcomed, instead would be quarantined for several weeks if coming in. There was no way out from Beijing. Even whole big apartments houses, if they had a SARS case, were quarantined, closed and isolated. Food was delivered to people inside by the government.
SARS stopped Beijingers from spitting and sneezing onto streets. Fines were high for such traditional behavior. TV programs made sure that people begun to understand that SARS was dangerous. Households filled their storages with rice, soya and drinks, then locked the door and wait.
SARS nurses got extra pay for their dangerous and heavy work. They had to wear multiple layers for protection, but still some got SARS and died. They were not allowed to go home between work periods. Nurses became society's heroes and content for TV.
Every day I saw ambulances speeding Beijing streets, inside the nurses wearing full white protection gear.
Heavy penalties were set for those who didn't obey new emergency rules, even the death penalty was informed.
Left:SARS-selfie, Spring 2003. Everybody used KouZhao for several months. Empty Beijing streets were perfect for roller skating. I did long, lonely trips, like being inside a ghost movie.
I was roller skating and passed by a car, full of people wearing KouZhaos. Someone put arm out giving me thumb-up, upbeat communication! When on roller skates, common surgical KouZhao was quite comfortable. More effective N95 mask by 3M (above) was easy to breathe when walking but speaking with it became porridge.
During SARS peek times SanLiTun Bar Street, today better known as The Village, was almost empty. Restaurants DownTown and The Den (at white City Hotel) had still many noisy expats. Surrounding areas of Beijing were empty and silent.
WINNING THE SARS BATTLE
SARS epidemic was a surreal experience in capital Beijing. It took around four months, it got steadily worse. Finally it surrounded us all. There was time to think, and I tried hard with all I got, and there was just uncertainty.
After slow start the Chinese apparatus stretched, improved, and handled SARS epidemic actually quite effectively. SARS hospital, entire buildings quarantined, schools closed, water sources protection. Control was tight but bearable. SARS was beaten, and soon faded away from people's memory.
BYE-BYE TO NOKIA CHINA
1998 - 2005
I left 'The Nokia China Show' at the height of its success. Seven years and seven different roles in Nokia China, all about business development: done. My lifetime Nokia Corp. service flipped over 20 years and I didn't want to return Nokia HQ in Finland. I left Nokia China end 2005 when the company was in its strongest position ever in China. At that time, Nokia China's internal weakness had already begun developing. Internal Guanxi was pushing Nokia from being unique towards average, and even less. Towards weakness.
Time for the new. I continued living in Beijing. With Chinese partners I had a new marketing venture already in process. Next great period was about to begin.
9. Co-Founder: HappyHan Company, Beijing
2006 - 2009 MOBILE STARTUP with EMBA SPICES
In 2006 many things kept me in Beijing, startup entrepreneurship was one of them. New ideas popping with creative Beijingers, and soon I became co-founder of HappyHan Company, to realise it all. Friends carried us a heavy coppar gift symbolizing good luck, energy, relationship.
HappyHan combined mobile with a 'shocking' marketing concept. The Product was more marketing than technical side. There are cases where 'marketing' should define 'the non-material product' to create match, rather than the engineering. HappyHan was such, but flexibility was needed.
Terracotta experience in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.
HAPPYHAN COMPANY - SOLD
to Chinese internet business personality after three years, 2009.
BEIJINGMAN BLOG
Summer 2005, I had started BeijingMan Blog. During HappyHan Company period (3 years), living in Beijing, I wrote over 50 China business articles to BeijingMan Blog. During its active life of 10 years, BeijingMan got 300.000 visitors in total. China Daily, the major English language newspaper published an article based on BeijingMan article about Guanxi.
• China Daily: A Foreigner Managed to Crack the Guanxi Code
Their article was about my Guanxi and Business in Mainland China blog article. For me it was a great surprise. China Daily approved my analysis and partly critical view about Mainland China business.
EMBA LECTURING
2006-2007 I lectured in a U.S. university's eMBA program in Beijing about Chinese Business Mentality. I met business visitors for their China plans. And of course, took holidays in China and around Asia. This was a good period.
10. Teleste Corp. China - Chief Representative
2010 - 2012 CABLE-TV TECH and BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Early 2010 I was invited as Chief Representative China to Teleste Corporation, a major company which is listed in Nasdaq Helsinki. Chief Rep. position is official Chinese rank for Country Managers of foreign businesses. Teleste had already done 12 years business in Beijing with China. Teleste's Chinese personnel was experienced and professional. Their mainland business was CATV networks infrastructure for broadcasting and communication. Teleste was well-established with many long-term partnerships, good Guanxi capabilities and well defined sales process.
Teleste Representative Office in FuHua Mansion, Beijing East Ring-2, near Hotel Swissotel. FuHua Mansion was perfect location to receive partners and customers.
Teleste China operated mostly via partners, and had delivered over 100 cable TV networks for customers in 26 of 31 mainland Chinese provinces. While Teleste's Chinese competitors were trapped in no-brand, no-flagship low-margin sales, the foreign brand could still win a higher margin with higher quality products.
China's population is over 250 times that of Finland, and geographic area about 30 times Finland. China has 31 provinces which are like countries in the EU. Provinces include
• 4 megacities: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing
• 330 cities
• 2800 counties (towns)
• 680.000 villages
CHANGE IN THE MARKET MEANS OPPORTUNITY
During my 3-year period 2010-2012 at Teleste, Chinese cable TV network operators faced heavy consolidation. Provincial cable TV companies were established and ordered to take over the city and county level cable TV networks. New provincial level CATV companies combined even 100 smaller CATV companies into one. Consolidation process was tragic for all those organizations. it also had great impact on network vendors' relations-based sales process and their partners.
Hebei Province 68Mi people.
=== === ===
• TV Station customer
-- 120 TV channels
• State representative
• Chinese partner
Market changed from over 3000 CATV companies into 31 large and influencial, provincial level state-owned CATV companies. We at Teleste managed this exciting change pretty well by strong partner and joint venture approach. We needed some further product localization.
I left Teleste China at the end of 2012. My three years at Teleste Corp. was exciting period of sales and business development. China market changed fundamentally, impact on all these:
• Company image, product difference
• Product approvals
• Pre-bidding process (sales)
• Bidding process
• After-bidding process
• After-sales process
• Partner relations
• Customer relations
• Society relations
JOINT VENTURES: NOKIA CHINA AND TELESTE CHINA
SUCCESS NEEDS MILESTONES and REWARDS
JVs are wanted for value-add and for mainland market access. JV is helpful format for society relations. And, of course, there is the famous risk of competitor creation.
CHINA JV - Nokia Corp. China
In Nokia China we took a team process, I was member of that team. Process took two years resulting Nokia-NeuSoft JV.
Nokia-NeuSoft JV.
Meeting, lunch at Neusoft Corp. HQ in ShenYang, Liaoning Province. Neusoft Chairman Mr Liu Siren hosted our long JV meetings.
NeuSoft Corporation is a Chinese stock listed company, back then the largest IT solutions and services company in China, 20.000 employees. Nokia-NeuSoft JV was about software, telecomm, access, sales and markets. Many meetings were held in Shenyang, Dalian and Beijing. This was a major team effort and a great learning process.
CHINA JV - Teleste Corp. China
As Chief Representative of China I received three manufacturing proposals from Chinese. First proposal came from major, well-known Chinese electronics SOE. Second and third proposal included a provincial cable TV company. Proposals took two years to clear and negotiate.
Teleste Corp. JV.
Media event in Shenzhen. Signing Teleste JV related documents.
The major challenge was the corporate HQ. Their thinking was not clear what might be the next growth market. After JV partner candidates were mapped, the 3-party structure got accepted. Meetings were held in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Lanzhou and Finland. Manufacturing JV was officially signed in April 2013 in Finland.
Teleste's China JV is located in Gansu Province, Lanzhou New Area (LNA). Its products, cable TV network elements, will be manufactured for the mainland Chinese provincial cable TV operators.
Teleste Corp. Cable-TV
network customers map.
Mainly TV Stations and
steel producers.
In any Chinese JV the 'product' is important. But for a JV to become successful, relations and understanding everyone's personal agenda is even more important. Teleste JV will need smart coordination by the HQ. To reach the scale, JV would benefit of a roadmapped approach with recognition of the achieved milestones.
11. Based in Beijing for 15 years
1998 - 2013 HOMES, FRIENDS, INCIDENTS
BEIJING HOME No.1
1998 - 2002 HuaQiaoCun / Overseas Chinese Village
First it felt weird that home door had just a number, no name plate. Name and address are sensitive issues in China, maybe for reasons.
Left:My Beijing home No.1
Overseas Chinese Village,
HuaQiaoCun from Autumn 1998 to May 2002, my first 3,5 years in China, Apartment A1601,
170m2 on 16th floor.
From TianAnMen Square, the main avenue towards East. Famous HuaQiaoCun is the first apartment building with balconys towards main avenue, beside SciTech Department Store. This picture is taken from top floor of the opposite CITIC building, the earliest international office building in Beijing and the mainland China.
HuaQiaoCun was good if you wanted to see visiting world leaders. Every week car caravans passing by, President George W. Bush had over 70 cars. He stayed overnight opposite to HuaQiaoCun, the other side of the main avenue in International Club. President Clinton went to DiaoYuTai State Guest House which is more traditional but not a bad choice, neither.
HuaQiaoCun apartment building was built about 1986. It was the first building where foreigners were allowed to own an apartment in Beijing. House management's service was good. If I had any problems, 4-6 workers in blue clothing marched in to solve them, no wait. There were times when I felt that service at HuaQiaoCun was even too complete, tested it and it was so.
Beijing Old Railway Station was near. During the nights I could hear signaling sounds when trains were arranged for next day's schedule. Early mornings nearby army unit woke up and shouted during their morning exercise. I got used to it, homely.
Left:My Beijing home No.1
East Gate added in 2000.
Many Chinese pop stars, importers, business men, life stories and luxory cars.
Community. Many neighbors were from Hong Kong, Singapore or early wealthy mainland Chinese. One imported alcohols, he had several Rolls Royces. Another business person went always with medical team with him. Some were sport stars, some in popular music. HuaQiaoCun community was sort of elite of those times.
BEIJING HOME No.2
2002 - 2010 YangGuangDushi / Sun City
May 2002 I moved to Sun City 2-1105, four 24-floor towers YangGuangDushi in Xin ZhongJie street 'New Middle Road' near Workers' Stadium. We invested on 11th floor apartment, new 201m2, three bedrooms. Excellent layout and space, better than in HuaQiaoCun. Italian kitchen. Living room was six meters wide with Italian red marble floor, and with full width glass balcony.
During seven years in Sun City I got many good friends, both Chinese and foreign, mainly with business background.
My Beijing home No.2
Sun City, YangGuangDushi
Excellent location. But there were some 200 companies operating among Sun City's 800 apartments, for cheaper cost level (rent, electricity etc) than real offices offered. Apartment companies caused many troubles to families. In addition, some Sun City company people had so strong "provincial mentality" that it forced to check from calendar which century we were living on (sorry, no details).
Sun City's house management didn't have a clue about modern house management. The gap was huge. And still, LAN connection for Internet was always slow. All these troubles resulted gradually worsening living environment, erosion, where proactivity was unknown and slow reactivity was a norm. Repairing broken, dangerous slider in children's playground took a year. Rooftop hutong-type of build-ups begun to grow like a decease. Someone invented to make money by renting house cellars, some called them 'ant people'. The house developer's promises were not kept, and the house quality and style were lost. One apartment was rented to 50 young men working as guards. My decision to leave Sun City was not difficult.
BEIJING HOME No.3
2010 - 2013 Guangcai Mansion / Glory International Mansion
May 2010 I moved to Glory International Mansion near Worker's Stadium South gate. A real upgrade. Glory, i.e. Guangcai has four 31-floor high towers. The French Culture Center is located in Tower-1, and Spanish Cervantes Institute opposite to Tower-2.
My home was 22nd floor apartment A in Tower-2, views to East and South over Beijing modern center area. 276m2 space with excellent layout. Responsive and service-minded house management. Red, hidden panic buttons in every room to launch security group at the door in 180 seconds (tested). Four balconies. Gym, pools, and 2nd floor courtyard garden. Many good restaurants nearby, italian, taiwanese. Many neighbors became friends, both expats and Chinese.
My Beijing home No.3
Guangcai Mansion, Glory
Excellent place, absolutely. From living room I could see Workers Stadium, City Hotel, SanLiTun Soho, Pacific Century Place PCP, Edinburg Apartments, Fosun, CCTV Tower, even BTV Tower and WTC Towers, LG Towers, Ritan Park and old CITIC Building beside old Friendship Store, opposite to SciTech Department Store, China Life tower. Guangcai was home for ambassadors, a Chinese minister and several well-known Western and Chinese business persons. Guangcai was my home for three good years.
CHINESE FRIENDS
Dinners, Travelling, Museums, Parks
I have many good Chinese friends in Beijing. Entrepreneurs and professionals, some known probably by the most Chinese. We usually had dinners, sometimes exotic dishes. Events, birthday parties, two weddings, visited few times in hospitals. Sadly, there was one funeral.
Tens of Museums
We scouted Beijing museums and I posted photo-articles to BeijingMan blog. Some:
• China Railway Museum
• China Tank Museum
• China Aviation Museum
• Chinese Military Museum
• National Museum of China
• Forbidden City Palace Museum
• TianAnMen Square
• People's Great Hall - several events
• Chairman Mao Memorial Hall - walk through
• TianAnMen Rostrum balcony
• Beijing Capital Museum
• Beijing LiuLiChang Antiques Street
• Beijing Ancient Observatory
• Beijing Natural History Museum
• DaShanZi Art District - Factory 798
• National Art Museum - MeiShuGuan
• Lu Xun Museum
Tens of Hutongs
I joined Beijing Hutongs Group to learn about living during Ming and Qing dynasties. Hutong streets are usually north-south. Crossing streets linking hutong streets are named JiaDao or XieJien.
Rich or poor, most ancient Beijing residents lived in hutongs. Fifty years ago Beijing had over 3000 hutongs. Modernization has erased most of them, less than 700 hutongs are said to be left. Hutongs Group wanted to record old hutong culture. During weekends we walked through narrow lanes, went into yards and inside courtyards. Most were empty, waiting to be tired down, some still had people and cats. I was interviewed by China Central TV, as member of Beijing Hutongs Group: Foreigner's view on Hutong Culture.
I scouted BeiQiaoWan hutong area in ZhuShiKou and HuFangQiao hutong area near TianAnMen Square. Hutongs: HanJia Hutong, DaBaiShun Hutong, BaiShun Hutong, ShiTou Hutong, PeiYing Hutong, ZhuMao Hutong, XiaoChunShu Hutong, ZhuJia Hutong, YuanXing JiaDao, QingFeng JiaDao, ZongShu XieJien, DaQiJia Hutong, WangPi Hutong, CaiJia Hutong, ShiJia Hutong, ZhangShan Hutong, YunJu Hutong, GanJing Hutong, many more. All documented.
My blog post about Beijing Hutongs was referred by David Owen in his book Green Metropolis.
Tens of Historical Parks, Palaces and Sights
• Ritan Park - Sun
• Yuetan Park - Moon
• Tiantan Park - Heaven
• Ditan Park - Earth
• BeiHai Park
• ZhongShan Park
• JingShan Park
• ChaoYang Park
• Summer Palace - YiHeYuan
• Imperial Palace - YuanMingYuan
• Sacret Way of Ming Tombs
• Beijing Botanical Garden
• Beijing Zoo
• Beijing Hutongs
• CCTV Tower - DaKuCha
• Financial Street - JinRong Jie
• National Grand Theatre - Beijing Egg
• Tanzhe Temple, Western Hills
• Putuo Zongcheng Temple, Chengde
We visited Xi'an as to see Terracotta Soldiers. We stayed four nights at BeiDaiHe Beach, famous of Leaders' yearly state meetings. We drove to LaoLongTou, Old Dragon Head, place of Battle of Shanhaiguan in 1900, where Great Wall rises from Bohai Sea. We stayed at DiYiCheng Culture Park ‘Grand Epoch City’ in Xianghe, famous for G20 meeting, 5-star hotel, 22 palaces, halls, lake, water channels and bridges. And we went many places around Beijing and in other cities.
Chinese street painter draw this near TianAnMen Square. Probably more like Chinese me 启思博 Qi SiBo.
Sometimes we brainstormed business opportunities and situations. That also lead into projects. In Beijing I was one of the three founders of a tech startup HappyHan, and we sold it forward.
Fireworks. It was a cold Chinese New Year, my friend asked to join a new year show. That year fireworks were forbidden in Beijing. We drived an hour out Beijing to DiYiCheng Culture Park. We were six persons in all. A blue truck full with firework boxes was waiting for us. A dream, a lot fireworks! Lit a box corner and it shot automatically them all. We asked truck drivers to join litting and we still couldn't do all fireworks! Great show!
BEIJING INCIDENTS
1998 - 2013
• 1999 May: Bombing of Chinese embassy in Belgrade
-- Angry demonstrations at U.S. Embassy area, going out was risky
-- We foreigners became 'new zealanders' to avoid misunderstanding
• 2001 April: Lockheed EP-3 surveillance aircraft in Hainan
-- Tensions against foreigners, taxi drivers didn't give a ride
-- Many foreign visitors left rapidly from the country
• 2003: SARS epidemic stopped Beijing for 4 months
-- People learned to use KouZhao, the mask
• 2004: Anti-Japanese riots: defeat in soccer cup
-- Some streets messed up by angry riots
• 2005: Anti-Japanese riots: history and text books
-- Some streets messed up by angry riots
• 2008: Tibet and Olympic Torch related demonstrations
-- Demonstrations in front of some big foreign shops (Carrefour)
• 2012: Anti-Japanese riots: Diaoyu/Senkaku island
-- Toyota owners removed brand badges from their Japanese cars
• 2012: TV host Yang Rui (Dialog) described expats as foreign trash
-- Many foreigners faced anger, problems in Beijing
MY CHINA
• 1992 first trip to Beijing
• 1994 first business agreement signed in Beijing for OSCAL
• 1998-2013 life and work in Beijing
• 59 trips from Helsinki and EU to China
Business visits to 19 capitals of Chinese provinces and municipalities. Provincial HQs of mobile operators China Mobile and China Unicom; multimedia organisations; game developers; tech universities; media portals; cable TV companies; sales partners; customers.
• Beijing municipality, population 20M, 16.000 km^2
• Chongqing municipality, population 28M
• Shanghai municipality, population 22M
• Tianjin municipality, population 10M
• Hefei 5M, capital of Anhui Province 62M
• Fuzhou 4M, capital of Fujian Province 34M
- Other: Xiamen, Guanzhou
• Guangzhou 10M, capital of Guangdong Province 110M
- Other: Shenzhen
• Haikou 2M, capital of Hainan Province 8M
- Other: holidays in Sanya
• Shijiazhuang 10M, capital of Hebei Province 67M
- Other: Chengde, holidays in Beidaihe and Xianghe
• Zhengzhou 10M, capital of Henan Province 100M
• Shenyang 10M, capital of Liaoning Province 42M
- Other: Dalian
• Xi'an 8M, capital of Shaanxi Province 36M (holiday)
• Jinan 7M, capital of Shandong Province 90M
• Nanjing 7M, capital of Jiangsu Province 77M
• Chengdu 10M, capital of Sichuan Province 82M
• Kunming 4M, capital of Yunnan Province 43M
• Hangzhou 6M, capital of Zhejiang Province 46M
• Lanzhou 6M, capital of Gansu Province 30M
• Hong Kong 7M
12. China for 30 years - Learnings
THE MATTER of RELATIONSHIP
China years made me think of Napoleon who famously said:
China is a sleeping Giant, let her sleep,
for when she wakes she will shake the world.
China has woken and the world is now facing a real Transformer.
What will she be next!
China Backgrounder. Been a long time with China. We started OSCAL China consulting company in Helsinki 1994. OSCAL signed agreement under China's State Planning Committee in Beijing 1994. OSCAL got over 20 Scandinavian multinational corporate clients for China information: Nokia, Kemira, Outokumpu, Rautaruukki from Finland, Ericsson from Sweden, Danfoss from Denmark, Telenor from Norway. And many more tech/ecotech companies.
Henan Province 100Mi people.
Mobile operator customer.
In the middle.
=== === ===
Seminar day and meeting.
Our team: 20 persons.
Customer: 40 persons.
Presentations about
network, partnerships,
roadmap to the future, Q/A.
I moved to Beijing in 1998 and studied Mandarin Chinese for five years. At Nokia China I did business development for seven years. After, I co-founded a mobile startup HappyHan Company, sold in three years. Next, Chief Representative for Teleste Corp. China selling cable TV networks to state media and steel producers for three years until moving back to Helsinki. When you go to China from rule-of-law society, the business experience can be surprising. The gap is there.
Illusions. China changes while its people cherish their ancient culture. Modern-looking Beijing creates illusion with its surface, there are different realities underneath. Modernisation hasn't changed Beijingers much. After WTO agreement in 2001 and Olympic Games 2008, the Chinese way is still the same as before.
Chinese Cocktail: The System + Confucianism + Market Economy
Business Chinese have working-hard spirit. They passionately reach towards the new. They don’t count the time spent or holidays, they are always 'at work'. Motivation is based on reward. Chinese work for a person, not for a company.
Nokia-NeuSoft JV meeting.
In the middle.
=== === ===
NeuSoft's new software center
for 300 professionals.
Weather: +36C and windy.
GUANXI - RELATIONS
It's not a new invention. Around 2540 years ago Confucius talked about "reciprocity", Yi, the root of Guanxi. In the past Guanxi used to be the basic construction element of social structure in China. The origin of Guanxi is exchanging favours which included many kinds of help, from housing to jobs. Guanxi was slow but not static, it was a lifelong process.
Before market economy era it was possible to sell high margin products which were not necessarily matching to customer's need, if only Guanxi was done right (100% Guanxi).
After transition towards market economy, learnings have made Chinese buyers less humble, and knowledgeable of what they want. Matching products are now needed. Evolution of Guanxi is continuous.
Guanxi is different compared to Western system with influencers, LinkedIn, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Starbucks. Its more than community or lobby, consultants, personal networking or connections. Guanxi is more and it includes exchange of favours. Guanxi may not include friendship but strong common interest and trust. Guanxi is private. On personal level good Guanxi gives access to information, influence and wealth, it gives power to act. Guanxi enables and leads into results in sales and partnerships.
Multinational companies which have been for long in China, have learned how to invest, build and utilize Guanxi. MNCs know that built Guanxi is the key social asset and differentiation which can support marketing, and enables sales project wins. Nokia China's Society Relations Group was around 10 persons, they specialised on Guanxi. Staffing this kind of group correctly is crucial. During my marketing/strategy roles at Nokia I worked several years with Society Relations. They were able, very useful, results-oriented.
Beijing. Nokia-NeuSoft team.
In the middle.
=== === ===
Goose heads, Chinese delicacy.
For foreigners eating them
is a ritual with fun.
With Guanxi it's never time to rest, it has to be maintained continuously. Any change, any new piece of information or new situation needs to be utilized. Guanxi can enable early access to information, which opens opportunity to influence on coming request for proposal (RFP).
Guanxi is kind of art. It's about trust. It's personal asset, private, but it's still a network. It can be old and permanent or new and situational. It's about favours given and to be paid back, based on emotional linkage. It's about mutual interest and win-win. When stakes are high, it provides excitement. It's sophisticated, and it's hard to describe as detail series of activities.
Guanxi may require money resources. Guanxi may involve private meetings with no memos. It can be in a very ambiguous format. Sometimes the needs and favours are not communicated openly.
Guanxi is not bribing, but can initiate it and be inter-related, especially if the favor is paid back in cash. Cases can be complicated. Guanxi professionals are called by some Chinese, snipers, as they can reach the target and enable wanted result. Snipers are mainland Chinese with continuous touch and understanding. They often are highest level professionals with wide range of abilities. Personal ability is needed to read each others mind correctly and quickly, in a situation.
Know the line, if you go over the line, then how far?
Guanxi leads to gentlemens' agreement, which is stronger than signed documents as an agreement. In business, Guanxi is related to selling and buying, but internally it can be part in organizational promotions, and when roles and tasks are assigned. At highest level Guanxi can even take use of media and sets rules which enable reaching the goals.
Guanxi is targeted towards/with the persons who have the influencing and decision making power. Usually Chinese negotiations take long because of Guanxi. You may meet a China person who brags about relations, knowing the Leader or relatives. If your temptation onto short-cut grows, verify if relation is an exaggeration or potential enabler, ask to be introduced. Verify. Adapt. I Ching, Book of Changes.
TYPES OF GUANXI
1. Long-term connections based on
• Childhood friendship
• Family ties, kinship
• Social connections: classmates, grandfather’s friend, friend’s friend
2. Short-term relationships
These relationships are based on exchange of short term benefits. Guanxi can be built and it can die right after the benefits become realized. In this case there is no personal appreciation towards each other in the relation. Persons involved see that the advantage is used-up, and there is no need to keep relation further.
3. Evolving new relationship
People are changing, their positions are changing. Nobody has 100% fixed Guanxi. Continuous build-up and maintaining efforts are needed. High-level business trainings like eMBA and MBA programs, are vital in providing opportunities for participants to have new ties, extending their personal Guanxi network.
PURPOSE OF GUANXI
Purpose of Guanxi is to seek convenience and access to business opportunities. Guanxi itself is in the focus, the transaction is result of good Guanxi. Once the favour is offered and accepted, the other party is normally expected to pay back. People who receive favours have to be careful before accepting them. They need to estimate if they will be able to pay back. In here, the Chinese innovation is strongest.
LEARNING GUANXI
Rule-of-law societies don't prepare well for Chinese Guanxi. There is no training for Guanxi except living and doing sales transactions with Chinese in mainland China. No MBA or eMBA program can help to prepare for complex Guanxi situations that might be ahead. Learning Guanxi is always a personal process, a real life process of building face galleries, tapping into private information, being able to learn about wants and needs and readiness.
Chinese Guanxi is not "a thing of past", it is alive, dominating. We will see Guanxi evolution in business in China. Guanxi is at the core of the culture, the key enabler for business and activities in China.
FOREIGNERS AND GUANXI
Foreigners should learn about Guanxi but not to try to be in-person involved because it will not work. For foreigners it is not possible to get deep with Guanxi. Foreigners can have connections and network, dinners and rituals but in practise with Guanxi they are forever outsiders. If you are not ethnic Chinese, you can't change your status as an outsider.
Foreigners may believe Chinese are different. But actually it’s the delicacy how Chinese handle their personal Guanxi, which is different and difficult for foreigners to understand. Relations are, of course, needed everywhere. But Chinese Guanxi is combination of emotions, joint efforts, practical benefits. When feeling becomes part of business relation, it becomes more powerful than rules. It overrides the rules and can enable progress, deals, results.
A foreigner who can understand Chinese culture and knows about Guanxi, LaoWai, may become a problem by raising questions if not understanding the context. LaoWai may be seen as a risk by Chinese colleagues, if some things which are meant to be hidden and confidential, become recognized but not accepted.
=== === ===
Meetings and dinners with
steel producer cable-TV
network customer from
Jinan city 7Mi, Shandong
Province of 90Mi people.
SALES PROCESS IN CHINA
The below meeting sequence and flow is common practise in Chinese industries, not only in the telecomm. Five phases. You need to design your approach from the beginning. Not simple, Chinese say:
- Chinese sales has short life
1. PRIVATE SALES MEETINGS
In China customers make rational choices and decisions. But Chinese rational includes the product extended by Guanxi. Purpose of the private sales meetings is to work for the Guanxi. This meeting is for your senior Chinese sales person to handle. If you use local distributors, the key distributor person would join later into these meetings.
Your sales person needs to win the customer representative, high rank, to become your supporter for later pre-sales and sales meetings. He/she needs to be able to answer the very private question that is bigger than your product.
- Why business with you is worth of it?
During private sales meetings, customer representatives will compare your product's weaknesses and strengths openly to your competition. Customer's requirements are discussed and can be re-set to match. Your company's image is important. Most importantly, Guanxi is built and agreed.
Why foreign companies are so slow in reaching scale business in China? According to a born-in-Beijing businessman, the secret is:
- West is plan driven but Chinese customers are situation driven
2. PRE-SALES MEETINGS
More customer representatives join into these meetings. Products and solutions are introduced in detail and presentations are made. But the content in these pre-sales meetings is not overly meaningful. If you have won the influencers or key decision makers to your side during earlier private sales meetings, most likely others will follow them and become your supporters.
3. SALES MEETINGS
These are formal meetings and time for serious talks. Before the sales meeting you must know who is on your side and will support you. During these meetings the persons you have made Guanxi during earlier private sales meetings, will talk for you. The weak points of your product or solution will not be mentioned, or are set as minor.
4. PUBLIC BIDDING MEETINGS
During these meetings your goal is to get selected into final short list. Usually two alternatives are selected. These meetings can be either serious or formality, depending on the level of your Guanxi.
SOEs are 30% of China's economy, they buy via public biddings everything over one million RMB in value. Biddings are often scheduled for weekends. Think of your pre-bid approach, product fit, bidding judges who can be lottery-selected only 24h before the event, competitors, and after-bid process. Think of your meeting flow and strategy. If requirements are fulfilled, bidding process is about Guanxi: Chinese fine art which can be serious or a ritual.
5. COMMERCIAL TERMS MEETINGS
You were selected to the short list of two vendors. Now is the time for bargaining. You may quote "10" but you should be ready for "8", or facing additional requirements by customer. Always, and this means ALWAYS, if the key high rank person or Leader joins the meeting, you should be ready to give concessions to show your sincerity.
If high rank wants his fingerprint onto coming contract, you should give something on delivery times, services, prices, or after sales support. Just give-up something. This doesn't need to be one-directional, you can ask customer to make concessions in return.
If Chinese hold strong position in negotiation, they feel confident to be direct instead of being indirect. Directness may also be selected as negotiation strategy: be prepared! Understand your position.
Get-prepared for this meeting from the very beginning. Plan well your play. Know the strength of your Guanxi which you worked earlier during private sales meetings. Prepare your concessions. Think through your alternatives. Learn the play.
Province 68Mi people.
=== === ===
Meetings and dinners with
TV Station network customer.
Customer testimony video
for DVD and YouTube.
SALES PRESENTATION
In China a good customer presentation is about showing confidence and building image. Details are very important, more than concepts. You need strong technical knowledge to show your competence and become credible as a person. You show respect and that you understand customer’s situation. You introduce your products/services/support/roadmap. And your audience have a question in their mind: are you good enough to become a partner?
No hesitation, you should take authority in technical issues. Then, if you also have good industry knowledge, wider scale discussions can make you an expert, influencer, in customer's eyes. Then your international success stories are taken seriously.
Learn the presentation DOs/DON'ts for different types of participants. Expectations, and your message, should be very different for the meetings with Leaders, or High Ranks, or Engineers. Special attention on showing financial figures and on handling conflicting questions on technology. Learn to use the soft 'NO' and agree-adjust approach. For your credibility you must give answer to every question presented during/after your presentation.
Learn the behaviour for a good presentation in China: situations to use praising words, humbleness, or even showing emotions.
Gansu Province 30Mi people.
At the front.
=== === ===
Presentation, meeting, lunch.
Leaders and CEOs.
Good arrangements.
MOTIVATION
How to motivate Chinese partners and your Chinese personnel? What is Chinese team building method that brings results, not only the cost? Short answers:
• Village Head leader to take care of your China team in Chinese way
• MoQi to get real support from team members (more abt MoQi below)
• Rewards which are based on achievements
• Respect, respect, respect
FLEXIBILITY
Not only a nice word. This happened in a faraway Chinese province. Products had been delivered. Customer claimed some features were not exactly as in specs. Our best engineer goes to fix the situation. At the site customer’s Leader asked him to cancel his flight back, and informed him
- You will stay here until our tests are passed!
For three weeks our engineer was hostage in that faraway site. No way to get him released. Physical conditions were ruff. Later during an exhibition in Beijing, I met that Leader. He explained his situation then was complex and for him an emergency, and apologised. We agreed bygones be bygones as I wanted to sell later more. We handled it privately, if you make it a bad romance, it risks your business in all China. Learn the situation, Chinese always have their own complexities.
Dinner event during yearly
CCBN Exhibition (Cable-TV).
=== === ===
At the left, dinner speech
in Mandarin Chinese to 70
customers, partners, prospects.
SPEED
In China you will need ability to make fast decisions with limited information, or your game is over. Western business rules are not valid in China. Available information is often fragmented. Especially with new technologies, if you try old school and spend time trying to defining markets and competition in detail, you might find yourself late. Others who took speedy new school short-cut, got there first and took the benefit.
How to explain limited information availability while business opportunity is very real? HQ with endless questions and old school planning may not be able to produce fast decisions needed in China business. HQ abroad operates with many markets but may not understand the Chinese markets, the way of Chinese business, or strategy options. HQs want standardised processes rather than growth with risk in China.
INDIRECT COMMUNICATION
One of the the key challenges in China. Foreigners often find Chinese indirect communication frustrating, inefficient, and as means of avoiding responsibility. But due to Guanxi which is private, it is difficult for Chinese to be exact, especially when asked to estimate status of a project, probability of a sales win, schedules. It helps be a smart listener.
Indirect communication is used in families, workplaces, during meetings and even in negotiations where attitude and tone also have strong roles. In negotiations, if Chinese hold strong position, they can feel confident and be very direct instead of being indirect.
Foreigners might see perfectionism as boring. But Chinese respect it. They find the needed balance by using proverbs and sayings to make parodies of incomplete ideas without directly mentioning them. This method is intelligent and softens confrontation with imagination. New catching sayings are invented daily. Chinese imagination is exciting, learn about it! Example (Beijing slang):
Wrong task for me - Nei Hu Bu Kai, Ti Nei Hu
= The heater boiler not boiled, was picked
= You pointed to the one thing I am not good at, find someone else
RED FACE and WHITE FACE
Chinese buyers and salesmen know Beijing Opera. They learn from opera characters and say
- YiGe Chang Hong Lian, YiGa Chang Bai Lian
- One acts Red Face, one acts White Face
They play Good Cop, Bad Cop in Chinese way. Red Face is tough and White Face is softer. Critical comments are made to pressure during commercial terms and price negotiations with target to reach rock bottom. Other than price play, critical comments can mean lack of Guanxi. To Chinese to succeed, MoQi between the Red Face and White Face and their team is essential.
Zhejiang Province 46Mi people.
In the middle.
=== === ===
Zhejiang Univ. of Technology,
ZUJ. Meeting, MoU signing.
Snake for lunch.
MOQI
Without Guanxi no business. Less known enabler is MoQi, meaning Silently Agree. If you have MoQi, your work will be easier. MoQi increases productivity. Foreigners should take systematic approach to build-up their MoQi. Chinese work for a person, not for a company.
MoQi means fluent cooperation between manager and secretary, among team members, or within the whole SME office. MoQi means better understanding with less explanations. It brings up more rational behaviour. MoQi is sort of Chinese cultural secret. It's the reason why successful Chinese managers can make better results: they have more time to focus on essentials than verify practicalities.
Benefits of MoQi are not limited to company's internal activities, it is also possible between seller and buyer, bringing business benefits.
MoQi is based on knowing the person and the issues. For good MoQi you need not to be similar minded character. Bad interpersonal "chemistry" prevents MoQi to happen. Good MoQi helps in issues like IPR violations, sample products games, even reverse engineering risk.
MoQi is built by working together and through social activities during evenings and weekends, during lunch times. After working in their cubicles Chinese get-together for lunch. What happens during their lunch time?
• Most essential information is shared
• People tell about news, comment social issues, media, jokes
• People plan for collective activities, attitude buildup
• People tell about families and themselves with trust
• They share holiday plans and ask opinion: coloring hair?
• Work related issues are also talked about
Many foreigners in Beijing spend time and have lunch with other expats. They believe that company's processes guarantee them services they want and need. But MoQi is more, and it can be built. It's based on knowing, understanding, respecting the other person. It's is a caring bond, with it things suddenly become thought and taken care of. With MoQi foreigner's China might become a smooth place.
MoQi helps foreigner in China to better understand the situation, issues, working environment, people and business behavior. MoQi makes Chinese team members willing to work towards the same, common goal, and for their manager.
• Your taste and quality expectation is known and understood
• Things get silently agreed without explanations: fluency
• People work to make sure all is right for you: efficiency
• You are trusted and considered as a soulmate: information
• Harmony, which is crucial in China
Gansu Province 30Mi people.
Ning Wo Zhuang Hotel.
=== === ===
3-hour meeting with Leaders.
Lunch: lamb, local Merlot wine.
Good arrangements.
BUSINESS STAMPS
Two stamps, issued by Public Security Bureau after business registration process is completed. Both stamps are important and must be kept in trusted hands to control document/blank papers stampings.
• Company Stamp with fixed internal blue ink tank, cannot refill
• Accounting Stamp aka Financial Stamp used with red ink pads
CONTRACTS
No matter what you put on a paper, in China it can be just a piece of paper, not a deal done. Chinese say:
- Anyone can have different understanding of a Contract
- It’s not the Contract, it’s the Relationship
For Chinese 'a contract' sometimes is like a MoU, Memorandum of Understanding. To get a contract, you need to work top to down, you need Guanxi. To get the deal closed or to fulfil and execute the contract, bottom-up work with details is needed. If your local partner has closed the deal with customer, and paid you in advance, you must make sure he receives the last payment. Working with details is a must. Remember to verify the quality of document translations and number conversions.
NUMBER CONVERSIONS
Chinese number system has a difference, a unit for 10.000 Wan and a unit for 100 million Yi. Big numbers with Yi and Wan converted from Chinese language to English can easily go wrong. Verify your important numbers.
• 1.000 = one Qian
• 10.000 = one Wan
• 100.000 = 10 Wan
• 1.000.000 = 100 Wan
• 100.000.000 = one Yi
INTERPRETERS and TRANSLATIONS
Interpretation of industry specific terminology goes usually well. But this happened in Beijing conference by professional top level simultaneous interpreter. Presentations in English. One presenter proudly described their killer APP, meaning some superior functionality they had. Simultaneous translation into Mandarin was application that could kill your company. Using wordings like Killer app, Swiss Army knife, All-in-one... think again. In general, interpreters are not fully trusted.
TRUST
Very complex issue. In China exaggeration in business happens. Foreign SMEs and Startups will have difficulties in estimating their Chinese partners.
- How much you trust the promises of your Chinese business partner?
Level of trust 20%, maybe 50% or even 80%. Learning to estimate the level of trust may take time, and sometimes, burned fingers. Higher the partner's motivation, better the trust %. Trust goes both directions. You should ask yourself how many Chinese trust you (and your product into their scale market) as a business partner?
To succeed, teamwork needs acceptance by other team members and character match. Chinese have a saying:
- Stand out a head taller than the others - ChuRen TouDi
Believing to be smarter than the others makes information sharing difficult.
Gansu Province 30Mi people.
In the middle.
=== === ===
Presentation and meeting.
Provincial TV Station customer
and business partners.
PROJECT MANAGER
The key person for success and very important selection. He/she should have good communication skills and courage to estimate risks during the project. He should be kind of Village Head and accepted by project members. Fluent communication between project members is essential. Make sure that everyone who joins the project, does it willingly and is accepted by other project members.
Project Plan should be very clear and detailed in defining the tasks, challenges, goal, milestones, communication and responsibilities.
Extra attention is needed on clear and understandable memos, progress reports of the project. Have and follow the action points register and compare progress made versus milestones. Verify improvements. Reward the progress.
INNOVATIVE TRICKS
Common. Life in the West is not preparing well (or, not at all) for those situations. Business intelligence has also its local ways to keep up-to-date. Learn Guanxi & Treat in China, based on knowing the customer and his private side, the key success factors to win, but let Chinese handle this.
INNOVATORS
Another foggy day in Beijing. Chinese Research Manager thinks his research team hasn't worked hard enough, no progress. Not happy, manager says:
- 3-legged cat is rare but 2-legged humans there are many
Innovator, in this case, is as rare as 3-legged cat. Think carefully what is it that makes 3-legged cat so special!
To boost innovative thinking among Chinese, competitions and rewards (phones, iPads) can be helpful. Through them you can catch the attention of non-confident persons with ideas. Just try. You might receive a lot of invention reports but quality is still another issue.
Guanxi is not limited to sales and partnerships, it can also be strong activity within the organization. Guanxi plays role in promotions and even in inventions. Co-inventors may be invited and invitation becomes sort of Guanxi currency for the next favour exchange.
=== === ===
With TV Station customer's engineers at our Beijing office
for one week technical product training.
MANAGEMENT, INTERNAL GUANXI
How to maintain western management rule inside the company while doing business in Chinese way outside the company? Risk of developing a conflict of business cultures is real.
Experimental learning from own and others' experiences takes long time. And most expats learn China just by its surface during their few years stay. Chinese are not helpful for those interested to go deeper in their business culture, Guanxi. They don't want a foreigner to put them into corner with detailed questions about Chinese sales process or Guanxi, or treat, or tricks. Expats will have to observe, combine fragmented information, learn possible tricks (often innovative) and draw own conclusions.
If Chinese way becomes company's internal way, it would replace rational business processes. This could mean downward spiral in efficiency. Company-internal Guanxi would require management to focus into balancing internal relations, into Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang in order to maintain operability.
Internal Guanxi would replace personal responsibility by group responsibility, similarly as in Chinese SOEs. Project managers would lose their ability to estimate as complexity multiplies. Indirectness would become a norm. Trust erodes. HR criteria would change, emotions would take control. Performance becomes secondary criteria in judging personal competences.
=== === ===
We did presentations to hundreds of students. Mobile Game Contest, Nokia phones to winner teams.
ATTITUDE
Chinese employees sense foreigner's attitude. Respect is a must. They know foreigner's understanding about Guanxi is limited. If a foreigner becomes labeled as real foreigner, it's not helpful.
- Being a real foreigner equals to being an outsider
Information flow will be limited for an outsider. Sales and business development efforts in China will become difficult. Managing a group, team or project in China is an emotional process, not rational. Western managers have difficulties in creating emotional linkage with sensitive mentality of mainlander Chinese. Chinese are famous for hard working but Village Head manager is needed to give direction and focus, lift motivation. Rewards are needed in case of success.
POLITICS
It's no No NO! No need to give advises, China belongs to Chinese people, and they have people. They don't want a foreigner to tell them how to run China. Just focus on the business and profit, competition and market share.
SCALE
China has real scale, Chinese understand the scale. Impact of scale will take time for foreigners to understand. U.S. has the scale benefit in China versus Europe. In China, you need right product definition, competitive price, Guanxi and right time to the market. Then you will have your chance to grow in scale. But Chinese may say
- Who eats the crab first?
You need to convince your customer to be the first to eat the crab, to become the first customer with your product. No-one wants to.
KEY PERSONS
Chinese who are now over 50 years old and in key positions have experienced Culture Revolution. Once they were so called Zhi Shi Qing Nian, knowledgeable youth, and were sent to poor countryside. Some survived, managed to get through and made up their career.
Some of those who experienced Culture Revolution became more cautious in speaking, insecure and self-protective, even cynical.
Some hard-boned individuals became more decisive, self-confident, as they went through the hardship and managed to succeed. They became even more aggressive in taking risks now in business. They went through pressure cooking and became out even harder.
Their life path has been mostly influenced by the system. Now these people are in key positions in Chinese society: business management or government officials. Many of them are influencers, enablers, enforcerers, your potential business partners and customers. They are people, who know how to operate within the system the best. After Culture Revolution another extreme followed. No longer these people care about collective well-being, instead, they now prioritise their own personal wealth and well-being.
For success, you need Guanxi. It is essential to think through and understand the social chaos of the Culture Revolution. It changed and shaped the generation who are the main force in China. Culture Revolution, 10 years, ended with Mao's death September 9, 1976.
ROLE OF HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE
Many companies try to build and manage their China business via Hong Kong or Singapore. Western companies used to enter China through them due to their better English communications skills and finance sector services. Their people might be Chinese and their culture is about same as Mainland's culture. But their native language is Cantonese, they need to study Chinese Mandarin, and their culture, while much similar, has not so called 'grey area', resulting limited capability. Also, handling Mandarin indirect communication is a challenge.
Hongkongers and Singaporeans live in totally different business environment compared to mainland China. Laws, regulations and rules. This doesn't prepare them to handle mainland Chinese in privileged way. They can only learn the mainland Chinese way in the mainland.
HK and Singapore lost their priviledge position in doing business within China with WTO agreement, December 2001. Since then China has become more sophisticated and wants direct connections with the world without middleman.
=== === ===
Presentations and meeting with 20 Leaders and high ranks. Dinner on 87th floor Hyatt Restaurant with Shanghai views.
CHINA BUSINESS CONSULTANTS
Often western China consultants lack real on-work China knowledge, which makes them to stay conveniently on macro and industrial data level, and practicalities. Western consultants are handicaps with deep expertise of industries and Guanxi.
Chinese culture workshops and cross cultural trainings help to learn etiquette. Helpful but on the surface only. Real life situations in China business are more complex, sensitive, refined, detail, and tricky. Consultants can't contribute much for business operation, where Chinese culture plays integrated role. Rules may not be complete and sometimes things are not done accordingly. Gray areas and hidden tricks. Guanxi plays overall major role, f.ex. in such as public biddings.
Industry knowledge supported by culture understanding is a must for doing business in China.
Chinese industry insiders (mainlanders) can have a better play in the market, but they often lack communication skills to interpret their expertise into western understanding.
For foreigners the challenge is how to equip China business with industry expertise, communication skills and capable, results oriented personnel. How to learn the crucial industry insights? How to maintain motivation? China business consultants should get into these real issues.
HUMOR - Chinese tell stories
Have great sense of Humor!
Hong Kong TV-host went to mainland hospital for an interview.
- How do you know when a mental patient has become healthy?
Doctor
- Easy. We take patient to bath tube full of water. We give him two scoops, a big one and a small one. Then we ask patient to empty the bath tube.
Hong Kong TV-host
- I know, if the big scoop is selected, patient is healthy!
Doctor
- No, not that way. If patient pulls the plug up, he is healthy.
=== === ===
NEWS - Hitman
Mr Qin hired a Hitman to kill Mr Wei who was suing him.
Hitman No.1
Got 2M Yuan - €250K. Didn’t kill. Kept half of kill reward.
Outsourced the killing.
Hitman No.2
Got 1M Yuan. Didn’t kill. Outsourced the killing.
Three more outsourcing contracts.
Hitman No.5
Was offered 100K Yuan - €12K.
He asked to meet Mr Wei at Starbucks, told him:
“For 100K Yuan I don’t want to kill you but you have to cooperate”
Hitman No.5 and Mr Wei staged the death, took photos.
After 10 days Mr Wei reported the case to police.
=== === ===
Looking for Accountant
State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) received hundreds of applications from China's best schools. First candidate comes in.
Interviewer:
- How much is 1+1?
First candidate: 2
Interviewer: Enough, next! Second candidate comes in.
- How much is 1+1?
Second candidate: 2
Interviewer: Enough, next! Third candidate comes in.
- How much is 1+1?
Third candidate looks around, stands up, closes the door, shuts the windows, goes to interviewer and whispers into his ear
- How much you want it to be...
Interviewer: You are the one!
MEDIA - RITUALS - GIFT PROCESS
Learn what each party expects from media event, their goals. Take photos with Leaders for later use: in meeting room, during exhibitions. Learn the purpose of ritual customer dinners. Set up a non-cash gift process for different organisation level of persons. Customer assistance activities f.ex. job or education to relative or help with travelling, are helpful for loyalty and further wins.
Meeting with Leaders.
Gift for the memory.
=== === ===
After presentation,
good meeting and lunch
with provincial leader,
TV Station customer,
and business partners.
THE DIFFERENCE
It is under the surface. The behavior of Chinese industries: bidding process, variations of product/component qualities with price effect, understanding of exclusivity, and more. Managing society relations. Difference on how foreign company should do marketing, PR and build image in China. And still: respect, reward.
LEARNING CHINA - Three Phases
Phase 1. Excited
• China's overall progress becomes clear
• Some may realise that Chinese already have it all
Phase 2. Surprised
• Chinese time consuming way of closing the deal can exhaust a foreigner
-- grown in rational, relaxed environment with easy access to info
Phase 3. Ready for Business
• Difference of Chinese business ways becomes understood
• Many have already burned fingers
• Ability to estimate and win opportunities has begun to develop
SUCCESS STORIES - MNCs
Many. Nokia had global brand, proven products and Guanxi. Multinational corporations have resources to learn, build and manage Guanxi. Society Relations unit was the key resource in Nokia China. When Nokia became the biggest tax payer in Beijing, Society Relations unit had access to pre-information, influencers, local co-operations, as well as key recruitments. In other words, Guanxi.
In China multinational corporations (MNCs) can meet their challenger. Chinese State Owned Enterprise (SOE) may enter into direct competition. And who you think will win?
SUCCESS STORIES - SMEs
Rare. Foreign SMEs are sometimes called as innovation donators. Many SMEs fail when trying to enter into Chinese markets with, at least in China, their brandless products. Foreign SMEs in China have difficulty in recognizing an able partner. Sometimes SME enter exclusive contract without sales targets, only to become sidetracked. Some SMEs recruit key personnel without understanding the impact into the rest of their Chinese team. SMEs may underestimate their Chinese competition, brag about their roadmap and answer questions about key details, only to be later surprised of Chinese competitor's ultra-fast learning capability.
Chinese SMEs usually have no real business plan, it's all short term. They need next generation products, they need foreign partnerships with products. They dream about getting stock listed.
Foreign SMEs have plan but no resources to learn and build Guanxi for partners, sales, and society. Instead they spend years in wondering what is wrong and why. If an SME has Guanxi ability, it goes when that Chinese person leaves, and all stops.
A top professor from U.S. visiting Beijing had even harder opinion. He didn't believe China was ready for foreign SMEs:
- China is still too complex and unlawful for most SMEs to enter
Foreign SMEs in China are seldom able to grow in pace with Chinese domestic markets. In Beijing I saw many SMEs coming, being used, losing and fading away. Wrong partners, failed Chinese team building, arrogant behavior, slow response times from their HQ abroad. Some believed that Guanxi is behaviour of the past.
Guangdong Province, 110Mi.
=== === ===
Media event for manufacturing
JV documents signing.
300 participants, 60 media reps,
TV, Online, Print.
SUCCESS STORIES - STARTUPs
Possible. You need a a problem and solution for it. You need a strong story for growth and path to profitability. But breakthrough in China needs good Guanxi and ability to put Chinese pieces together.
If you are in APPs, think China which is the new leader in mobility. Chinese markets could serve 'proofing' with scale and for feedback. Smart phones in Chinese hands use WeChat APP, also an umbrella for side apps. APP or non-app, in China you must learn fast, be fast, have partnerships, have Guanxi.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - MAINLAND CHINA
CHINESE MENTALITY
• Must understand the difference, the real contrast
• Learn your industry's behaviour, find a Chinese insider expert
• Learn the Chinese way in partnerships, selling, buying
• Society relations if you are planning for long term
• The middle way
• Village-Head personality to lead your team
• Learn the Chinese sales meeting flow with Guanxi
• Get-prepared for commercial terms/pricing negotiations
• Guanxi in pre-sales, in project management, in after-sales
• How to avoid company's internal over-localization
• Get-prepared for typical meeting strategies taken by Chinese
• Presentation DOs/DON'ts in different types of meetings
• Essentials when meetings Leaders; Deciders; Engineers
• Essentials when meeting high rank Chinese officials, ministers
• Company image build-up; media meetings; rituals, dinners
• Indirect communication which sometimes turns direct
• How to motivate Chinese teams and partners
• Risks and benefits of agree and adjust mindset
• Tricks knowledge 'survival kit' needed
• Personal responsibility vs Group responsibility; Trust; MoQi
• Localising western products for China market to create fit
• Comb the Chinese culture to increase potential of your product
• Learn about cultural Treasure Box that others don't have!
• Learn about Chinese poems, posters, proverbs, slogans, humor
• Gift process: gift levels for different level of persons
• VIP person process for meeting and hosting in China/abroad
• Show respect
13. Turning Points - New Brick in the Ice Wall
DREAMS ARE MESSAGES FROM THE DEEP - saying
After China
I moved back to Helsinki, seaside. China had expanded my view about scale, culture, the system and Guanxi.
Turning PointsDid China years manage to change me? Any personal turning points, did I reinvent myself?
Failed haircuts?
Not really. Experienced sandstorms in Baghdad and Beijing. My China was a huge experience, adventure, which gave a lot to think of. The difference. China turned me into BeijingMan with great respect on China's traditional culture and people. But China didn't turn me into different person. Values and principles didn't change. Still a Finn but probably understand now more, wider angle. I wish good to Iraq and China.
My Journey so far
• I agree with Kandinsky: everything starts with a dot
• In the beginning that dot is culture-free
• I agree with Rachmaninoff: Piano Concert No.2 Op.18
• I became a computer guy and grew up a business developer
• I focused on getting results rather than the process
• Big Mac meal at Beijing's first, huge, crowded McDonald's
• Plan-C can become plan-A only if the plans A and B exist
• Music to describe my journey
-- Dave Brubeck Quartet: Blue Rondo A La Turk
-- King Crimson: Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part1 & 4
-- Dmitri Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No.1
-- Peking opera
-- Polynesian drumming
-- Claude Debussy Clair de Lune, Franz Liszt Liebestraum, Chopin
You've done it, my story,
Sunset Diary!
Photos and details below.
No Hesitation
Salute!
BeijingMan, islander, a Finn
beijingman(at)icloud.com
14. Patents, Research, Presentations, Media
SOME RECENT - SOME ANCIENT
PATENT - The Frog to Kiss
Patent: PreTone for Ringtones aka ID-Tone
❖ Approved by Nokia Patent Committee
❖ Approved by Nokia Mobile Phones Patent Board
• 2004: Nokia Invention IPR Reward
• 2004: Approved for patenting China, EU, U.S.
• 2009: China Patent Grant No.03150198.2 / NC31640
• 2010: Patent Grant Reward by Nokia
• 2024: Relevant but not utilised, yet
- Patent defines musical signature and its use case
- Major companies have it: Intel, BMW, Nikon, Yamaha, LIDL
- Beethoven did his ID-Tone: ta-ta-ta-taa...
- Shostakovich defined his ID-tone: DSCH musical motif
- Future: you will be recognized by your name and ID-Tone
INVENTIONS
Nokia China, 2004. Nokia eNotes mobile with app for making (especially) memos of presentations. Voice recording of the presentation while taking pictures and adding own comments on top of each picture. Pictures set in voice-recording timeline. More. For students and businesses, supports usage patterns in Chinese and other Asian markets. Several other invention reports related to mobile gaming.
RESEARCH and PUBLICATIONS
Publication Nokia Compus 1988 Development Groups (Kehitysryhmät)
Publisher Nokia Compus, ISBN 951-99945-8-0
Topic Impact of the privacy law, Henkilörekisteriasetus 814/1989
Research Group
• Chairman Reijo Aarnio, Luottokontrolli Oy (➙ Asiakastieto Oy)
• Secretary Esko Kippo, Nokia Corp.
• Kari Honkasalo, Puolustusvoimat
• Pekka Kärkkäinen, Luottokontrolli
• Pentti Lukkarinen, Verohallitus
• Seppo Niinioja, HPY (Elisa)
Publication Nokia Compus 1984 Research Reports (Tutkimusraportit)
Publisher Nokia Compus, ISBN 951-99580-2-9
Topic Computer Center Security
Research Group
• Chairman Hannu Mattila, HOP Bank
• Secretary Esko Kippo, Nokia Corp.
• Markku Arminen, KOP Bank
• Lars Arnkil, SKOP Bank
• Risto Karstu, PSP Bank
• Kalevi Porkka, PSP Bank
EU-CHINA RESEARCH CONSORTIUM
❖ Established EU-China consortium of five organisations, 2004 Beijing
Consortium Members
• Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, BUPT
• Technical Research Centre of Finland, VTT
• France Telecomm
• Fraunhofer Institute, Germany
• Nokia Corporation, Finland
Project: Mobile VAS in China - Market Entry
• Beijing EU Embassy meetings with European Commission representatives
• Brussels EC meetings in Berlaymont Building for project plan approval
• Approved with full finance by European Commission
PRESENTATIONS IN 14 COUNTRIES
❖ Sweden - Stockholm, Lund, Sundsvall, Genarp Häckeberga Castle
❖ Denmark - Copenhagen, Billund
❖ Norway - Oslo, Trondheim
❖ Netherlands - Amsterdam, Volendam
❖ Germany - Munich, Dusseldorf
❖ Belgium - Brussels at European Commission HQ
❖ France - Paris
❖ Italy - Lake Como in Grand Hotel Tremezzo Palace
❖ Switzerland - Montreux in Hotel Le Montreux Palace
❖ Russia - Moscow Concern Bank Business Centre
❖ China - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Kunming, Shenzhen
-- Shenyang, Zhengzhou, Lanzhou, Hangzhou, Chengde, Dalian, Jinan
-- Hong Kong, Hefei, Chongqing, Haikou, Shijiazhuang, Nanjing
-- Chengdu, Xiamen, Guanzhou
❖ USA - Rockville in Maryland, Dallas in Texas
❖ Iraq - Baghdad
❖ Finland - Helsinki, Espoo, Oulu, Turku, Tampere, Kuopio, others
PRESENTATIONS
Over 40 conferences and events in 14 countries. Some:
❖ 1984 Finland, Helsinki: Finlandia Hall, ICT Conference
-- Data Security /Nokia Data - Tietojenkäsittelyliitto
❖ 1984 Finland, Helsinki: Finlandia Hall, Software Conference
-- Data Security /Nokia Data - Tietojenkäsittelyliitto
❖ 1984 Finland, Oulu: Blanko ICT Conference, University of Oulu
-- Data Security /Nokia Data
❖ 1986 Finland: Hanasaari Cultural Center, Sisäiset Tarkastajat/Inreviso
-- Securing Corporate Information Value /Nokia Data
❖ 1986 Sweden: Häckeberga Castle HLSUA Scandinavia Meeting
-- Securing Corporate Information Value /Nokia Data
❖ 1988 USA, Rockville: Worldwide Sw Developing & Consulting Forum
-- Global Applications and Services for Finnish MNCs /GEIS
❖ 1988 Finland, Vantaa: EDI/OVT Conference in Heureka
-- EDI Panel member for GEIS and EDI*Express service
❖ 1992 USA, Rockville: Worldwide Sw & Consulting Forum, GEIS
-- Global Applications and Services for Finnish MNCs
❖ 1995 Germany, Munich: Media tour, interviews by seven IT magazines
-- Groupware and Logical Security /TeamWARE Group
❖ 1995 Russia: Moscow Concern Bank Business Centre, Rosiness Conf.
-- TeamWARE Enablers for Bank Information Flow /TeamWARE Group
❖ 1995 Germany, Dusseldorf: Partner and Sales Event
-- Groupware and Logical Security /TeamWARE Group
❖ 1995 Netherlands, Amsterdam: RAI Exhibition and Convention Center
-- Media Event: Groupware related announcement /TeamWARE Group
❖ 1998 Finland, Helsinki: Kuntatalo, House of Municipalities
-- Internet Success Factors and Opportunities /HPY-Elisa
❖ 1998 Finland, Helsinki: World Trade Center, Marski Hall
-- Developing Networks - Changing Future /HPY-Elisa
❖ 1999 China, Beijing: PT/EXPO Comm China Conference '99
-- Value-Added Services and Partnerships /Nokia China
❖ 2000 China, Beijng: The Capital Club 50F, Mobile/VAS Event
-- Value-Added Services and Partnerships /Nokia China
❖ 2001 China, Beijing: GSM China Conference 2001, IBC Asia
-- Partnering with Content Providers /Nokia China
❖ 2002 China, Kunming: Mobile Networks and VAS Conference
-- Value-Added Services and Partnerships /Nokia China
❖ 2003 China, Beijing University of Aeronautical and Astronautical, BUAA
-- Mobile APPs and developers /Nokia China
❖ 2006-2007 China, Beijing, U.S. eMBA program, visitor groups
-- Chinese Business Mentality presentations /private
❖ 2011 China, Beijing CCBN Event, Hotel Swissotel
-- Cable TV Partners/Customers Event /Teleste Corp. China
❖ 2012 China, Shanghai World Financial Center Tower, Pudong
-- Cable TV Partners/Customers Event /Teleste Corp. China
TV - INTERVIEWS - NEWS
❖ 1965 Finnish TV: Hanko, Beach Bar Plagen at Tennis Beach
-- Interview: Summer fun at Hanko water carrousel
❖ 1983 Finnish TV: Helsinki, The First Data Security Seminar
-- Interview: Data security awareness in Finnish companies
❖ 1999 China Central TV: Beijing, PT/EXPO Comm China Conference
-- Interview: Value-Added Services and Partnerships /Nokia China
❖ 2007 China Central TV: Beijing, Hutong Scouting Group
-- Interview: Foreigner's view on hutong culture in HuFangQiao
PRINT - ONLINE
❖ 1983 May 19, Helsingin Sanomat, reporter Vesa Santavuori
-- Interview: Computer Security Discussed in Stockholm
❖ 1984 February, Nokia NET Magazine, reporter Ossi Syrjä
-- The First Data Security Seminar better than expected
❖ 1984 No.3 Tekniikan Maailma, reporter Ilkka Rekiaro
-- Interview: IT crimes increasing: Computer in wrong hands
❖ 1992 June, Nokia DPS6000 Uutiset, article
❖ 1995 Computer Zeitung, Germany by Mr Hammerschmidt
-- Interview: Mehr Funktionen für TeamWARE
❖ 1995 NetWorks Magazine, Germany by Mr Mayer
-- Interview: TeamWARE groupware announcements
❖ 1995 LANline Magazine, Germany by Mr Mutschler
-- Interview: TeamWARE groupware announcements
❖ 1995 PC Magazine Germany by Mr Wasem-Gutensohn
-- Interview: TeamWARE groupware announcements
❖ 1995 Business Computing by Ms Eberlein, Ms Rudiger
-- Interview: TeamWARE groupware announcements
❖ 1995 Computer Business, Germany by Mr Leierseder
-- Interview: TeamWARE groupware announcements
❖ 1995 Computerwelt Österreich, Austria
-- Interview: TeamWARE groupware announcements
❖ 1996 TeamWARE Today, article
❖ 1997 May, EEMA Briefing, article
❖ 1997 September, HPY Yrityslinja, reporter Jyrki Laisi
-- Interview: Pieni Suuri Verkko - Small Big Network
❖ 2000 April, Nokia Networks, article in China
❖ 2000 CNN.com web-site, news
❖ 2009 China Daily article: BeijingMan Blog
-- A Foreigner managed to Crack the Guanxi Code
❖ 2000-2012 China, many online portals
❖ 2006-2024 BeijingMan Blog, China articles, photos
15. Life Pictorial - 110 photos, details
DIVE INTO MY PERSONAL PICTORIAL
MY FAMILY BACKGROUNDER
Photos in upper line: Mother
• Left: Irja Aune Kyllikki Waris, born in Katajanokka, Helsinki
• Middle: grandparents Emil Armas Waris and Matilda Waris
• Right: Irja 86 years in 2005
Photos in lower line: Father
• Left: Lennart Mikael Kippo, born in 1911, Vyborg (Viipuri) Finland
-- Lennart 50 years portrait bust by Sculptor Taimi Mäkinen
• Middle: Lennart around 1955
• Right: Lennart 50-year birthday photo, 1961
-- Lennart was the youngest of seven sisters and brothers
Grandfather Emil Waris served
on steam ice-breaker Tarmo as Chief of Machines. Tarmo, built in U.K. 1907, now in Maritime Museum of Finland in Kotka.
Father Lennart Kippo
Photo from his early army years. His army rank raised, Sergeant Kippo. Lennart was Top-3 boxer in the Finnish Army.
Lennart told WW2 stories. Airplanes attacked transport line of trucks. Open place. They had to seek cover under the trucks. Gasoline leaks, burning, diving into snow. At the end of WW2 Lennart was wounded, bomb fragment into knee. He took a risk and decided to leave that war metal inside the knee to save the leg from amputation. A "box" grew around the metal and his knee recovered. Rest of his life Lennart did daily shadow boxing, training and running with a boxed bean-size metal piece in his knee. Our dogs Jali-1 (from Roihuvuori, Helsinki) and later Jali-2 were his forest running partners.
Mother Irja Kippo (Waris) had
this 20cm clay work always on the wall. Now it's my tribute to Irja.
Irja dreamed about stormy sea, like her own life had been. She often spoke to me about power of the storm. In Easter Island I saw roaring Pacific Ocean hitting the cliffs and understood what Irja meant.
Irja's Passions. 4711 Eau de Cologne water from Cologne. A fragrance in Molanus bottle developed by an Italian in Cologne in 1799, Irja's absolute favourite. Another passion, Irja read bible, she collected them and always had many old bibles on her table.
Irja's Dream. When I was 25 years old Irja told me she had seen a clear dream me standing beside an airplane, its big wing. She smiled and told I will fly a lot in my life. Now I have over 720 flight take-offs and stayed in over 260 hotels. Dream came true.
TRAFFIC SCHOOL
Lennart recognised the opportunity in post-WW2 recovery era; the cars. He believed that transport needs increase, people will buy cars and need driving licenses. In 1950 he took a loan, bought a car and established a traffic school.
Left: Lennart (right), his friend Ville Lairila and school cars.
Lennart's business was good. Soon he had a line of cars and some trucks. Always the latest models and turtle-waxed.
Left: Lennart (standing left) with instructors Olli Saksman, Peräkylä and Martti Metsäketo. Work cloths: white shirt, tie, ironed dark trousers and a smile. I learnt engines, gearbox, breaks, traffic rules.
Lennart is a driver in this
funny photo from around
year 1960, Stockholm
TELEVISION
We got a B/W tube TV to home around 1960. It needed part replacements very often. Lennart was on Finnish TV in auto and traffic related TV-programs and advertisements. He championed marketing and publicity in old and new formats during 1960s. Sir Winston Churchill's funeral; Millie Small with big orchestra My Boy Lollipop; Rin Tin Tin; Leave It to Beaver; Bonanza; and later The Monkees and Batman, some memories.
Cross of Merit
December 6, 1976 Lennart received Cross of Merit of the Order of the Lion of Finland (Suomen Leijonan Ritarikunnan Ansioristi).
Cross of Merit is awarded by The President of Finland for civil and military merit.
TELEPHONE
Telephone number to our home and Lennart's office was 2839. We had a black Helsingin Puhelinteollisuus telephone in home, the other in office. Telephones were quite similar to the one in Salvador Dali's creation Lobster Telephone.
Dali's Lobster Telephone
- Net photo
For me our telephones were sort of lobsters, mysteries with crankshaft. I was not really allowed to use our telephone. When the lobster rang in Lennart's office, it also rang in our home, if set so. To call from home to office, rotate the crankshaft to signal the office telephone. To call out, dial the number. I still have our black lobster telephone.
FATHER LENNART AND SONS RAIMO, ASKO, ESKO
When I was around 10-15 years old, I got postcards from Lennart from London (Piccadilly Circus), Germany, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and more. Lennart told me about Piccadilly Circus in London. I don't know if these were work trips or holiday trips but Lennart was an active traveller. In 1960s Lennart with friends made a holiday trip to Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife. Dinner photo full of energy, souvenirs, coffee tins. Back then flights via Stockholm to Tenerife took probably 30+ flight hours. Lennart also visited Paris and Eiffel Tower (photos) with brother Raimo.
Lennart's favourite holiday destinations? Visby in Gotland island in Sweden and Hanko town in Finland. And later, his own lakeside summer cottage with log house sauna.
78rpm RECORDS were fun
Dance parties! We had a yellow Philips AG9149 record player and a stack of 78rpm records. It was 1960s. My two elder sisters knew how to party and how to dance. I listened to my their favourite music, and they danced.
• Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five, drum solo by Joe Morello
• Dave Brubeck Quartet - Blue Rondo A La Turk
• Pat Boone - Speedy Gonzales
• Chubby Checker - Let's Twist Again
• Ricky Nelson - Hello Mary-Lou
• Ricky Nelson - I Will Follow You
• Paul Anka - Diana; You Are My Destiny
• The Ronettes - Be My Baby
• Trio Los Panchos - La Malaquena
• Blame it on the Bossa Nova; Dream Lover
• Four Cats - Painu Pois Jack (Hit the Road Jack)
Gigette Garlaine
Cover of her 78rpm record
- Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
- No, I Regret Nothing
GIGETTE GARLAINE and
Roberto Marco Dance Orchestra
They came from Barcelona during the 1960s and became good friends with Lennart. Gigette Garlaine and Roberto Marco visited our home. Gigette! I was around 12 years and had the honour to be Gigette's El Logo, crazy. We did summer trips by car together. Friendship with Gigette begun as Lennart was a great dancer: Tango - La Cumparsita, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble and Bossa Nova. But the show, of course, was Gigette and Marco's Dance Orchestra. Once during our holidays in Hanko Hotel Regatta, Gigette had a show there! Gigette half-jokingly wanted to take me to Barcelona for a summer. I dreamed about Spanish leather cowboy boots. The plan was made but it didn't realise. Gigette was great.
KIPPO FAMILY ORCHESTRA
When I was around 10 years old my father Lennart established Kippo Family Orchestra. We played in Karelian, Christmas and New Year events in hotels and halls. Lennart, leader (singing, mandolin, banjo, harmonica), brother Raimo (violin), brother Asko (accordion) and me (violin). Lennart was excellent banjo player. I was the youngest member in the orchestra and didn't especially like evergreen popular music we played. But yet, good memories.
Photo: Karelia event. Lennart Kippo never just played, he performed. During his young years Lennart was an actor and musician. His specials were banjo, harmonica, singing and dancing. He was a happy chap.
Violin Duettos with Raimo
My best times with classical music came when playing violin duettos with Raimo. Amazing feeling! Raimo was a real violinist, played in symphonic orchestra. In private he specialised on gypsy music. Tens of times I enjoyed listing Raimo play Monti Czardas and Dinicu The Lark. Raimo was good and his play was always a show.
SHORT FILMS - FRENCH CINEMA - HOLLYWOOD MOVIES
Short Films
Lennart's hobby was to make short films, less than 30 mins long. His films were about cars, driving and racing, they were marketing material for his driving school. He had Keystone Criterion A-9 16mm wind-up film camera with Keystone Inch f2.5 lens and Sixon Color Finder exposure meter. Lennart had assisting team and sometimes used professional actors. These Lennart's films became classics:
• Herra Rentola - all wrong with his car, or maybe with him
• Eläintarhanajot GP Racing - with Khachaturian Sabre Dance music
• Ruskeasanta Motocross Finland - world championship competition
-- I taped Ruskeasanta audio with Uher Reporter open-reel tape recorder
French Cinema
French cinema became my favourite: Jacques Tati's comedies, works of Francois Truffaut, Louis Malle, Jean-Luc Godard. The Sicilian Clan with actor Alain Delon. And Spanish Luis Bunuel who famously said:
- Age doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese
Hollywood Movies
Lennart enjoyed Hollywood movies. Dancer-actor Gene Kelly was his role model who had dancing, singing, dialog, charm and smile. Also Fred Astaire. One of Lennart's favorite movies became my childhood experience, High Noon, he took me to see it in movie theater. Story about courage and cowardice, you may finally face it alone. Very true. Maybe he managed to shape something in me.
Childhood Favourites
1951 - An American in Paris, Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan
1952 - High Noon, Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly
1952 - Singin' in the Rain, Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood
1961 - West Side Story, George Chakiris as Bernardo
1965 - The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews as Maria
1968 - 2001: A Space Odyssey, Keir Dullea as Dave
FRIENDS
Lennart had many friends. We met with and visited many families. Then, many business-related friends. Here some I remember well
• Film comedian Pertti Spede Pasanen wanted to buy from Lennart
-- more space for his restaurant Speden Saluuna
• TV traffic man Ensio Itkonen visited our home with family
• Media cartoonist Kari Suomalainen gave Lennart a gift painting
• Writer Kalervo T. Keranto, Kaunotar Katoaa Kaukoitään (1953)
-- Manager of Miss Universum 1952 Armi Kuusela, a Finn
• Writer Ester Kähönen, Vanha Äyräpää (1959), Lennart's 50-year
-- birthday, visited and gave her book with handwritten message
• Many foreign boxers, wrestlers and musicians visited our home
-- I remember especially Georgian sports people
MOMENTS
Asian Flu 1958. I remember having high fever, a doctor with black boxy bag came our home. It was serious, my mother was very worried. Most likely I went through a global pandemic of influenza A, called Asian Flu.
Pistol. After WW2 the times were progressive. Once we visited a couple, they lived in own house. I was around 8-9 years old. I scouted their living room and found something meant to be hidden. It was behind their big tube radio which was on a table against the wall, a pistol! I took it, heavy. My memory of that event is very clear. I caused a lot of action, shouts as the pistol was loaded. Without a single shot all ended well.
JFK and Churchill. The day when we got news that President Kennedy had died I sensed my father's nervousness. Missiles, war? Lennart had experienced WW2, lost his home, wounded and recovered. He knew about it. I also have a memory of Sir Winston Churchill's state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral. We watched (probably live?) on b/w tube TV at home. Big moments.
Power cut. I was around 10 years and played with a broken electrical device. I took power cable off, then put it into wall socket. It was a big flash-bang. The whole building lost electricity and it was late evening. Darkness. Actually everybody seemed to be happy that I was only shaken, not hurt, still alive.
Bull Tail Stew, in Finnish häränhäntäkeitto, was one of our home specials, not often but tasty! Oven ribs was another favourite.
MOTORSPORTS
Father Lennart Kippo supported motorsports. He was race organiser and the sport announcer in motocross, ice racing, speedway and karting competitions. I participated with Lennart in automobile parades. My elder brothers, Raimo and Asko, took trophies and medals in motor sport. Their DNA had all the competing elements switched on, powered into a fighting package! In 1964 Lennart took me to Imatran Valtionhotelli (castle) for Imatra Grand Prix weekend.
Brother Asko Kippo won Finland's 100cc Karting silver medal when Keke Rosberg won championship. But once in Nordic countries' championship Asko took silver while Keke came fourth. Keke had Italian Parilla, Asko's engine was Italian Comet. Later in 1982, Keke won Formula 1 championship. I was, of course, fast in karting but too young to compete, such were the rules then. Asko wanted to study and had a business career.
Brother Raimo Kippo was one of the race organisers and race announcer for most of the Imatra Grand Prix races (1964-1982), Imatranajaot. Raimo himself took wins in Finnish motocross in 250cc and 500cc. He competed Finnish championship level in car handling skills (Taitoajo SM) and ice racing (jäärata-ajot). Raimo raced by F1 boats. Like father Lennart, Raimo was also a boxer, Top-3 in Finland's youth boxing. In his home Raimo had a whole wall covered with pocals and trophies.
- Sometimes we disagreed, but no doubt Lennart was my superhero
- I believe world is sort of better place because of Lennart
Mother Irja’s nickname for me was Pulu, funny word meaning a pigeon. Where did she get that! But, accepted, forever Pulu! Always returning to home base.
For me the Boy Choir was fun. Many events. Sometimes concert together with Men's Chorus. When we sing together, it felt good even in the brain. I am front line, in the middle. Tall boy is Olli, good voice.
• Our greatest chorus song was Suomen Laulu by Fredrik Pacius
Above-4: Finland. Motor sport.
Jim Clark, a Scotsman, Formula 1 champion, legend, and my childhood F1 idol. I took above photo in 1967 during Formula 2 pre-race briefing in Keimola Ring near Helsinki. Also took photos of Denis "Denny" Hulme and Swedish rally driver Björn "Walle" Waldegård. No photo but later F1 marketeer Bernie Ecclestone participated F3 race in Keimola Ring.
Giacomo Agostini, Italian, was my GP motoracing idol. His 500cc MV Agusta made amazing speed and furious, unique sound. Many times at Imatra GP in Finland. A great racer.
Violin was my main hobby for 10 years, from age 6 to 16. Twice a week training session with violin teacher Heikki Kuusi. At home daily violin routine was two hours. In classical orchestra we trained weekly. At some point I played above Spanische Weisen (Arie Spaniola; Lira de Aur) Op.164 by Arthur Seybold (Germany 1868-1948) at matine. Speed and fun! I remember big audience, into newspaper.
I get inspiration from music, from compositions and music analysts reports. I enjoyed articles by music critic and analyser Seppo Heikinheimo. Bright and he understood Shostakovich. Similar musical values, accepting modernism and radicalism while suspicious about contemporary. And funny:
- Don't need to be a cow to know when the milk is bad
- If you need prosecutors, police, you need the critics, too
My YouTube is mainly classical music, various versions of favourites. My interest is in composers, their views and in conductors who can bring out it all, like Valery Gergiev. Why Shostakovich? The view, elegance, dialog, 'economy' in developing, storm, sarcasm, irony, the flow, conclusion. Art, intellectual.
CLASSICAL MUSIC that I liked to listen
Dmitri Shostakovich - Progressive hero
• Symphony No.5 D minor Op.47 (1937) by Valery Gergiev; Bernard Haitink
• Symphony No.6 B minor Op.54 (1939) by Valery Gergiev
• Symphony No.7 C major Op.60 Leningrad (1941) by Valery Gergiev
• Symphony No.8 C minor Op.65 (1943) by Evgeny Mravinsky; Gergiev
• Symphony No.9 E flat major Op.70 (1945) by Leonard Bernstein
• Symphony No.10 E minor Op.93 (1953) by Leonard Slatkin; Gergiev
• Symphony No.11 G minor Op.103 The Year 1905 (1957) by Semyon Bychkov
• Symphony No.15 A major Op.141 (1971) by Neeme Järvi; Bernard Haitink
Dmitri Shostakovich
Born: 1906 Saint Petersburg
Died: 1975 Moscow
• 15 Symphonies
• 15 String Quartets
• 8 Operas
• 5 Ballets
• 36 Film scores
• Concertos, piano, chamber
• 147 works with Opus no.
• 110 works without Opus no.
String Quartets by Kronos; Borodin; Emerson; Coull
• String Quartet No.5 B flat major Op.92 (1952)
• String Quartet No.6 G major Op.101 (1956)
• String Quartet No.7 F sharp minor Op.108 (1960)
• String Quartet No.8 C minor Op.110 (1960)
• String Quartet No.9 E flat major Op.117 (1964)
• String Quartet No.10 A flat major Op.118 (1964)
• String Quartet No.11 F minor Op.122 (1966)
• String Quartet No.12 D flat major Op.133 (1968)
• String Quartet No.13 B flat minor Op.138 (1970)
• String Quartet No.14 F sharp major Op.142 (1973)
• String Quartet No.15 E flat minor Op.144 (1974)
Other favourites by Shostakovich
• Violin Concerto No.1 A minor Op.99 (1947) by Viktoria Mullova
• Cello Concerto No.1 E flat major Op.107 (1959) by Rostropovich; Schiff
• Piano Concerto No.1 C minor Op.35 with trumpet (1933) by Kissing
• Piano Concerto No.2 F major Op.102 (1957, to son) by Korobeinikov
• Piano 24 Preludes and Fugues Op.87 (1951) by Tatiana Nikolaeva
• Chamber Symphony Op.110a (Rudolf Barshai) by Evgeny Kissing
• Waltz No.2 Op.99a C minor from Suite for Variety Orchestra (1956)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 1840-1893 Tikhvin Cemetery, Saint Petersburg
• Symphony No.4 F minor Op.36 Life (1877)
• Symphony No.5 E minor Op.64 Fate (1888)
• Symphony No.6 B minor Op.74 Pathetique (1893)
• Piano Concerto No.1 B flat minor Op.23 (1875)
• Violin Concerto No.1 D major Op.35 (1878)
Sergei Rachmaninoff 1873-1943 Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, New York
• Piano Concerto No.2 C minor Op.18 (1901) by Kissing
Jean Sibelius 1865-1957 Ainola, Järvenpää, Finland
• Karelia Suite for orchestra Op.11 (1893)
• Finlandia for orchestra Op.26 (1899)
• Violin Concerto No.1 D Minor Op.47 (1904) by Viktoria Mullova
Antonin Dvorak 1841-1904 Vysehrad Cemetery, Prague
• Symphony No.9 E minor Op.95 From the New World (1893)
Antonio Vivaldi 1678-1741 Baroque Karlskirche, Vienna, Austria
• Violin Concerto in A minor RV 356 Op. 3 No.6
Frederic Chopin 1810-1849 Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris
• Étude Op.10, No.3 E major Chanson de L'Adieu (1832)
Claude Debussy 1862-1918 Passy Cemetery, Paris
• Suite Bergamasque: Moonlight, Clair de Lune (1905)
Leonard Bernstein 1918-1990 Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn
Edvard Grieg 1843-1907 Troldhaugen near Bergen
George Gershwin 1898-1937 Westchester Hills Cemetery, N.Y.
Grigoras Dinicu Bucharest 1889-1949 The Lark-Ciocarlia; Hora Staccato
Vittorio Monti Naples 1868-1922 Csardas
Steve Reich 1936- Sextet
Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Georges Bizet, Johannes Brahms, Max Bruch, Edward Elgar, Manuel de Falla, Philip Glass, Franz Joseph Haydn, Gustav Holst, George Frideric Händel, Gyorgy Ligeti, Franz Liszt, Witold Lutoslawski, Gustav Mahler, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Modest Mussorgsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Maurice Ravel, Gioachino Rossini, Pablo de Sarasate, Camille Saint-Saëns, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Kurt Weill, Hans Zimmer
JUNIOR YEARS - Internet Salute to You all!
Erkki Salo (moved to Laukaa) • Pekka A Pelkonen (Hanko) • Markus Ruhala (23.12.1963✝) • Ilkka 'Eku' Ekman (2003✝) • Reijo 'Repa' Olavi Mäkelä (2003✝) • Kari 'Kurre' Keijo Lehtinen (2021✝) • Raimo 'Rami, Ducati' Uuttu (2021✝) • Jari 'Purde' Purtilo (2023✝) • Antero 'Pelsi' Peltonen (✝) • Erkki Ahonen (2024✝) • Jorma 'Joppe' Sopanen • Kyösti 'Kykä' Liiri • Veikko 'Veke, Veikhard' Kervinen • Hannu 'Hande, Kalahande' Räty • Tapio 'Jammu' Suokas • Tuomo 'Tomppa' Anttila • Ari 'Albert' Paananen • Lasse 'Lars' Tilus • Jussi 'Hirma' Hirvikallio • Jouko 'Pappa' Leppänen • Seppo 'Make' Lindgren • Ilari 'Ilfred' Huuhtanen • Pentti 'Pena' Paalanen • Mikko 'Jack' Vitikainen • Olli 'Pitkä-Olli' Laine • Mikko Sipilä • Kari 'Lada' Viskari • Lars 'Lasse' Klang • Jukka 'Noro' Nordling • Esa 'Eddy' Kirjavainen • Jukka 'Urkka, Urho-P' Koskinen • Jari 'Jammu, Pusta' Pakkanen • Heikki 'Hessu' Niiranen • Ari 'Arkka, Roope' Vaara • Eero 'E.T., Öykäle' Tammila • Markku 'Ääpnollaa' Aallonpää • Markku 'Make' Hyyryläinen • Jan Andersson • Sauli 'Saukku' Ylösmäki • Jukka 'Linde' Liiri • more
Be Seeing You!
I started photographing with Canon TX with Canon 28mm and 50mm lenses. Soon changed to Canon AE-1 and added Tokina 35-105mm zoom, all from Helios Shop in Malminkatu, Helsinki. I had Opemus B/W photo developer for dark room process. Above, one of my self-made photos, taken on bridge over Hämeenlinnanväylä in Kaivoksela, Helsinki. Producing photos needed energy, my drink was Vita Nova which was those times Red Bull.
OLD FAVOURITES
Dave Brubeck Quartet • Emerson, Lake & Palmer • The Beatles • The Beach Boys • Led Zeppelin • Kraftwerk • Jean Michel Jarre • The Cream • The Doors • King Crimson • Jimi Hendrix • The Mamas and The Papas • Diana Ross and The Supremes • Frank Zappa • Pink Floyd • Steppenwolf • Miles Davis • Herbie Hancock • Curtis Mayfield • Elvis Presley
Robert Fripp, King Crimson
Progressive, industrial,
unpredictable. Then
towards structure.
Thought amplifier.
Try these, YouTube:
• Larks Tongues in Aspic Part2
-- live from 1973
• Larks Tongues in Aspic IV
-- live, Japan 2003
• Elephant Talk - live on Fridays
More Old Favourites
Paul Anka, Pat Boone, Dean Martin, Trio Los Panchos, Chubby Checker, Ricky Nelson, Doris Day, The Ronettes, Radio Luxembourg, The Troggs, The Kinks, The Shadows, The Monkees, The Bar-Kays, Jefferson Airplane, Fleetwood Mac, Canned Heat, Herbie Mann, Harry Nilsson (Everybody's Talkin'), Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Otis Redding, Joe Cocker, Wilson Pickett, The Four Tops, The Temptations, John McLaughlin and Shakti, Kool & The Gang, Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry, Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hayes, Scott McKenzie, Leonard Cohen, Weather Report, Jaco Pastorius, Abba, David Byrne, Prince, Queen and Freddie Mercury, Jose Feliciano, David Bowie, Yes, Who, Demis Roussos, Vangelis, The Alan Parsons Project, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, James Brown, Nancy Sinatra, Chick Corea, Carlos Santana, MC Hammer, Manhattan Transfer, Amy Winehouse, Fatboy Slim, Moby, Sub Focus, Jeff Mills.
What to listen in 2024
Hans Zimmer, Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Debussy, Liszt, Rachmaninoff.
TO THE MEMORY of Reijo ‘Repa’ Olavi Mäkelä
Trip to Key West. He was a real 'rebel without cause'. His father Olavi (Jola) had Peugeot sales and repair business, and spare parts shops. Father Olavi supported Repa in many ways. They visited Miami, Florida and went to Key West Island. With Olavi, Repa experienced Ernest Hemingway’s house, life and the bar. U.S. trip widened his angle and sense of scale. I got from Repa a dark green fun hat from Miami, have it but so far never used it.
Later in life Repa studied literary works of Hemingway (Who wants to fight!), Hermann Hesse's Glass Bead Game, and paintings by Hieronymus Bosch. They had some influence on him and became his discussion points. He was smiling, engaging personality but not seeking other's approval. He had story telling ability with certain carisma.
Trip to Leningrad. We visited Leningrad, Soviet Union by friend's Volvo 114 DL. Of course, we ended into exciting situations. It was around midnight, we heard a woman shouting at the river channel. There was a man shoulder deep in icy River Neva. To save him, we rapidly made a human chain. I was reacher, Repa was next, then the others. Hanging over Neva I dipped my hand into it until reached Russian man's hand. We managed to get him up. He was a big man wearing long black, thick coat. A wet gentleman, he stared at us, didn't say a word, standing beside the Neva. He looked surprised. We walked our way.
An incident. Dark evening. On way back to Finnish border by Volvo. Roadworks, soft sand. Group of around six men stopped us. Then they rapidly attacked the car doors both sides, two standing in front of the car. I was driver, reacted just before our car stopped, full gas forward! Bangs, hands on windows, a mess! We got through without damage. A close shave.
Trip to Stockholm. It was a day trip, nights on boat. That trip turned historic because we had problems with Peogeot 404. Touring around Stockholm, then visit at Kaknästornet TV-tower. Limited but an adventure.
Adventures. Repa lived in Kalevankatu 27, Helsinki. From there, for several years we scouted the city, mirror ball discos, events, 'Leppäsuon Esso'. We experienced water boiler KaBOOM at friend Wahstein's home in Iso Roobertinkatu. Everybody shaken but survived. Repa had Peogeot 404, then red Fiat 850 and later a white Mazda. In Finland we adventured Kalajoki, Kotka, Lappeenranta, Savonlinna, summer cottages. Once on the way by Peogeot 404, a drunk driver crashed back of it when our speed was 100km/h. Learnings but often fun, too!
Wilderness calling. Repa focused on cars, power engines and hunting. He collected car magazines and 'Guns and Ammo' magazines. Helsinki life and daily work were not enough for Repa. It all was hard to grow and settle. No doubt Repa was very smart, hugely potential but he cut it all and moved to lake side cottage in Saukonsalo, Anttola, Puumala. I visited Saukonsalo twice. He called it Pöpelikkö. Repa enjoyed free way of life, the Finnish forests, winters, hunting, fishing. He had his own rational view and perspectives. Years later we had a few phone calls until he passed away.
Repa was a strong personality, had many friends: from childhood like myself, Wahlstein, Kallonen (Jaguar E-Type), kenkä-Jussi (imports), Vihtaposki, Pökkelö from Myllypuro, colleagues at work, A. Montonen from Anttola, and more.
RIP Reijo Olavi Mäkelä 2003✝
PROCESS OF MY PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
There was a period when I didn't care much about destination. Going fast forward was a must. Pronto! No fear. No hesitation. Short term direction had more meaning. I was chased by Napoleon himself:
- Delay is like death
Discipline restored. Sailing trip by friend's 13 meters long Meritähti from Kotka town to Haapasaari and Ulko-Tammio islands in Gulf of Finland. Harmonious going. But we got a storm after leaving Ulko-Tammio back to Kotka, and we had no experienced sailors on boat. Winds grew furious. There, many thoughts about rational choices. There I restored my discipline. That discipline helped me later in analysis, problem solving, focus, target, getting results. To make rational choices, decisions. To seek results. Bad but valuable sailing experience, a turning point!
• At the console of GE-635 mainframe, my Disneyland
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER
My playground for 10 years
Many future IT influencers went through this "Nokia Data IT University". I found my IT courses in Tampere University sort of history lessons and assembler, not enough of IT, not very motivating. Kilo-TK, instead, was about learning and great fun. I felt tech warrior: understand it, learn it, slap it, beat it, win it, or die. We believed that Finland's massive forest industry could be challenged by new tech. With imagination our curiosity took turns and selected directions.
Above-10: Finland, Espoo. Nokia Data, Kilo-TK Computer Center.
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER
• Computer hall 4000m^2 with layered floor
• Right: mainframe computer systems, communication datanet systems
• Middle: operating consoles, mass storages, tape units, controllers
• Left: printers 1200/1600 lines per minute, 136 columns
• Page processing systems, PPS
• Microfilm system
• OCR reader, optical character recognition system
• Air ionising devices (anti dust)
• CO2 fire prevention system
• Media vault for tapes and disks
• Magnetic media degausser (eraser)
• Temperature and humidity meters/plotters
• Side hall: output material processing, hardware engineers
• Side hall: customer service desk, cafe
• Upper floor: software engineers, customer contact persons
• Ground floor: power generators, CO2 gas bottles
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER
Installed Systems
• Honeywell DPS8/70 Dual processor mainframe with Gcos8
• Honeywell DPS8/49 mainframe with Gcos8 operating system
• Honeywell DPS8/52 mainframe with Gcos8 operating system
• Honeywell DPS8/52 mainframe with Gcos8 operating system
• Honeywell H66/60P Dual processor mainframe
• Honeywell H66/40 mainframe
• Honeywell Datanet communication systems (many)
• GE-635 mainframe with Gcos3 operating system
• GE-415 application processor/time sharing system
• GE-265 gateway for GE Information Services global Mark3 service
• GE-115 system application processor
• Honeywell DPS6 mini computer systems
• Honeywell PPS Page Processing System
• Kleindienst OCR optical character recognition system
• DEC PDP-11 mini computer system
• Calma CAD system
• A plotter system for CAD vector graphics
• A microfilming system
The Matrix, Agent Smith aka Hugo Weaving:
- I fought it for a while but the machine got me...
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER
Fun Projects
As they say "If there is no video, it wasn’t me!"
No.1 Bank Cards Are Coming
Early bank cards (debit/credit cards) had a low density magnetic tape stripe. Magnesium powder and freon to visualize the binary recording, then captured it by tape, and revealed the binary structure by microfilm reader. Today's smart cards are completely different technological level, old methods have no use. Some excitement in history.
No.2 Beating the Process
Nokia's monthly salary payments computing process had strong physical control and encryption. HR controllers were present all the time and every step of the computer center process. Real hawks but they were from pre-coputing era. The process felt arrogant, raising natural reaction to challenge it. It became target. It happened regularly. Encryption in use. Serious controller hawks. How to penetrate? It was pure fun to win those who believed in 100% protection but had only partial view, not understanding alternative perspectives. 'The How' will remain a secret. Innovative beating of the process. No harms done, just a confidence boost.
2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL:
- Will you stop, Dave. Stop, Dave, I'm afraid. I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going, I can feel it, I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it...
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER
Trainee said I'm Leaving ???TCALL - I'm leaving now
He was a son of an ambassador of a big country Nokia had business with. Relations. He came to Kilo-TK as a trainee. After two weeks he got the first salary. Not as he expected but smaller. Hot reaction, upset, then crazy, he rushed to the main operating console and managed to terminate all connections by command TCALL. Funny and mad. Then that Elvis left and never returned. That episode also helped to kill computer center tourism.
Period of rapid development, happy to have been involved.
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER
Software and capacities of the mainframe systems were frequently updated and new peripherals added. Dial-up connections started with 110 'baud' modems made by Nokia, soon raising to 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 14,4K, 19,2Kbits/second... async/sync, multiplexors, X.25, X.400 messaging and X.500 directories... databases, TCP/IP, Internet, and browsers.
Mainframes and Datanets. Computer hall's fire prevention system was based on CO2 gas. Line of XXL-sized CO2 bottles were placed under the computer center on the ground floor with power generators.
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER
Fire! Fire!
Happened that the fire prevention system went on by an operator mistake. CO2 gas bursted with loud whistle into computer hall through the layered floor. Glass walled 4000m^2 computer hall got filled with CO2 gas in a few seconds and became white sugar cube. Not even Bolt could run as fast as those who happened to be inside the computer hall when this happened, I was one of them. Firemen worked several hours to blow CO2 gas out of the building. It was a noisy, exciting, expensive mistake. The system worked!
Above-16: Finland, Espoo. Nokia Data, Kilo-TK Computer Center.
I took Kilo-TK photos for my workshops by Canon AE-1 and Canon 28mm.
• Left: mainframe and datanet systems
• Middle: operating consoles, mass storages, tape units, controllers
• Right: printers PRT400/401, 1600 lines per minute, 136 columns
KILO-TK COMPUTER CENTER - Internet Salute to Tech Heroes!
Raimo Lemettilä • Taisto Sinisalo (intern) • Kauko Häkkinen • Markku Huhdanmäki • Tapio Raitio • Heino Laine • Eero Iso-Karvia • Kari Kupiainen • Jorma Haakana • Åke Hämäläinen • Jouni Kekäläinen • Ossi Eronen • Jorma Orasmaa • Stefan Saari • Tapani Puhakka • Martti Jussilainen • Timo Kanervo • Kalevi Vähäkangas • Kimmo Kurttila • Paajanen • Hannele Härkönen • Anja Karkkulainen • Mauri Jokiaho • Olli Heimo • Matti Partonen • Pekka Kiviharju • Björn Löfman • Olavi Aarnipuu • Seppo Vuorinen • Heikki Sarso • Heikki Kutvonen • Kim Jäämeri • Pentti Kanerva • Pekka Kärkkäinen • Pekka Kivi • Monica Heijari • Taru Kuhanen • Leena Haapaniemi • Pirjo Pynnä • Hannu Uusikivi • Matti Sierla • John Kraemer • Kyösti Mustalampi • Rauno Ravantti • Heikki Sipilä • Sulo Hänninen • Antero Kankkunen • Vuokko Serviranta • Esko Olkkonen • Raimo Gröhn • Antti Siltanen • Jussi Itkonen • Kari Ikonen • Jukka Pieviläinen • Timo Sonninen • Jukka Tapanila • Erkki Hjelt • Jorma Riekkinen • Antero Sulander • Risto Haarlaa • Jouko Paalosmaa • Kari Kallio • Olavi Heinonen • Erkki Paulin • Matti Hirvonen • Mähönen • Hilja at Kilo-TK Café • more • Be Seeing You!
At Nokia Corporation I have worked in eight different offices: Kilo-TK in Espoo, Keskuskatu and Valimo in Helsinki, and five offices in Beijing, China.
Above-17: The Netherlands, Amsterdam. September 1986.
• Job offer from Amsterdam was good but I didn't want to join
• Sad view from WTC South Tower Observation Deck 101F, 400m
• Constitution Day Parade from Karl Johans Gate towards Royal Palace
• Meeting trip to Oslo was excellent, salute to Mr P-B Dahle
The parade was great, I dived along, into it. Under Royal Palace Balcony I waved to Royal Family and they waved to me. I bin ein Norwegian!
• In all, I have spent over 6 months in this great city
• Paris for boulevards, museums and sights
- Bonjour Paris! Tens of good visits
• 1993 December New Year, African imported sand on beach felt perfect
• 2011 February after 17 years, I had changed more than this beach
• City of Gaudi, Gigette Garlaine and Roberto Marco Dance Orchestra
• Patagonia Beef & Wine Restaurant (Michelin): done
• Driving holidays at Swiss mountains, valleys and lakes
• This bridge connects Lauttasaari to Kaskisaari
• Whale watching trip was fun but no whales out there
HEC, Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales.
MY LADY - HEC EMBA, Paris
• Graduated HEC EMBA masters degree with honours in 2008
• She was the top performer among 1200 HEC EMBA students
• Financial Times ranked HEC Paris No.1 EMBA in Europe 2006-2013
• 1995 my black Muddy Fox was a fashion bike
• LongBao, my best friend, a ChowChow
CHOWCHOW the DOG - His official name was LongBao
He was called Bao, BaoBao. He was also known as Paavo. His ancestors were Mongolian tiger hunters. Bao's papa was from U.S., mama from Sweden, he was born in Pälkäne and his life was in Finland. With 45kg Bao was XL but athletic. Bao was not interested of being part in entertainment or pleasing. He had his own strong idea of life, he was smart, professor. Bao never managed to bite a cat but his will was strong.
LongBao died September 1st, 2005 in Tampere, Finland.
TEN DOGS - Remembered
• Jali-1, our wired-haired Dachshund, my childhood dog (✝ 1970)
• Jali-2, our short-haired Dachshund, brown, slim, runner (✝ 1978)
• Aliman, friend's Afghan Hound, noble, aristocrat, beauty (✝ 1970s)
• Roni, friend's Rottweiler, powerful, huge acceleration (✝ 1970s)
• Oden, friend's wired-haired Dachshund, courageous (✝ 2000)
• LongBao, my ChowChow, independent, focused, decider (✝ 2005)
• Taylor, friend's solid gray S-size dog, thinker (✝ 2017)
• Tico, brother's black, M-size happy chap from Spain (✝ 2019)
• Vaca, friend's black, M-size happy chap from Spain (✝ 2022)
• Oku, friend's Jämthund dog, wolf-looking, low voice (✝ 2024)
My favourite bronze Three-Piece No.3 by Henry Moore
- Simplified expression about a complex thought
ARTS - Paintings, abstract, modern with idea
• Jackson Pollock 1912-1956 ┃ The Deep ┃ Summertime Number 9A
• Mark Rothko 1903-1970 ┃ No.1 ┃ White over Red ┃ White Cloud Purple
• Wassily Kandinsky 1866-1944 ┃ Red Oval ┃ Yellow Red Blue ┃ Comp VI
• Paul Klee 1879-1940 ┃ Senecio ┃ Irrung auf Grün
• Piet Mondrian 1872-1944 ┃ Tableau No.2 Composition No.VII
• Aleksandr A. Deineka 1899-1969 ┃ Girls Running ┃ Collective Farmer
ARTS - Sculptures, other, with idea
• Henry Moore 1898-1986 ┃ Three-Piece No.3 ┃ Butterfly
• Alberto Giacometti 1901-1966 ┃ Walking Man
• Lucio Fontana 1899-1968 ┃ Spatial Concept: Nature
• Frank Stella 1936- ┃ Jarama II ┃ Shoubeegi ┃ Feneralia
Car driving is an analog experience but I'm not a petrolhead.
- I never overspeed but sometimes drive like Fangio or Jackson Pollock
- Slow Volvo, Kraftwerk Autobahn & Trans Europe Express (1977) helped
CARS - Today this Amigo goes by Hybrid V6
• VW 1200 Beetle: aquarius blue, register plate BC-674
• VW Polo: new, red
• VW Golf: four new, red and light color
• Opel Astra: leasing cars by work, three new
• Saab 900: red, excellent on snow
• Beijing, car with driver for 15 years
-- Chinese Hongqi 'RedFlag', a black Audi 100 replica
-- Chinese VW Passat, black
-- Chinese VW Passat Long, gray, backseat extended by 14cm
• Rental cars on trips: Benz, Volvo, Alfa, Audi, Renault, Nissan, Prius...
• Lexus GS300, they say L-logo means Love, a good car
NOW - Lexus GS F Sport 450h, 345hp 0-100km/s 5,3s hybrid Red Pill!
NEXT - Maybe Lexus? More power! Hydrogen?
Summer fun, Helsinki-Stockholm-Helsinki voyage by Silja Line
MY SuperHEROs
Superman, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Batman? Mr Gru? Mr Incredible? No.
James Bond or Jack Bauer? No.
• My No.1 SuperHERO is dad Lennart, because he sort of was
• My No.2 SuperHERO is The Prisoner, 1967 by Patrick McGoohan
-- No man is just a Number! Be seeing You!
From Holiday Inn via Paseo La Castellana to Museo Nacional Del Prado.
RESTAURANTS - Reasonable Experiences
• Barcelona - Patagonia Beef & Wine Restaurant, beef Ojo de Bife
• Beijing - JinDingXuan Restaurant, goose liver, Sichuan waitresses
• Beijing - Xiao Wang's Home Restaurant, roasted Beijing duck
• Beijing - Roast Duck Restaurant Bian YiFang, open since 1416
• Beijing - Roast Duck Restaurant JinBaiWan KaoJa
• Budapest - Matyas Pince Restaurant with Vilmos Lakatos Gypsy Band
• Easter Island - Hanga Roa, Restaurant Haka Honu, tuna steak
• Florence - Fuoco Matto Pizza & Grill Restaurant
• Helsinki - Russian Restaurant Saslik, desserts, balalaika music
• Helsinki - Kulosaaren Casino, late summer crayfish party
• Helsinki - Kappeli, Jean Sibelius place, good leaver plate
• Helsinki - Zinnkeller, German restaurant, good menu, beer
• Hong Kong - Ming Du Restaurant near Hong Kong Park, good speed
• Madrid - Restaurante Sobrino de Botin, open since 1725, twice
• Madrid - Chocolatería San Ginés, open since 1894, churros
• Paris - Nos Ancêtres les Gaulois, Saint-Louis island, grazy
• Paris - Le Cafe de la Paix beside Opera, gourmet, since 1862
• Positano - Hotel Eden Roc, seafood dinners at Tyrrhenian Sea
• Prague - U Fleků beer garden, no waiting, founded in 1499
• Rimini - Grand Hotel Des Bains, seafood lunches at the pool
• Rome - Antico Caffe Greco, Via Condotti 86, open since 1760
• Sorrento - Grand Hotel President, dinners and service
• Taormina - Villa Zuccaro Pizzeria: pizza
• Tongariro - Ruapehu Restaurant in Chateau Tongariro Hotel, NZ
• Vienna - Restaurant Figlmüller, schnitzels, open since 1905
• Wash D.C. - Old Ebbitt Grill near the White House, steak
• Wellington - Hippopotamus Restaurant, steak dinners, wine
• Dog energy! No kidding, Batman. Who would have thought that!
• Cattolica-Riccione-Rimini beach is some 15km long with 1000 hotels
• Favourite place for beach walk
• Quad-biking before non-pizza dinner
• Venice visit: many of 409 bridges: done
• My lady takes full inbreath of stormy weather...
In point of fact, I was stressed. Dancing with the wolves, no bueno. Internet-connected monitoring devices were just found by Nokia Security Audit team in my Beijing office, raising questions. Two business developer friends had recently died in Beijing and some work friends stabbed for their ThinkPad computers.
• Sofitel had good breakfast, sculpture park, and quik gekkos
• Two times in this hotel, dinners and service always good
• Bangkok Mekong River boat trips: done
Good hotel, unbelievable views, good dinners
- 'A distant ship, smoke on the horizon...'
• Hiking is fun! Less to carry, the better
• My lady has confidence on high places
• 9 working trips to U.S. for companies GEIS, Elisa, Nokia
• Company trips: Wash D.C., Rockville, New York, Baltimore, Dallas
• 2 holiday trips: Wash D.C./New York, and Miami on way to Bahamas
MY USA
• Wash D.C: Landed/takeoff historical Ronald Reagan National Airport
• Wash D.C: Beef at Old Ebbitt Grill near the White House
• Wash D.C: Laid under blossoming cherry trees
• Wash D.C: Touched a moon rock at Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
• Wash D.C: Top of Washington Monument Obelisk, observation deck
• Wash D.C. Return trip to New York, Penn Station by Amtrak
• New York: Javits Center conference, United Nations halls tour
• New York: Top of old WTC and Empire State Building. The Flatiron
• Baltimore: Conference center and Seafood Market
• Dallas: Beef adventure. No time for Texas School Book Depository
• Los Angeles: brief stop on way from Shanghai to Wash D.C.
• Chicago: brief stop on way from Beijing to Dallas
• Miami: brief stop on way from Helsinki to Nassau, Bahamas
- A finger & dike, search machine, knowledge, gap, sonic booms, results
• Got a black magic Alfa, flied up to German mountains!
MY VIEW - How Nokia lost Mobility Leadership
I did seven years business development for Nokia in China during it's triple growth period, till the end of 2005.
1. Slow Motion Decider
Nokia's user-interface dominated markets, good for text messaging. But with mobile phones you are only good as your latest products. Inside Nokia critical views about UI, Symbian performance, lack of APIs and WiFi, and specs difference between phone models got no management response. More control points greed won the radical, rational thinking. Developer ideas and views, straight from the market, were listened but not responded. Mobile broadband was built but not utilized. Rewrite the rules and Mobility were only marketing phrases. Up-to-date knowledge about sensors, displays, platforms by Nokia Research Center didn't make it into products. High market share turned Nokia into slow motion, routine.
2. iPhone rewrote the Rules
iPhone was announced early 2007. Fast actions by Apple (IOS) and Google (Android) knocked Nokia with Symbian and small-screen feature phones, into history. Nokia's management and product process didn't have speed. Lack of situational judgement. Nokia couldn't handle the tech change. Individuals full of inspiration sinked into frustration. Game was over already in 2007.
• Vending machines, Bukka was happy at Jigoku Meguri hot springs
• Of 100 existing castles in Japan, Kumamoto belongs to Top-3
• Kumamoto Prefecture, Mount Aso, parks, the Land of Fire
• Long ago training sessions of Judo and Aikido popped into mind
EspressoGEAR - now in use
• Espresso: Dalla Corte Studio dual boiler, moon grey
• Grinder: Mahlkönig K30 Vario on-demand, grey
• Beans: New York Espresso Italiano, Caffe Hausbrandt Trieste
Holidays in Sorrento and Rome, visited Capri
MY Old PhotoGEAR - Film, Kodachrome 1975 - 1998 (all gone)
• 1975 Canon TX, 50mm lens, flash
• 1976 Meopta Opemus for B/W photo developing
• 1976 Canon AE-1, Canon EF 28mm, Tokina 35-105mm
• 1988 Canon EOS-650, EF 35-70mm, databack, speedlite
MY Old PhotoGEAR - Digital 1998 - 2021 (all gone)
• 1998 Kodak DC260, 1,6Mpix, zoom
• 2000 Canon PowerShot G1 3,3Mpix, zoom
• 2002 Canon PowerShot G3 4Mpix, zoom
• 2004 Canon 20D, 8Mpix
• 2004 Canon Speedlite 580EX
• 2004 Canon EF-S 10-22mm
• 2004 Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8F IS
• 2008 Canon 40D, 10Mpix
• 2008 Canon EF-S 17-85mm
• 2016 Olympus Tough TG-4
Photo/Video GEAR - now in use
• 2015 Leica Q 24Mpix, fixed 28mm F1.7 lens
• 2016 Leica SF40 flash
• 2021 iPhone 13/14/15 Pro Max for videos, photos
• 2023 DJI RS3 Combo gimbal set
That day was hot. I felt like a Borneo Orangutang, an Indomalay word meaning Man of the Jungle. Club on 6th floor served big glass full of Otard WSOP. Relaxing at Sunset Beach Bar. Dinners, dark sky.
- Hold my Prosecco! Who was it! Who said no whites in my eyes!
DrinkGEAR - Taking care of my Orangutan
• Beer: German Früh Kölsch 4,8%, Löwenbräu Octoberfest 5,6%
• White wine: Prosecco, Riesling, Soave, Gewurz
• Red wine: Bordeaux, Merlot, Malbec
• Desert wine: Dubonnet
• Brandy: Martell XO
• Calvados: Boulard XO
• Gin: Hendrick's for mix with prosecco - It Is Not For Everyone
• Rum: Bacardi Limon, Barcelo Ron Dominicano
• Vodka: Beluga, Stolichnaya for -18C snaps with blinis
• Anise: Ricard as is, Ouzo with water for hot summer afternoons
• Whisky: single malt for spicing bacons
• Christmas day waves at Meloneras Promenade
MUSEUMS and PLACES - Worth Visiting
• Aitutaki Laguun: islets and views, Cook Islands
• Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum, Vondelpark, Anne Frank House
• Barcelona: Gaudi architecture
• Beijing: National Art Museum of China aka MeishuGuan
• Beijing: Forbidden City Palace, China Railway Museum
• Beijing: Tank Museum China, China Aviation Museum
• Beijing: Military Museum of Chinese People's Revolution
• Beijing: Lu Xun Museum, Capital Museum, Sacret Way of Ming Tombs
• BoraBora Lagoon: Stingray safari
• Budapest: Buda Castle hill
• Copenhagen: Rosenborg Castle Museum
• Copenhagen: Carlsberg Brewery Museum
• Easter Island: Moai statues
• French Polynesia: BoraBora Lagoon, Tahiti views
• Helsinki: Ateneum Art Museum
• Helsinki: Sibelius Monument
• Inari: Northern lights, Husky sledge ride
• Interlaken: Schilthorn Piz Gloria
• Italy: Rome, Pisa, Uffizi Gallery in Florence
• Italy: Amalfi Coast, Positano, Sorrento
• Italy: Tuscan hill towns, San Gimignano
• Kalmar: Öland Bridge, Kalmar Castle
• Lake Garda, Malcesine: Monte Baldo hiking
• Lake Bled: walk around the lake
• Lisbon: Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe
• Lisbon: Sintra, the Pena Palace
• Ljubljana: Triple Bridges Square and Ljubljana River
• London: Trafalgar Square, Thames
• Luzern: Swiss Museum of Transport, Old Town, Kapellbrucke
• Madrid: Prado Museum, Reina Sofia Museum
• Moscow: Red Square
• Munich: Deutsche Museum, BMW Museum
• Munich, Ettal: Schloss Lindenhof Palace (1886)
• Munich, Füssen: Neuschwanstein Castle by Ludwig II
• Naples: Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius
• Nassau: Atlantis Resort, Bahamas
• New York: Empire State Building, United Nations, WTC
• New Zealand: Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
• New Zealand: Tongariro National Park
• New Zealand: Waiouru National Army Museum
• Okinawa: Shuri Castle of Ryukyu Dynasty
• Okinawa: The Cornerstone of Peace monument
• Okinawa: The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
• Oslo: Oslo City Hall, Vigeland Park
• Paris: Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Chopin, Callas, Piaf
• Paris: Centre Georges Pompidou, Forum des Halles
• Paris: La Vilette Museum of Science and Industries
• Paris: Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum
• Prague: The Red Metronome in Letna Park
• Saint Petersburg: State Hermitage Museum
• Saint Petersburg: Peterhof Palace Museum
• Shanghai: Shanghai Museum of Ancient Chinese Art
• Singapore: ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands
• Stockholm: National Museum aka Royal Museum
• Stockholm: Stockholm City Hall
• Switzerland: Susten Pass, Furka Pass, Grimsel Pass
• Tirol Alps, Austria: Alpbach and Kitzbuhel
• Venice: The Rialto Bridge of Grand Canal
• Vienna: Kunsthistorisches Museum - Museum of Fine Arts
• Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace
• Washington D.C: Arlington National Cemetery
• Washington D.C: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• Washington D.C: National Air and Space Museum
• Washington D.C: National Gallery of Art
MY OKINAWA
• Cape Manza cliffs at Onna Son, driving around the island
• Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Motobu: dolphin show, aquarium
• Coral reefs by underwater sightseeing ship Orca, Naha City
• Kadena Air Base from viewing deck
• The Cornerstone of Peace Monument, Mabuni Hill
• Gyokusendo Cave, 850 meters cave walk
• Shuri Castle of Ryukyu Kingdom, Naha City
-- ShureiMon Gate -- Stone Gate of the Sonohyan Shrine
-- KankaiMon Gate -- RoukokuMon Gate -- HoshinMon Gate
-- Seiden Hall -- Hokuden Hall -- Nanden Hall
-- KofukuMon Gate -- Suimui Utaki
• Naminoue Shrine and Beach in Naha City
• Southeast Botanical Gardens and Pineapple Park
• Lobster dinners
• Earthquake Feb 27, 2010 at 5:31am Richter 7.0
- Views! But actually these are called Suicide Cliffs
BATTLE of OKINAWA - Cornerstone of Peace Monument
I faced the Cornerstone of Peace Monument at Mabuni Hill, Itoman City. Suicide Cliffs. Monument is for all over 200.000 people who died here. Battle of Okinawa took 3 months, till mid-June 1945. Japan lost 94.000 soldiers, Allied forces 50.000 soldiers. 150.000 Okinawans were lost.
• Monument has over 240.000 names carved onto stones, still adding
• Place: Hotel Kariyushi, Naha City, 10th floor, room 1009 (photo)
• Time: Feb 27, 2010 at 5:31am LT
• Earthquake Magnitude: Richter 7.0
MY OKINAWA - Earthquake, a mambo-shake Reality
Rapid, powerful sideways shaking of the building. While standing and pressing arms against violently vibrating corridor walls I thought the building might collapse any moment. I could not move, situation felt extreme. After one minute the ultimate mambo-shake turned milder and transformed into wide swinging Danse Macabre for another minute until stopping. Hotel Kariyushi has design, no visible damages to building, no panic among personnel or quests.
• Samurai city, artists before the show
- KamPai, drain the glass!
Kakola Prison is a historical site. Cell tour took two hours. Stories:
• Prisoner cook washed himself in big breakfast pot, then added powders
• Prisoner ripped off last pages of books, sold ending info to others
• For Your Info: million euros in €100 notes weights 10kg
MY BOOKSHELF - Cleared long ago. Classics left
• Nikolai Gogol (1809–52) The Nose and other satires
• Victor Hugo (1802–85) Les Misérables: Valjean-Javert
• Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–81) Crime and Punishment
• Guy de Maupassant (1850–93) short stories and novels
• Sun Tzu (500BC) The Art of War
• Carl von Clausewitz (1780–1831) On War
New Toyota Prius from Hertz. Between Lugano and Interlaken. Peeped for open safety belt, R-gear, doors, lights... while driving through the long Gotthard tunnel, not possible to stop, argh!
HOMES - Lived in 12 addresses
No.1 - No.2 - No.3 - No.4 - No.5 - No.6 - No.7 - No.8
No.9 Beijing 1998-2002 HuaQiaoCun, Overseas Chinese Village A-1601
No.10 Beijing 2002-2010 YangGuangDushi, Sun City Tower-2 1105
No.11 Beijing 2010-2013 Guangcai Mansion, Glory Intl. Tower-2 22A
No.12 Helsinki 2013-2024 ongoing
• Riu dinners OK, shows OK, Madeira views excellent
MOVIES
• 1968 Coogan's Bluff, Clint Eastwood as Coogan
• 1990 Dreams by Akira Kurosawa, Mitsunori Isaki as I, as a boy
• 1999 The Matrix, Keanu Reeves as Neo
• 2003 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Arnold Schwarzenegger
• 2004 Collateral, Tom Cruise as Vincent
• 2009 Fantastic Mr Fox by Wes Anderson
• 2013 Gravity, Sandra Bullock as Ryan Stone
• 2020 Tenet, director Christopher Nolan
• 2021 Dune, director Dennis Villeneuve
TV Series
• 1967-1968 The Prisoner, Patrick McGoohan
• 1990-2017 Twin Peaks, Kyle MacLachlan, Dir. David Lynch
• Mount Vesuvius erupted AD79 and destroyed Pompeii
• Pompeii had 20.000 people of which 1.150 bodies found
• Visited a vineyard at Vesuvius, then Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello, Capri
• Hotel Eden Roc in Positano at Tyrrhenian Sea, a great place!
eGEAR Period 1987-2023: gone devices
• My 1st home computer Nokia MikroMikko 4TT m336, year 1987
• iPod Classic 30GB and Altec Lancing InMotion iM7
• Apple PowerMac G5 with 17" Studio Display
• Over 20 Windows PCs and ThinkPad laptops
• Over 10 Apple notebooks, iPads, iPhones
• Many Nokia phones
eGEAR Period 2024-now: devices in use
• Apple iPad Pro 12,9" with Apple Pen, Magic Keyboard
• Apple MacBook 12" 8GB 256GB
• Apple MacBook Pro 13" 8GB 256GB
• Apple MacBook Pro 13" 8GB 512GB
• Apple MacBook Pro 14" M4, 16GB 512GB
• Apple iPhone XS Max, 13, 14, 15 Pro Max
• Apple TV and other similar boxes
• Apple AirPods Pro 2
• Linksys router
• Brother laser printer; Firewall; DVD read/write
• Roland HPD-10 Hand Percussion
• Roland GW-8 Keyboard Workstation
• Roland PM-10 Personal Monitor amp
• Aker MR2800 mobile voice amplifier with belt loudspeaker
• LG 32" and 65" smart TVs
• Yamaha AvantGrand N1 hybrid piano
• Sony Playstation PS/4
• Nintendo Switch
• Kef LS50 Wireless II speakers
• Net connection fibre 150/150 Mbits/sec
• Kunsthistorisches Museum aka Museum of Art History
• Learnt: Wiener Schnitzels are made of veal, Schnitzels of pork
• Ocean Park, Disneyland, then to Shenzhen, China
• Hong Kong, never via Kai Tak Intl. Airport which was closed 1998
• All my landings were at Hong Kong Intel Airport in Chek Lap Kok, CLK
• Segway Tour from Vörösmarty Square: done
• Matyas Pince Restaurant dinner with gypsy music: done
• Superlatives to Italy! New sunglasses!
• Excuse me but where is the nearest butterfly park!
DIAMONDS DREAM - January 8, 2016
There was no wind, it was almost foggy. Small, less than 3 meters long rowboat came near the stoned shore where I was standing. Came from bigger boat outside? Old, experienced looking man stood on it with one row in his hands. He was in white but consumed, dirty clothes and cap. He looked strong, worker more than sailor. Rowboat was made of plywood, was dirty, used and very bad condition, just narrowly floating. Boat slowly came towards me on stoned walking shore. I knew to wait for it.
Rowboat arrived slowly towards me. Under the rowboat’s bottom, hidden from outside viewing of it, in the sea was a large old brown-cray luggage. Two wide belts around it. Luggage was taped onto boat’s bottom. Not smuggling, just hidden. Man standing on it looked at me, didn't speak. He knew I was the right person. Tapes off. Luggage was heavy, I pulled it onto shore. It's content, 80kg of diamonds! The man standing on the boat never stepped to shore, never said a word, never smiled. He delivered. Then slowly left, standing on rowboat. He delivered that diamond luggage to me. I knew to wait and receive it.
=== END ===
Above-66: China, XiangHe, Hebei Province, near Beijing.
- Qilin is better, you can keep the horse!
Minister on the high chair on my left; the Leader and Chairman; Mayor of a 3,5M city; CEO of tech company; the Leader; advisors and assistants.
• Presentation, discussions, excellent local Merlot wine with lamb neck
• A good meeting, next steps agreed, towards results
Above-68: China, Shanghai.
• Telecom Conference, 111 persons, this is mid 1/3 of the photo
• BeijingMan front line, third from left
Above-69: China, Xiamen.
• May 17th Telecom Day celebration event. Second from left
MY CHINA - Proverbs and Sayings
Don't disturb me - Na er Liang Kuai, Na er Xie Zhe Qu
= Find a cool place where you go to rest (slang)
= Not now, don't disturb me, this is none of your business
Wrong task for me - Nei Hu Bu Kai, Ti Nei Hu
= The heater boiler not boiled, was picked (slang)
= You pointed to the one thing I am not good at, find someone else
Dog: You have done a good job - Gou Nien Jaza, Kvaa Kvaa Xiao
= Dog chasing a duck, kvaa-kvaa
= Fantastic! Say GouNienJaza and listeners know the second part and may respond, say it loud together. At least Chinese supply it in their minds and feel happy, united.
Snake: Overdo - Hua She Tian Zu
= Paint a snake by adding the feet
= First to draw a nice snake, people praise it. Then adding feet onto the snake to make it even better, and it becomes exaggeration. Snake is not right anymore and nobody likes it.
Man: Unnecessary wasted effort - Tuo KuZi Fang Pi
= Taking off trousers and fart
= Making things far too complicated with extra procedures
Cat: Purpose - HeiMao, BaiMao, ZhuaZhu LaoZhu Jiu Zhi HaoMao
= Black cat, white cat, as long as catches the mice is a good cat
= Purpose gets served
Egg: Anyway you are wrong - JiDan Li Tiao KuTou
= Picking the bones from inside the egg
= Trying to find a mistake which was never done
Tiger: Celebrate when you can - HuTou ShiWei
= Starts with a Tiger's head, ends with a Snake's tail
= Project, have a big celebration in the beginning, project kick-off, as result is unknown. May be there will be no second chance to celebrate.
Tiger: Climbing onto a Tiger - QiHu NanXia
= Once riding on a Tiger it’s hard to get off
Duck: Lost but not giving up - Zhu Shu De Ya Zi, Zui Hai Ying
= Cooked duck, soft meat but hard mouth
= Somebody has lost the debate but still defends on his opinion
Pig: Thick skin, nothing matters - Si Zhu Bu Pa Kai Shui Tang
= Dead pig is not afraid of boiling water
= Knows himself as wrong or failure but doesn't care about it
Chicken: Warning by example - Sha Ji Gei Hou Kan
= To strain a chicken to show Monkey
= To give a warning, to make an example but target may be you
Crows: People same everywhere - Tian Xia WuYa Yi Ban Hei
= All crows under the sun are black
= People are same everywhere
Frog: Don't have narrow view - Jing Di Zhi Wa
= Frog in the bottom of the well
= Don't be like a frog in bottom of the well, sees only small part of sky
Above-70: China, Beijing, HePingLi. JinDingXuan Restaurant.
Dinner with students and professors of Beijing University of Aeronautical and Astronautical, BUAA. BeijingMan and his tie, second from left.
MY CHINA - Cooking and Drinking
Plastic Chopsticks. They may save many forests and with oily peanuts they can add to dinner experience. Use bamboo chopsticks for convenience and grip. Punch it through if needed, it's ok.
Exotic Food. Instead of roast duck or lemon chicken you might end up eating exotics. Pig Face. Alive fish. Intestines. Snakes. Scorpions. Dog meat. Goose heads. Chicken feet. Chicken stomachs. Insects and bugs. Fish heads. Duck tongues. Pig ears. Lamb brains. Or a turtle and drink its blood, for your long life. Be strong.
Good for your Health. Chinese agitate foreigners by telling how some food is good to your health. Even if you are afraid, just take it, then leave it on plate. Just don't touch it, plates will be changed. Or, you can explain that your stomach is not feeling good, but then you risk becoming a foreigner in spotlight. Nobody believes your story. If you eat exotics, make sure everybody sees, make it big, noisy thing. Be a good foreigner.
Chinese Maotai. ”If we drink enough of this, we can solve any possible problem” said Kissinger in 1974 when visiting Beijing. Can provide an everlasting memory. Chinese enjoy making foreigners drunken. They invent drinking rules for their advantage, they tell you it's their tradition. China is about tricks. Sometimes Chinese dinner quests do moutai/water trick. In a situation, foreigner should use tricks for own defence, be creative.
Chinese cook with Fire. They don't use exact measurements, temperatures, standards or numbers, it's in cook's fingertips. Chinese food culture is not static, it changes with fashions. New things are added, like chili, imported to China recently 400 years ago, now in fundamental position.
My favorite Chinese Dishes. Beijing Duck. Lemon Chicken. WuHuaRou pork belly, five-flower pork. Lamb legs. Lao Beijing -style noodles with jam. Cold Noodles with sesame sauce. Black Sesame soup.
Above-71: China, Beijing. DiaoYuTai State Guesthouse.
• Banquet Hall in Building No.5 has 16 chairs with mini tables
Red and White Plums, Chinese guohua painting by Guan ShanYue, with a message: "Plum blossoms proudly in snow, in frost. Politicians should be like plum blossoms, blooming in frost, thinking well-being of the people of the two countries, righteousness."
MY CHINA - Ancient Ideas for Global Use
In 1964 Mao gave a comment to letter from a musical institute student:
Gu Wei Jin Yong - Ancient experience for modern use
Yang Wei Zhong Yong - Western experience for China's use
Mao's comment became key guidance for China's development. It was used during Culture Revolution (1966-1976) and became popular theory and direction. Today it is known by most Chinese as cream of Mao's thoughts. Western products are often localized for China market to create a match. But China itself hasn't been discovered as a treasure box of ancient innovations. Ancient China and its traditions might have building blocks for future global products.
1. Medical. China has adopted western medical diagnoses, blood tests, equipments. But Chinese medicines are widely used for treatment. There might be some ancient knowledge into service.
2. Farming. China has adopted modern science to boost its farming. GMO products, plastic green houses, fertilizers are widely used. As most of the farming is outdoor and farming is based on seasons, solar terms of lunar calendar are used for timing. Check the ancient knowledge for today's farming use.
3. Business. Sun Tzu The Art of War is well known book to western business people. It's an example of ancient behavior and thinking which is used for modern business strategies and referred by many MBA-EMBA programs.
4. Furniture. Chinese furniture is known of being very decorative. But some were simple and still modern. Ming Dynasty simplicity gives the touch of modern style.
5. Arts. Have a look at Wu Yong dancing clay figures from Tang Dynasty and get surprised. Ancient and timeless. There might be more.
6. Music. Imagine elements of Chinese music joining to global music. Think of using Peking Opera music elements. Chinese want perfect classical performances with acrobatic touch. At the same time new China has evolution from decorative melodies towards complex setups and even improvisation. Imagine what Chinese might be able to contribute in jazz, in techno! My favourite: a Chinese man in Western business suit singing Peking Opera.
7. APPs, Content. China has Treasure Box, ancient stories with Chinese heroes, legends, historical figures. China has Model Citizens, a giant storage of themes for APPs, content and product development. Story is the key. For animations, mobile games, online games, console games, video series.
Above-72: China, Beijing. China Railway Museum. Recommended.
• Left: General Zhu De's locomotive
• Right: Chairman Mao ZeDong's locomotive
Above-73: China, Beijing. Tank Museum China. Recommended.
• Visited inside a battle tank
• Tested the spade once used by Chairman Mao ZeDong
• TankTalk with uniformed guard
Above-74: China, Beijing. China Aviation Museum. Recommended.
• Good collections, this is Beriev Be-6 seaplane
Above-75: China, XiangHe, Hebei Province, near Beijing.
• DiYiCheng Culture Park, for Chinese dragon means power
• Two dragons playing (take it, take) with a pearl, ErLongXiDu
• The play comes from Chinese folklore: immortality, symbol of mutual respect, humility, tolerance, you take that pearl
MY CHINA - Thieves and Queens
Wallet Thief. Beijing XiDan Shopping Center, 2nd floor fast food restaurant. A man behind snatched my wallet. He runs, I was faster. We fight, I hold his neck, want to wipe his feet. He is desperate to escape. We danced. He throws my wallet, shouts Take, Take! I want him down. He tries to put hand into jacket's pocket, didn't succeed. He dives out of his jacket and runs away. Over 100 Chinese stand around me, silence, no-one came to help. I pick up my wallet. I check what was in thieve's black leather jacket pocket: stiletto knife, I click it open. No smiles, no reaction. Security with big hats arrive, take the jacket and stiletto.
- Very courageous. This is gang work, how do you plan to get out alive?
I went up, down, by taxi, changed taxi three times, took opposite direction. Run. That was some real fast food.
Wallet Thief. Beijing TGF Friday restaurant at Eastern Ring-3. Dinner, Chinese couple sits neighbour table, but soon left. That lady managed to snatch my wallet and 2500RMB in it through the 'fence'. They escaped. Probably some TGF Friday's personnel co-operated and protected thieves. They didn't do it the first time.
Wallet Thief. Beijing Olympic Water Cube. Airport style security at entrance into that swimming hall. My lady's purse rolled through x-ray machine, in the other end a thief-woman snatched it into her big bag. Saw it and managed to take the purse out of thieve's bag. She rapidly dived into the flow of people, under security personnel's noses.
No-Show Dishes. DiYiCheng, Xiang He, near Beijing. 5-star hotel, round table, eight persons and a foreigner, over 10 dishes. The bill had long list, and two dishes that we never ordered. Restaurant corrected the bill but this was not an accident, just a clumsy try. G20 meeting was held in same resort and restaurant, did some overpay...
Queens of KunMing. Trip to Dian Lake, then good dinner with a few beers. Forgot my Nokia Communicator to restaurant. Two waitresses run me up on KunMing street, gave me my Communicator, and refused the reward! Queens of Kunming, Thank You!
Above-76: China, Shanghai. WaiTan Bund at HuangPu River.
Shanghai: short term and quik profits. Beijing: long term and scale.
MY CHINA - Borderline Funny
• Farmers spread truck loads of rice on Beijing street to dry it
• Early morning 100s of people walked back first in West Beijing
• Group of people beat a man who used wrong toilet in train
• Friend rented out his apartment: bathtub & all stolen away
• Chemicals sprayed onto trees, Christmas songs played as warning
• HangZhou taxi stopped empty highway at night to renegotiate price
• Dinner before deal signing, customer brought a wedding group
• Grass was coloured green for inspectors before Beijing Olympics
• Doctor's order: six weeks in bed because your bones are tofu
• Artificial blossoming trees added among the real trees in park
• In shop, hot hair dryer used to open product box tapes
• This door is bulletproof, inside betony! Reality - styrofoam
• Buy an iPod: "Do you want a Western or Chinese music database?"
Above-77: China, Beijing Botanical Garden.
- No, not sitting on one!
Above-78: China, Sanya in Hainan. YaLong Bay Beach.
• Refined white natural sand, good day, sun shine
Above-79: China, Beijing.
• Salt Group at work, GongTiBeiLu Street - XinZhongJie bridge
Above-80: China, Beijing. SARS Spring 2003.
• KouZhao, masks, marching at TianAnMen Square
• Spring 2003 SARS epidemic meant KouZhao for everyone
Above-81: China, Beijing. SARS 2003. Workers Stadium North Gate.
- Gentlemen, put on your KouZhao! GodSpeed!
Above-82: China, Beijing. Deep thoughts.
Above-83: China, Beijing. Hutongs.
• Hutong streets are usually north-south
• Crossing streets linking hutong streets are named JiaDao or XieJien
MY CHINA - Terracotta Experience
Clay soldiers from 300 B.C. Around 8000 clay soldiers were made during 12 years by 1000 men by the order of China's founder, first emperor Ying Zheng. Manufacturing process: parts, assembly, personalisation. I met farmer Yang who found clay soldiers in 1974 and bought his book Awakened Qin's Terra-Cotta Army with autograph.
• Under imperial rule up till 1912 called as Mandarins, now Chinese
MY CHINA - Revolutionary Song
I woke up by a revolutionary song. It came from XinZhongJie street in Beijing, workers started their day loudly singing this song.
UNITY IS STRENGTH
Tuan Jie Jiu Shi Li Liang - Getting united makes us strong
Zhe Li Liang Shi Tie - This strength is iron
Zhe Li Liang Shi Gang - This strength is steel
Bi Tie Hai Ying - It's harder than iron
Bi Gang Hai Qiang - It's stronger than steel
• Zhejiang Xizi Hotel is a State Guesthouse hotel, partner meetings
• This crew served us a good lunch
Above-88: China, Beijing. Business dinner.
- GanBei, drain the glass!
WHAT URBAN CHINESE THINK of THEMSELVES?
I kept workshops in Beijing with Chinese business Beijingers. Results of one group discussion:
1. Chinese have big country's proudness
China has scale, size and big numbers which give Chinese unique competence.
2. Chinese are smart and flexible
Chinese are alert because of bathing all the time in subtle situations. This reflects Chinese indirect way of communication which is considered smartness and art. Chinese are very competitive people.
3. Chinese are natural born opportunity seekers
This is in life, work and business, in China and abroad (why Chinese seek opportunities more than others was left unanswered).
4. Chinese are proud of their traditional culture
Chinese culture is like a treasure box, something others don't have. But how to take best use of it? At the same time Chinese are humiliated about their contemporary history, which has created sensitivity on some (not defined) issues.
5. Chinese are hardworking and willing to learn
Chinese are familiar with strong effort and try. System limits people's performance and talents to show up in business.
6. Chinese believe in power of Guanxi
Guanxi, relations, is much more than connections or networking, Facebook or LinkedIn. It can be utilized in life and business, in China but also globally. The level of Guanxi may vary but it works. While Guanxi is a long-term social investment, Chinese are also very short-term benefit driven.
7. Chinese life is content
Chinese believe that life in west is simple compared to Chinese, f.ex. food culture and business culture. Because Chinese own life is stressful and not straightforward, it is sparring and coaching. Chinese learn how to figure out.
8. China will become influential
China's influence will be based on market economy and growth. Important part of influence is to be able to set the rules to others. China's future is bright and mainlanders are already now proud about it.
Above-89: China, Beijing. China International Exhibition Center.
• Exhibitions, seminars, conferences, meetings, customers, quests
• Lunches, dinners, drinks, gifts, friendships
• Guanxi and treat, partnerships and sales transactions
Above-90: China, Beijing.
I witnessed China's awakening and getting-rich-is-glorious spirit. China got Internet and phones, WTO contract and cars, factories, wealth, tourism, colours. For city-Chinese this was an upheaval.
Above-91: China, Beijing. RiTan Park.
• English Breakfast: eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, tomato, toast, coffee
• Eggs Benedict: muffin halves, bacon, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, till
MY CHINA - Recommended Restaurants
• Xiao Wang's Home Restaurant, RiTan Park, Beijing
• Lao Beijing (old Beijing) restaurants; waiters shout when you enter
Above-92: China, Beijing. JinDingXuan Restaurant, Sichuan waitresses.
MY CHINA - Finnish Business Council (FCB), Beijing
I was FCB member over seven years. We had parties (meetings) in Mexican Wave, later in Restaurant Take 5 near Silk Street. Take 5 offered Finnish Lihapullat and Hernekeitto to those seriously missing their home food. Once a year FCB members enjoyed a super-brunch at St.Regis Hotel.
Above-93: China, Beijing. The Microphone. Capital Museum.
Chairman Mao ZeDong used this microphone to announce P.R. China at TianAnMen Rostrum (Gate of Heavenly Peace Rostrum) October 1st 1949.
• Mao ZhuXi Hui Shou, Wo Qian Jin!
• Chairman Mao waves his hand, and I march!
Island-hopping over the Pacific Ocean, from Chile to New Zealand. My favourites: Easter Island, Tahiti, BoraBora Lagoon and Aitutaki Lagoon.
• Easter Island is said to be the most remote spot on earth
• These 15 Moai statues standing are called Ahu Tongariki
• Beyond thrilled? No, no mystery, just a few unclear details
ISLAND-HOPPING WORLD TOUR Dec. 2016 - Jan. 2017
I had survived Nokia Data in Finland, Baghdad projects, ICL, GE Information Services, TeamWARE Corp, Elisa Corp, OSCAL Company, Nokia Corp in China, SARS, HappyHan Company in China, Teleste Corp in China, meetings in 19 Chinese provinces, and business trips to 20 countries.
I needed an island-hopping holiday over Pacific Ocean.
Route map from right to left
TOUR FLIGHTS: 16 flights; 65 flight hours (20h South Pacific Ocean)
TOUR HOTELS: 14 hotels
WINNERS: Easter Island, Tahiti, BoraBora Lagoon, Aitutaki Lagoon
BEST WINE: Vinoptima Bond Road Ormond Gewurztraminer 2009
ISLAND-HOPPING WORLD TOUR
From Helsinki to
1. The Bahamas, Nassau (via Miami, USA)
++ Hotel Atlantis Resort, waterpark, dolphins, scenery, quality
-- No problems
2. Easter Island, Chile (via Santiago)
++ Moai era, BirdMan era, nature, touring trips
-- Mosquitos, street dogs, Internet problems
3. Tahiti Island, Papeete, French Polynesia
++ Hotel InterContinental, views, pools, dinners, dance shows
-- Mosquitos
4. BoraBora Lagoon, French Polynesia (visited 3 BoraBora islands)
++ Lagoon, beach, mountain, service, shows, lagoon/jeep safaris
-- Mosquitos, main island street dogs and forest dogs
5. Rarotonga Lagoon, The Cook Islands (via Tahiti)
++ Pool, jeep safari, lagoon, beach, shows, jungle
-- Mosquitos, hot, beach dogs, extra price of breakfast elements
6. Aitutaki Lagoon, The Cook Islands (visited 8 Aitutaki islands)
++ Hotel Pacific Resort, views, pool, dinners, lagoon cruise, shows
-- Mosquitos
7. New Zealand: Auckland, Rotorua, Tongariro, Wellington
++ Views, dinners, geologic, nature park, cafees, hotels
-- No problems
8. Bali Island, Amed, Indonesia (via Melbourne, Australia)
++ Views, friendly service, dinners, juices, jungle temple
-- Mosquitos, hot, angry monkeys
9. Singapore
++ Hotel Shangri-La, quality, service, pools, restaurants, Orchard Rd
-- No problems
Back to Helsinki
ISLAND-HOPPING WORLD TOUR - HOTEL CHECK-INs
No.1 Miami - Hotel Element, rm 249, one night
No.2 Bahamas - Hotel Atlantis Resort, rm 8549, 4 nights
No.3 Easter Island - Hotel Ota'i, Hanga Roa, rm 135, 4 nights
No.4 Tahiti - Hotel InterContinental Resort, rm 180, 2 nights
No.5 BoraBora - Hotel Pearl Beach Resort & Spa, Bungalow No.50, 7 nights
No.6 Tahiti - Hotel InterContinental Resort, rm 386, one night
No.7 Rarotonga - Hotel Pacific Resort Rarotonga, rm 209, 4 nights
No.8 Aitutaki - Hotel Pacific Resort Aitutaki, Bungalow No.114, 3 nights
No.9 Rarotonga - Hotel Pacific Resort Rarotonga, rm 44, one night
No.10 Rotorua - Holiday Inn Hotel, rm 615, 3 nights
No.11 Tongariro - Hotel Chateau Tongariro, rm 121, one night
No.12 Wellington - Museum Art Hotel, rm 343, 5 nights
No.13 Bali - Hotel Griya Villas and Spa, Villa No.14, 3 nights
No.14 Singapore - Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, rm 683, 4 nights
TOTAL 14 hotels, 43 hotel nights, 4 night flights
SAFARIS, EVENTS, MUSEUMS, POINTS OF INTEREST, SHOWS
• Bahamas Nassau Airport - Welcoming 3-man guitar band
• Bahamas hotel - Birthday drumming show during dinner
• Bahamas - Atlantis Aquaventure Water Park
• Bahamas - Dolphin Cay dolphin show and photos
• Bahamas village - Jazz band at a street restaurant
• Easter Island - Museo Antropologico P. Sebastian Englert
• Easter Island - Moai, BirdMan tours with Mr Roberto, 3,5 days
• Tahiti Airport - Welcoming Tahitian guitar and singing group
• Tahiti hotel - Polynesian Warrior Drum and Dance dinner show
• Tahiti hotel - Great views at Hotel InterContinental Resort
• BoraBora Christmas Eve - Polynesian Drum/Dance dinner show 1.
• BoraBora Christmas Day - Polynesian Drum/Dance dinner show 2.
• BoraBora - Shark-Feeding lagoon Safari with Captain Will
• BoraBora - Jeep Safari day with Mr Steve
• BoraBora - Kayaking trip to the edge of islet Motu Tevairoa
• Rarotonga Airport - Welcoming guitar music by an old man
• Rarotonga New Year - Polynesian Drum and Hip-shaking dinner
• Rarotonga - Jeep Safari day with Mr Chico
• Rarotonga - Trip to Punanga Nui Market near Avarua Beach
• Aitutaki hotel - Aitutaki trio, harmonic music during dinners
• Aitutaki hotel - Polynesian Warrior Drum and Dance dinner show
• Aitutaki - Lagoon Cruise Safari with Captain Fantastic Andrew
• Aitutaki - Bicycle trip from hotel passing Arutanga Harbour
• Rotorua - HoBbiToN Movie Village tour: Lord of Rings, The Hobbit
• Rotorua - Te Puia Park geothermal and Maori culture show
• Rotorua - Te Puia Park Maori singing, warrior dances, faces
• Rotorua - Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Park, geyser
• Lake Taupo - Huka Falls on Waikato River
• Tongariro National Park - Happy Valley, Whakapapa village
• Tongariro National Park - Ruapehu volcano, Tawhai Falls
• Waiouru - National Army Museum of New Zealand
• Wellington - Museum Te PaPa of New Zealand culture
• Wellington - Waterfront and Hikitia steam-driven crane boat
• Wellington - Cable Car Museum and Wellington Botanic Garden
• Wellington - Hippopotamus Restaurant in Museum Art Hotel
• Bali hotel - Band, movie music, popular olds, Beatles
• Bali - Pura Lempuyang Temple Safari and Mount Agung
• Bali - Tirta Gangga Water Palace Safari near Mount Agung
• Singapore - ArtScience Museum: NASA, A Human Adventure
TOTAL 38 experiences, over 30GB photos and video
• Excellent views, excellent care at Hotel Der AlpbacherHof
• Husky sledge 3 hours in -22C on Lake Inari, wins snowmobiles
• Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe
HELSINGIN SANOMAT - Modern 'gallup' journalism?
• After periods abroad their news and articles felt driven
• Enough of bumph, around 1990 I broke out from HS
Pena Palace
• Hahnenkamm Mountain, Segway ride and Mozart Residence in Salzburg
Florence, windy Ponte Vecchio bridge across the River Arno.
Hill towns, then Pisa, Florence and Venice
• Hill town Montaione, Restaurant Osteria Del Pesce Rosso
• Hill town Certaldo, arts
• Hill town San Gimignano, fourteen towers
• Hill town Volterra, alabaster products
• Hill town Asciano near Siena
• Monastery San Vivaldo near Montaione
• Monastery Monte Oliveto Maggiore near Siena
• Buonconvento commune near Siena
• Pisa: the leaning tower
• Florence: Uffici Gallery (excellent)
• Florence: Restaurant Fuoco Matto Pizza & Grill
• Venice: flights
• Grand Hotel behind me was my first week in Oslo 40 years ago
• Jade waters. Stayed at Hotel Villa Adora, building on the right
• Herbie Mann Memphis Underground in Kulturhuset soon 40 years ago
CASE: A fellow islander went TONTO
• Grazy, he mutilated park trees
• He attacked on parked cars with superglue tube
• He set nails into front wheels, 45 decrees, to explode
Keeper photos about “Tonto-Tomi” in action exists
• At Rodos Palladium Hotel this gekko said Efcharisto!
• Chocolate churros at Chocolatería San Ginés (1894)
• Hilltop town Siena, easiest place to get lost on the earth
• Cafes, and all italian dinners and wines
• The winner was TukTuk Photo Tour around Lisbon, hilltops
Countries, Flights, Hotels
MY JOURNEY SOFAR
World: 43 Countries
(B) Business trips and meetings in 20 countries
(P) Presentations in 14 countries
(C) Courses in 12 countries
1. Finland, I was born in Finland (B-P-C)
2. Sweden: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Sundsvall, Motala (B-P-C)
3. Norway: Oslo, Trondheim (B-P-C)
4. Denmark: Copenhagen, Odense, Frederikshavn, Helsingborg (B-P)
5. Germany: Munich, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg (B-P)
6. Netherlands: Amsterdam, Volendam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven (B-P-C)
7. United Kingdom: London, Bracknell, Inkberrow, Felixstowe (B-C)
8. Belgium: Brussels, Antwerpen (B-P-C)
9. France: Paris, Nice, Cannes, Lille, Strassbourg (B-P-C)
10. Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, Mallorca, Tenerife, Gran Canaria (B-C)
11. Switzerland: Zurich, Luzern, Geneve, Montreux, Locarno (B-P-C)
12. Italy: Rome, Milan, Venice, Rimini, Campiglio, Positano (B-P)
13. Russia & Soviet Union: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Vyborg (B-P)
14. United States: New York, Wash D.C., Baltimore, Dallas, Miami (B-P-C)
15. Iraq: Baghdad (B-P)
16. P.R.China: Beijing, Shanghai, many more (B-P-C)
17. Singapore (B-C)
18. South Korea: Seoul (B)
19. Hong Kong (B)
20. Czech Republic: Prague, Karlstejn (B)
21. Portugal: Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, Madeira, Funchal
22. Austria: Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Alpbach, Kitzbuhel
23. Croatia: Split, Supetar in Brac
24. Slovenia: Ljubljana, Lake Bled
25. Hungary: Budapest
26. Luxembourg: Luxembourg City
27. Liechtenstein: Vaduz
28. Vatican City
29. Republic of San Marino
30. Greece: Kos, Patmos, Crete, Rhodos
31. Cyprus: Larnaca
32. Estonia: Tallinn
33. Jordania: Amman
34. Japan: Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Kunisaki, Okinawa, Naha
35. Thailand: Bangkok, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Pattaya
36. Malesia: Borneo, Kota Kinabalu
37. The Bahamas: Nassau
38. Chile: Santiago, Easter Island
39. French Polynesia: Tahiti, BoraBora Lagoon
40. Cook Islands: Rarotonga, Aitutaki Lagoon
41. New Zealand: Auckland, Rotorua, Tongariro, Wellington
42. Australia: Melbourne
43. Indonesia: Bali, Denpasar, Amed
Travelling around the world for decades.
TOTAL 43 countries
Flights - More than 720 Flights
• From Helsinki 160+ trips: EU, USA, Asia, Polynesia, Middle East
• From Helsinki and EU 59 times to Beijing and China
• From Beijing 120+ trips to Chinese cities and Asia
Hotels - 276 Hotels
CHINA - 52 hotels during 1992-2016, mostly work trips
• Beijing: Gloria Plaza Hotel (holidays, rm 1118, 1992)
• Beijing: Hilton Beijing (holidays)
• Beijing: The St.Regis Hotel (holidays)
• Shanghai: Hotel Telecom Shanghai
• Shanghai: Dongjiao State Guest Hotel
• Shanghai: Shanghai JC Mandarin Hotel
• Shanghai: Sheraton Grand Hotel Tai Ping Yang
• Shanghai: Cypress Hotel
• Shanghai: ManPo Boutique Hotel
• Shanghai: Central Hotel Shanghai
• Shanghai: Jianguo Hotel
• Shanghai: Jing An Hilton Hotel
• Shanghai: Regal International East Asia Hotel
• Shanghai: Yangtze New World Hotel
• Shanghai: Radisson Hotel Shanghai New World
• Shanghai: Jinjiang Tower Hotel
• Shanghai: Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel
• Shanghai: Shanghai Worldfield Convention Hotel
• Shanghai: H Hotels
• Chongqing: Wanyou Conifer Hotel
• Jiangsu, Nanjing: Hilton Nanjing
• Jiangsu, Nanjing: HongQiao Hotel
• Jiangsu, Nanjing: Central Hotel
• Liaoning, Shenyang: Gloria Plaza Hotel
• Liaoning, Dalian: Shangri-La Hotel
• Shandong, Jinan: Sheraton Jinan Hotel
• Hebei, Xianghe: Zeng'an Hotel, Grand Epoch City (holidays)(G20/2005)
• Hebei, Beidaihe: JinShan Hotel (holidays)
• Henan, Zhengzhou: Zhengzhou Crowne Plaza
• Zhejiang, Hangzhou: Zhejiang Xizi Hotel (twice)(G20 summit/2016)
• Zhejiang, Hangzhou: Four Points by Sheraton
• Zhejiang, Hangzhou: Shangri-La Hotel
• Zhejiang, Hangzhou: Hangzhou Sunny Hotel
• Zhejiang, Hangzhou: Hangzhou Continental Hotel
• Zhejiang, Hangzhou: World Trade Center Grand Hotel
• Shaanxi, Xi'an: Shangri-La Golden Flower (holidays)
• Shaanxi, Xi'an: Hyatt Regency Xi'an (holidays)
• Fujian, Fuzhou: Fujian Foreign Trade Centre Hotel
• Fujian, Xiamen: Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Harbourview
• Hainan, Haikou: BaoHua Harbour View Hotel
• Hainan, Wanning: Xinlong Pearl Hot Spring Hotel (holidays)
• Hainan, Sanya: Orient Hotel Sanya (holidays)
• Anhui, Hefei: Holiday Inn Hefei
• Gansu, Lanzhou: NingWoZhuang Hotel suite no.2310
• Yunnan, Kunming: Kunming Hotel
• Yunnan, Kunming: Holiday Inn
• Shenzhen: New Century Hotel
• Shenzhen: The Pavilion Century Tower
• Shenzhen: Shenzhen Bay Hotel
• Shenzhen: The Landmark Hotel
• Guangdong, Guangzhou: Guangdong International Hotel
• Guangdong, Guangzhou: Ramada Pearl Hotel
HONG KONG - 4 hotels, >10 work trips
• Hong Kong: The Excelsior Hotel (Nokia 1999-2002)
• Hong Kong: The Park Lane Hotel (Nokia 1999-2002)
• Hong Kong: Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel, Kowloon (holidays, 2005)
• Hong Kong: Hotel Harbour Grand (holiday, rm 4025, 2016)
SINGAPORE - 5 hotels, >5 work trips
• Singapore: Singapore Marriott Hotel (Nokia 2000-2001)
• Singapore: Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel (Nokia 1999)
• Singapore: Furama Hotel (Nokia)
• Singapore: New Otani (Hotel Novotel Clarke Quay) (Nokia)
• Singapore: Shangri-La Hotel Singapore (rm 683, holidays, 2016)
THAILAND - 6 hotels, all holidays
• Bangkok: Holiday Inn Silom Bangkok (2000)
• Bangkok: The Emerald Hotel (2002)
• Pattaya: Royal Cliff Grand Hotel (2000, 2003)
• Hua-Hin: Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort (2002)
• Koh Samui: Nora Beach & Spa Resort (2004)
• Koh Samui: Le Meridien Resort & Spa Hotel (2004)
JAPAN - 3 hotels, all holidays
• Kyushu Island, Oita, Kitsuki: Sumiyoshihama Resort Park (2007)
• Kyushu Island: a hotel in Kumamoto (2007)
• Okinawa, Naha: Okinawa Kariyushi Urban Resort Hotel (rm 1009, 2010)
MALAYSIA - 1 hotel, holidays
• Kota Kinabalu: Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort (rm 9620, 2008)
SOUTH KOREA - 1 hotel, 2 work trips
• Seoul: Renaissance Hotel Gangnam-gu (Nokia 2003-2004)
FINLAND - 34 hotels, mostly work trips
• Espoo: Hotel Polar Espoo (Nokia)
• Hanko: Hotelli Regatta (many 1960s holidays with Lennart)
• Helsinki: Sokos Hotel Vaakuna (Nokia, Teleste)
• Helsinki: Sokos Hotel Klaus Kurki (many 1960s with Lennart/Nokia)
• Helsinki: Scandic Hotel Simonkenttä (Nokia)
• Helsinki: Scandic Hotel Kalastajatorppa (Nokia)
• Helsinki: Ramada Hotel Presidentti (Nokia)
• Helsinki: Hotel InterContinental (Nokia)
• Helsinki: Hilton Strand Hotel (with Lennart, former Meri Hotelli)
• Hämeenlinna: Spa Hotel Rantasipi Aulanko (holidays, Nokia)
• Imatra: Imatran Valtionhotelli (1960s Imatra GP with Lennart)
• Inari: Wilderness Hotel of Inari (holidays, rm 212, 2017)
• Jyväskylä: Hotel Rantasipi Laajavuori
• Kouvola: Sokos Hotel Vaakuna (holidays)
• Kuopio: Hotel Rivoli (Nokia)
• Lahti: Hotel Tallukka, Vääksy (Nokia)
• Lappeenranta: Scandic Hotel Patria (holidays)
• Mikkeli: Hotel Varsavuori (Nokia)
• Naantali: Naatali Kylpylä Hotel and Spa (holidays 2002)
• Taavetti: Luumäen Motelli (holiday)
• Tammisaari: Hotel Sea Front (Nokia)
• Tampere: Scandic Hotel Rosendahl (Nokia)
• Tampere: Scandic Hotel Tampere City
• Tampere: Grand Hotel Tammer (Nokia, HLSUA)
• Turku: Hotel Hamburger Börs (Teleste, 1960s with Lennart)
• Turku: Hostel at Linnankatu (1973)
• Turku: Holiday Inn (Teleste)
• Turku: Hotel Seurahuone (Teleste)
• Turku: Hotel Scandic Julia (holidays, 2014)
• Oulu: Hotel Radisson Blue (Nokia 1984: Blanco Conference)
• Pori: Yyteri Hotel and Spa (holidays, 1996)
• Porvoo: Haikko Kartano Hotel (Nokia, TeamWARE)
• Rovaniemi: Hotel Rantasipi Pohjanhovi (TeamWARE)
• Vaasa: Sokos Hotel Vaakuna (Nokia)
SWEDEN - 12 hotels, many work trips, two holidays
• Stockholm: Palace Hotel (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Stockholm, Kungsholmen: Hotel Amaranten (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Stockholm: Hotel Birger Jarl (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Stockholm: Hotel Sergel Plaza (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Stockholm: Park Hotel (Nokia 1983: IFIP Conference)
• Stockholm: Skeppsholmen Sailboat Hostel afChapman (holiday, 1970s)
• Sundsvall: Hotel Södra Berget (Nokia, HLSUA 1980s)
• Sundsvall: Hotel Bore (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Norrköping: Scandic Hotel Norrköping (Nokia)
• Gothenburg: Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel (Elisa 1998: meetings)
• Genarp: Hotel Häckeberga Castle (Nokia, HLSUA 1986)
• Lund: Hotel Lundia (Nokia, HLSUA 1980s)
• Stockholm: Silja Serenade, (holiday 2020, cabin 11118)
DENMARK - 8 hotels, >20 work trips: 5 months
• Copenhagen: Grand Hotel (Nokia 1980s: workshops, week per visit)
• Copenhagen: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Copenhagen: Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel (Nokia, HLSUA 1980s)
• Copenhagen: Radisson Blu Falconer Hotel (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Copenhagen: Radisson SAS Globetrotter Hotel (GEIS 1990)
• Copenhagen: Scandic Hotel Hvidovre (Nokia 1980s: workshops)
• Copenhagen: First Hotel Høje Taastrup
• Billund: a hotel (Nokia, HLSUA 1980s)
NORWAY - 7 hotels, work trips, one holiday
• Oslo: Grand Hotel, Karl Johans 31 (Nokia 1978 L66 week; HLSUA 1980s)
• Oslo: Hotel SAS Scandinavia (rm 904 GEIS 1992)
• Oslo: Hotel Oslo Plaza (GEIS 1992)
• Oslo: Helsfyr Hotel (Nokia 1980s)
• Oslo: Hotel Munch (Nokia 1980s)
• Oslo: Hotel Continental (rm 815, holidays 2019)
• Trondheim: a hotel (Nokia, HLSUA 1980s)
FRANCE - 9 hotels, >20 work trips: 6 months
• Paris: Holiday Inn Republique (later Crowne Plaza) (Nokia 1980s)
• Paris: Novotel Bagnolet, Les Mercuriales (Nokia 1980s)
• Paris: Disneyland Paris Hotel, Marne-la-Vallee (Nokia 2001)
• Paris: Hotel Paris Gambetta (Pyrenees-Gambetta)(Nokia 1980s)
• Paris, Montmartre: Hotel Des Arts (holiday, rm 419, 1991)
• Paris: Hotel Caumartin Opera (holiday, 1980s)
• Paris: a guesthouse outside city (holiday, 2002)
• Nice: Hotel Mercure Nice, Centre Notre Dam (Nokia 2001)
• Cannes: Hotel Gray d’Albion (Nokia 2000)
ITALY - 17 hotels, one work trip, many holidays
• Lake Como: Grand Hotel Tremezzo Palace (rm 214, GEIS 1989)
• Lake Como, Malcesine: Majestic Palace Hotel (holidays 1980s)
• Sorrento: Grand Hotel President (rm 440, holidays 2008)
• Rome: Grand Hotel Beverly Hills (6F room, holidays 2008)
• Rimini: Hotel Derby (rm 10, holidays, 1989)
• Riccione: Hotel Sans Souci (holidays 1990s)
• Riccione: Hotel Luna (holidays 2004)
• Riccione: Grand Hotel Des Bains (holidays, rm 308-309, 2016)
• Positano, Amalfi Coast: Hotel Eden Roc (rm 212, holidays 2015)
• Madonna Di Campiglio: Hotel Chalet all'Imperatore (hiking 2006)
• Florence: Hotel Santa Maria Novella (rm 225, holidays 2018)
• Florence: Hotel Room Mate Luca (rm 202, holidays 2023)
• Florence: Hotel Burchianti (rm 1, holidays 2023)
• Florence: Hotel Albani Firenze (rm 302, holidays 2023)
• Siena: Hotel Athena (rm 701, holidays 2023)
• Montaione: Boccioleto Resort & Spa (rm 327, holidays 2018)
• Sicily, Taormina: Hotel Villa Carlotta (rm 104, holidays 2019)
SWITZERLAND - 29 hotels, one work trip, many holidays
• Montreux, Lake Geneva: Le Montreux Palace (rm 094, GEIS 1990)
• Zurich, Lake Zurich: Hotel Florhof Zurich (1990s)
• Zurich, Lake Zurich: Holiday Inn (2010)
• Zug, Lake Zug: Swisshotel Zug (2010)
• Luzern, Lake Luzern: Hotel Waldstätter Hof (2010)
• Luzern, Lake Luzern: Seeburg Hotel (2010)
• Locarno, Lake Maggiore: Ramada Hotel Arcadia (2010)
• Locarno, Lake Maggiore: Hotel Garni Geranio (2010)
• Locarno, Monti Trinita: Hotel Della Posta (2000)
• Locarno, Brione: Garten Hotel Dellavalle (1999)
• Locarno, Orselina: Hotel Stella (1999, 2015)
• Locarno, Orselina: Hotel Albergo Mirafiori (1999)
• Lugano, Lake Lugano: Hotel Albergo Gottardo (1990s)
• Lugano: Hotel Lugano Dante (1990s)
• Lugano, Aldesago: Hotel Colibri (rm 222, 1993)
• Interlaken, Lake Brienz: Hotel Trattoria Toscana (1990s)
• Interlaken, Lake Thun: Hotel Beausite (1990s)
• Interlaken: City Oberland Hotel (2010)
• Interlaken: Motel Marti (1990s)
• Davos: Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvedere (rm 341, 2015)
• Meiringen: Hotel Alpine Sherpa (1990s)
• Krattigen, Lake Thun: Hotel Bellevue-Bären (2000)
• Guarda: Buotique Hotel Romantica Val Tuoi (2015)
• Reckingen: Hotel Blinnenhorn (2015)
• Gadmen am Sustenpass: Hotel Alpenrose Gadmen (2010)
• Amden, Lake Walen: Hotel Kurhaus Bellevue (1993)
• Romanshorn, Lake Constance: Park Hotel Inseli (2000)
• Chur, Rhein River: Mothotel Sommerau Chur (1990s)
• Valais: Motel-Garni Inter-Alps (rm 5, 1990)
GERMANY - 13 hotels, work trips, holidays
• Hamburg: a hotel (Nokia 1980s)
• Munich: a hotel (TeamWARE 1995: media tour)
• Munich: Hotel Europa (rm 155, holidays 2015)
• Baden-Baden: Baden's Gasthouse (1994)
• Dorsel: Pension Jacobs-Muhle (1994)
• Dusseldorf, Rhein River: a hotel (TeamWARE 1995)
• Wiesbaden, Rhein River: Wiesbaden Penta Hotel (1990s)
• Garmisch-Partenkirchen: a guesthouse (1990s)
• Cologne, Rhein River: Hotel Flandrischer Hof (2002)
• Koblenz, Rhein River: Hotel Merkelbach Hotel (2006)
• Frankfurt, Rhein River: Hotel Montana Garni (1990s)
• Cochem, Mosel River: Ferienwohnung Villa Burgblick (2006)
• Cochem, Mosel River: Guesthouse Haus Thiel (2006)
THE NETHERLANDS - 10 hotels, 8 work trips, many holidays
• Amsterdam: Hotel Okura Amsterdam (GEIS 1992: meeting)
• Amsterdam: Hotel Sonesta Renaissance, 3 weeks (Nokia 1989)
• Amsterdam: Hotel Ascot at Damrak (rm 141, GEIS 1992)
• Amsterdam: Hampshire Hotel Beethoven (TeamWARE 1995: media)
• Amsterdam: Park Hotel (Nokia 1981: L66/DPS8 Optimisation, week)
• Amsterdam: hotel at Keizersgracht canal (Nokia 1980s)
• Amsterdam: Hotel Amster Centre, 255 Herengracht (Nokia 1980s)
• Amsterdam: Hotel Mercure Amsterdam (rm 228, holidays 2014)
• Volendam: Hotel Spaander (TeamWARE 1995: event)
• Eindhoven: Amrath Hotel Pierre (holiday, 1990s)
BELGIUM - 4 hotels, work trips
• Brussels: Hilton Brussels City (Nokia 2004)
• Brussels: Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel (Nokia 2004)
• Brussels: Sheraton Brussels Place Rogier (TeamWARE, EEMA 1997)
• Brussels: Hotel Le Plaza (TeamWARE 1997)
UNITED KINGDOM - 6 hotels, 18 work trips: 7 months
• London: Hotel Novotel Hammersmith (limo, rm 8027, GEIS 1991)
• London: Waverley House Hotel (rm 208, TeamWARE 1995, week)
• Bracknell: Coppid Beech Hotel (rm 311, TeamWARE 1995-96, 2we/trip)
• Bracknell: Hilton Bracknell Hotel (TeamWARE 1995-96, 2 weeks/trip)
• Bracknell: Fines Bayliwick Hotel (TeamWARE 1995-96 many times)
• Worcester, Inkberrow: The Old Bull Inn (TeamWARE, EEMA 1996)
SPAIN - 13 hotels, 2 work trips, many holidays
• Madrid: Holiday Inn Madrid, Bernabeu (rm 240, GEIS 1990, week)
• Madrid: Hotel Barcelo Torre de Madrid (rm 304, holidays 2022)
• Barcelona: a hotel (Nokia 2001: workshop)
• Barcelona: Hotel Exe Laietana Palace (holidays, 2001)
• Barcelona: Hotel Roger de Lluria (rm 204, holidays 2015)
• Tenerife, de Isora: Gran Melia Resort (rm 1117, holidays 2011)
• Tenerife, Playa del Americas: Parque La Paz (holidays 1993)
• Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz: a hotel (holidays 1980s)
• Gran Canary: Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas (holidays 2009)
• Gran Canary, Las Palmas: a hotel (holidays 1980s)
• Gran Canary, Las Palmas: a hotel (holidays 1980s)
• Mallorca, Palma de Mallorca: Hotel Windsor (holidays 1972)
• Mallorca, Alcudia: a hotel (holidays, 1980s)
U.S.A. - 8 hotels, 7 work trips, 2 holidays
• New York: Milford Plaza Hotel (GEIS 1988, twice)
• Rockville: Marriott Courtyard Hotel (GEIS 1988)
• Maryland: Bethesda Marriott Wash.D.C./Rockville (rm 340, GEIS 1992)
• New York: Hotel Pennsylvania (rm 792, Elisa 1997)
• Baltimore: Clarion Hotel (Elisa 1998)
• Washington D.C.: Residence Inn Marriott (holidays April 1999)
• Dallas: a hotel near Nokia in Irving (Nokia 2002)
• Miami: Hotel Element (rm 249, holidays 2016)
GREECE - 4 hotels, holidays
• Kos town: a holiday hotel in center (1990)
• Kos, Paralia Psalidi: Hotel Oceanis Beach (1992)
• Crete, Rethimnon: Hotel Maleme (1995)
• Rodos, Faliraki: Rodos Palladium Hotel (rm 1422, 2022)
RUSSIAN FEDERATION - 3 hotels, work trip, holidays
• Moscow: Azimut Olympic Hotel (Penta Renaissance)(TeamWARE 1995)
• Saint Petersburg when Leningrad: Hotel Astoria (school trip 1968)
• Saint Petersburg when Leningrad: by car (1976)
AUSTRIA - 4 hotels, holidays
• Vienna: Hotel Am Konzerthaus (rm 212, 2015)
• Alpbach: Hotel Der AlpbacherHof (rm 223, 2017)
• Kizbuhel: Hotel KaiserHof (rm 211, 2018)
• Innsbruck: a hotel (1990s)
ESTONIA - 2 hotels, holidays
• Tallinn: Hotel Telegraaf (2014)
• Tallinn: Hotel Viru (1989) (rm 235, 2016)
PORTUGAL - 3 hotels, holidays
• Madeira, Funchal: Hotel Riu Palace Madeira (rm 1324, 2014)
• Lisbon: Hotel Valverde Lisboa (rm 502, 2018)
• Lisbon: Hotel 138 Liberdade (rm 105, 2024)
HUNGARY - 1 hotel, holidays
• Budapest, Danube River: Kempinski Hotel Corvinus (rm 846, 2016)
CZECH REPUBLIC - 2 hotels, work trip, holidays
• Prague, Vltava River: Corinthia Towers Hotel (Nokia 2000, 4 days)
• Prague: Grand Hotel Bohemia (rm 301, 2017)
CROATIA - 1 hotel, holidays
• Split, Dalmatia: Hotel Le Meridien Lav (rm 1073, 2017)
IRAQ - 1 hotel, many work trips
• Baghdad, Tigris River: Hotel Al-Sadeer Novotel (Nokia, 1980-1989)
THE BAHAMAS - 1 hotel, holidays
• Nassau: Nassau Atlantis Hotel (rm 8549, 2016)
CHILE - 1 hotel, holidays
• Easter Island, Hanga Roa: Hotel Ota'i (rm 135, 2016)
FRENCH POLYNESIA - 2 hotels, holidays
• Tahiti: Hotel InterContinental Tahiti (rm 386 and rm 180, 2016)
• BoraBora: BoraBora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa (Bungalow 50, 2016)
THE COOK ISLANDS - 2 hotels, holidays
• Rarotonga: Hotel Pacific Resort (rm 44 and rm 209, 2017)
• Aitutaki: Hotel Pacific Resort (Bungalow 114, 2017)
NEW ZEALAND - 3 hotels, holidays
• Rotorua: Hotel Holiday Inn (rm 615, 2017)
• Tongariro: Chateau Tongariro Hotel (rm 121, 2017)
• Wellington: Museum Art Hotel (rm 343, 2017)
INDONESIA - 1 hotel, holidays
• Bali, Amed: Hotel Griya Villas and Spa (Villa 14, 2017)
SLOVENIA - 3 hotels, holidays
• Ljubljana: Hotel InterContinental (rm 1103, 2019)
• Ljubljana: Grand Hotel Union (rm 453, 2019)
• Lake Bled: Hotel Villa Adora (1F Suite, 3F room, 2019)
TOTAL: 276 hotels
References/Links to BeijingMan Blog (some)
NEWSPAPERS and BOOKS
China Daily, No.1 English language newspaper in China (2009)
-- Article about BeijingMan who managed to 'Crack the Guanxi Code'
-- Referred BeijingMan article: Guanxi and Business in Mainland China
Green Metropolis book by David Owen (2009)
-- Referred BeijingMan article: Beijing Hutongs
The Times (UK), newspaper, picture request (2013)
-- Referred BeijingMan article: TianShouYuan Cemetery in Beijing
WIKIPEDIA web-site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Railways_QJ
-- Linked BeijingMan article: China Railway Museum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Railways_FD
-- Linked BeijingMan article: China Railway Museum
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/北京坦克博物館
-- Linked BeijingMan article: Tank Museum China
TANK, AIRCRAFT and RAILWAY web-sites
Weapons Of WW2
-- Linked BeijingMan article: Tank Museum China
World of Tanks
-- Linked BeijingMan article: Tank Museum China
Tanks Encyclopedia
-- Linked BeijingMan article: Tank Museum China
Ruudleeuw.com
-- Linked BeijingMan article: China Aviation Museum
Railserve.com/Tourist/World/Asia/
-- Linked BeijingMan article: China Railway Museum
My School Arts
WHEN AROUND 8-10 YEARS OLD
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