What A Deputy Director Of Battery Manufacturing At Gotion High Tech Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Battery Manufacturing Industry
Mohamad, a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing, unexpectedly discovered the extensive international travel demands of working for a global Chinese company, unlike their previous experience at Tesla. This involved "almost monthly" trips to China and other countries for site selection, business development, and equipment sourcing, a significant contrast to their prior role and a key lesson learned about navigating a global career in the battery manufacturing industry.
International Business, Global Travel, Manufacturing, Battery Technology, Cross-Cultural Collaboration
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mohamad Ali Zeitoun
Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing
Currently Gotion High Tech. Previously Tesla Battery manufacturing
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
None
Business & Related, International Relations & Affairs
Energy & Utilities
Business Strategy
Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. International travel is a significant aspect of working for global companies like Gotion High Tech, requiring frequent trips to different countries for business purposes.
2. Working for a global company exposes you to diverse markets and business practices, necessitating adapting to different cultures and business environments.
3. Proactive preparation for extensive international travel is crucial, including both logistical arrangements and mental preparedness for working across various cultural contexts.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
Working for a foreign company, I didn't know how much travel would be involved. I was previously with Tesla, a global company, but we rarely traveled. For this new company, travel is almost monthly, often to China or other countries.
Chinese companies are very global and operate in every market. When I joined, my first task was traveling to different states to find locations. After that, I traveled to China to learn the business.
Then I traveled again to bring political figures there to understand our operations. Following that, there was equipment selection. It became a pattern of travel, travel, travel every month.
I'm not a big fan of traveling, but it's part of the job. I guess if I had prepared more for travel, I might be better at it. I always think this is the last trip, but then I travel again.
Just in the last few months, I’ve told myself it's the last time, and I just returned from China again. There's a lot of travel, which can be beneficial for many. You learn more than if you stayed in one place.
If you're joining an international or global company, prepare for extensive travel. You'll need to learn things that aren't yet available in the US but exist in other countries. You'll have to travel there, learn them, and then return.