Becoming trusted advisors for businesses and communities in Ji'nan

In this opportunity, I'd like to give you some details about the fantastic team mates I have been interacting with in the past 3 months and the nature of the work we will be delivering in Ji'nan. Thanks to Lynn for raising this request!

Approximately 3 months ago, my Corporate Service Corps assignment was confirmed and I was quickly assigned to what we call CSC "China Team 9". The team originally consisted of 11 volunteers from 9 countries - unfortunately, one of us, Fernanda from Brazil, will not be able to make it. The size was then reduced to 10 volunteers from 8 countries:

• Georgiana (Gem) Mitchell, a program director & executive consultant from IBM U.S. CIO office
• Antje Mueller, a microprocessor array & circuit design engineer from IBM Germany
• Pawan Shrivastava, a general manager & senior project executive from IBM India
• Christopher Repass, a web production lead for ibm.com from IBM U.S.
• Lalitha Ramesh, a telecom industry leader for Global Business Solutions Center from IBM India
• Andrei Atapin, a finance team leader from IBM Canada
• Ariel Ringler, a bid operations management leader from IBM Argentina
• Gery Schneider, a senior project manager from IBM France
• Laszlo Haraszti, a hardware manager from IBM Hungary; and
• myself, a strategy & innovation consultant from IBM Australia

Looking at the diversity of experience, IBM tenure and expertises, I feel so lucky to be assigned to this team. In the past 3 months, we have worked together over teleconferences trying to properly prepare for the assignment (more details). I very much look forward to meeting every one of my team mates in person in Beijing on Sat, 28 Aug!

As a part of this assignment, we will be working with 5 clients.
The current Statement of Work says that Gem, Gery, Laszlo and Chris will be working with 2 Universities to design curriculum and develop courses, as well as deliver training in specialised areas. The rest of us, Antja, Pawan, Lalitha, Andrei, Ariel and myself are paired to work with 3 high technology mid-sized companies on consulting engagements, ranging from developing growth strategy, building project management competency, performing organisational reviews, improving processes & operational models to developing marketing strategy. As with any consulting engagement, the scope of work may change as soon as we get a chance to meet the client and validate their strategic & operational priorities. It will be interesting to see how the story unfolds.

Whilst we will be working as a team for all 5 clients, I have been fortunate to be assigned with Ariel from IBM Argentina to specifically "own" the consulting engagement with one of the clients - a young and innovative software & application provider operating within the electric utility sector. As it happens, Ariel will be spending a couple of days in Sydney this week in transit before joining me to take the flight together to China. I have been having late night calls with Ariel in the past a couple of months and it is very exciting to finally get to see him in person very very soon!

Next, I will be writing about the preparatory work that we have undertaken so far in the past 3 months to make sure that all of us are fully equipped with all the capabilities we need to make a lasting difference in China. More to come~