René, how did you prepare for your work in Switzerland and Mongolia?
I tried to gather as much information as possible. To do this, I used many different sources. Since my sister has already traveled through Mongolia in a camper van, I naturally asked her about her experiences. I also did a lot of reading, both online and in books. One book I can recommend is "More than raw materials". It was written by the former German ambassador to Mongolia, who himself spent 8 years in the country. It contains a lot of valuable knowledge about Mongolia.
What did your program look like after the start in mid-May?
My program after the start in mid-May was very eventful. I spent the first working day, May 15, in the BPN office in Bern. Just two days later, I was on the plane to Ulaanbaatar with my predecessor Markus Epper. It was an exciting and intense start! *laughs* I spent the next 2.5 weeks traveling around Mongolia with Markus. There I got to know the team and we dedicated ourselves to handing over various tasks and projects. We also visited some BPN entrepreneurs and I had the opportunity to get to know various people from Markus' network. There was even time for a small team event. After that, I went back to Switzerland for a few weeks before spending another two weeks in Ulaanbaatar for my second on-site assignment. During this time, a group of BPN donors from Switzerland also visited us, which made me very happy. Now, during the holiday-related summer break in Mongolia, I am working from Switzerland for a few weeks.
What do you work on when you are in Switzerland?
I make various organizational preparations from Switzerland. This includes obtaining my own visa and planning the visit of a Mongolian delegation of entrepreneurs who will be visiting us in the fall. This includes coordinating the visits to Swiss companies and organizing accommodation, transport and the like. In addition, there are many administrative tasks such as writing reports, updating our CRM system and budget planning. I am also in regular contact with some experts from Swisscontact's SEC to plan and coordinate assignments. I am also preparing for the BPN seminars that I will be holding from the fall. My first seminar will deal with time management and will include 180 presentation slides. So there's a lot to do and it never gets boring at BPN.
What differences did you notice between the working environment in Switzerland and Mongolia? Were there any cultural differences that influenced the way you worked?
There are many differences! In Switzerland, we have a linear and active work culture. We like to do one task at a time. In Mongolia, on the other hand, people tend to be more multiactive and do several things at once. Another difference is that financial worries are omnipresent in Mongolia. People there don't have financial reserves like we often do. Therefore, they have to constantly think about how best to spend their money.
A remarkable cultural trait of Mongolians is their great curiosity. When you say something, they listen attentively. I have found Mongolians to be very resilient, as they can adapt quickly to changing conditions. In terms of flexibility, we in Switzerland could take a leaf out of our book and work a bit more agilely.
What special projects or tasks have you taken on since you started? Have you already achieved your first successes?
Since I started at BPN, I have already been able to conduct 3 final selections in which new participants were accepted into the BPN program. It is a great enrichment that we at BPN are able to support the entrepreneurs in a very practical way. The first meetings with the entrepreneurs have been very inspiring and I am looking forward to the upcoming coaching sessions.
During my first assignments on site, I discovered the potential for 2 new seminars. I would like to impart knowledge in Mongolia in the areas of "Customer Management/Hospitality" and "Export Readiness". We already offer these seminars in other countries and I would like to check whether we can also offer them in Mongolia.
I have already had the opportunity to work on site in Mongolia twice since May. I would like to continue these assignments and travel to Mongolia as often as possible to work directly on the ground.
What support have you received from your team and from BPN in general to facilitate your start in your new position?
Working with my team in Mongolia has been great! The local team has welcomed me very warmly and each individual is an excellent team member. I have never experienced such a benevolent atmosphere. There is a cool mix of different skills and people on the team. The "Let's do it!" culture at BPN in Switzerland suits me perfectly and I really appreciate it. It's great to see how quickly ideas can be implemented and how open and committed everyone is. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the trust they have placed in me. I enjoy working for BPN. My start was good, I was trained very well and I am highly motivated!
