Chinese odyssey helps company in game of global growth

Adam Jones-Kelley, president of US-based Conway Inc, is an American businessman who has longterm links with China.

According to Jones-Kelly, his contact with China has made him much more culturally aware, which has, in turn, improved his management of the company, which has been involved in cross-border investment and corporate expansion for more than 60 years.

The grandson of world-renowned futurist McKinley Conway, Jones-Kelly is the third generation of his family to helm Conway's global enterprise.

Since assuming the presidency, he has overseen dramatic growth that has seen the company's revenues triple and its service offerings expand to cover every sector of the investment attraction industry. Prior to becoming president of Conway, Jones-Kelly managed the award-winning international magazine Site Selection.

Last week, the company signed a strategic agreement with a new industrial city operator China Fortune Land Development (CFLD) Co Ltd to work jointly on attracting foreign investment and enterprises to CFLD's new industrial city, using big data and other global business matters.

Jones-Kelly has visited more than 80 countries, working with investment promotion agencies, free trade zones and industrial parks on their strategic and business development initiatives.

He recently spoke to China Daily reporter Fan Feifei about Conway's cooperative culture, his leadership philosophy and personal life. The following are edited excerpts of the interview.

You have been visiting China for 30 years. Why has coming here been so important in your life?

Obviously China is the fastest growing and most important market in the world. Conway is involved in global corporate expansion and economic development and also likes to be at the forefront of the industry. We knew 30 years ago China will be the biggest market to develop.

My grandfather, who founded Conway, was given the keys to the city of Shanghai 25 years ago. He has always been a little bit ahead of the trend. He and I made our first trip together to China in 1983.

How has your experience in China affected the way you manage Conway globally?

I think one of the challenges with a lot of Americans, even American businessmen today, is that they don't have enough cultural experience outside the United States to help them make decisions. When you live in this bubble, you think America is the center of the world and it is impossible for you to achieve effective global economic development. China's culture is thousands of years older than America's and Americans could also learn from China.

Having watched the way Chinese businesses operate and understanding how Chinese people engage in business helps Conway to do business with our clients around the world.

What's the reason for Conway to build up the strategic partnership with China Fortune Land Development Co Ltd (CFLD) and what about the future plan for the partnership?

We are very conscious about the organizations we work with and partner with, and the organizations that we represent will speak to, or affect, our reputation, so we only work with the best organizations. We admire CFLD, which is committed to improving the lives of citizens that live in its parks and helping their futures, not just in China, but also across the world. We have deep respect for that. We are honored to be able to work with someone we think is one of the giants in the industry and someone who really cares about improving the lives of people.

What's been your biggest achievement as president?

Be able to keep great talent. A lot of people have worked with Conway for 20 to 30 years.

Nowadays people tend to change jobs every few years, so being able to earn the loyalty that means people keep working for you really enables us to deliver better services to our clients. Of course, we want to be profitable, but it's more important that we provide a place for great people to feel they belong, and they can help the clients around the world that we work with.

How has Conway maintained its position and success for so long in a fast-changing industry where new competitors seemingly pop up every week?

We take care of our people. The three pillars of Conway are: Our devotion to our staff; the fact that we are a family-owned business; and we run the company as though everyone that works for us is part of the (Conway) family.

We believe that if you take care of your people, your people will take care of your clients.

So we operate with the highest ethical standards internally and externally, and that reputation is very difficult to earn. You won't find anyone over the past 60 years that works with Conway that won't echo their thought about our integrity and the honor which we operate. We think the best way to do business is to form relationships with decision-makers, make it personal and let them know what kind of organization we are.

How do you motivate your international team, as well as attract and maintain top talent?

Conway is a fun place to work. My experience in China has shaped Conway and shaped the way we do business. It did make it much easier for me to acquire global companies because I was more sensitive to cultural differences.

If you come to our headquarters in Atlanta, there is a lot of fun. We have people that wear shorts and T-shirts to the office and play video games, but learning how important it is to make them feel like they are at home when they are in the office enables us to keep people. So we created a place where people feel they are valued.

What are your hobbies? How do you spend your time of duty while in China?

I love watching American baseball. I am an adventure and travel enthusiast.

Anything that most people think is a bad idea, I probably like. I have jumped of cliffs and been diving with great white sharks.

I also love bungee jumping. Anything that is going to get your blood pressure going, I am probably in favor of.

(China Daily 10/21/2016 page15)