Guillaume Massin, Managing Director of DFDL Cambodia, was recently featured in an interview by the Japanese magazine Cambodian Business Partners where he shares his experience of living and doing business in Cambodia.
DFDLカンボジアのマネージング・ダイレクターであるギヨーム・マッセン氏は、日本人向けビジネスマガジン「カンボジア ビジネスパートナーズ」のトップインタビューで、カンボジアでの生活や自身のビジネスの経験を話した。
The full interview is available in Japanese on the Cambodian Business Partners website.
インタビュー全文はカンボジアビジネスパートナーズのウェブサイトで日本語でご覧できます
English excerpt
Guillaume Massin decided to move and work in Cambodia during his first visit there when he was 27 years old. After participated in several projects relating to building the legal system, he joined DFDL and he is now the Managing director of DFDL Cambodia
Why did you embark on business in Cambodia?
“First, I visited Cambodia as a backpacker in 2004 when I was 27 years old. I decided to live here to work because I liked this country. I went back to France and applied for a job, provided by the government, this opportunity sent me to Cambodia. My very first job was drafting legal and public policy drafts as a project officer for the French Government’s cooperation. After that, I have participated in several projects relating to legal work by cooperating with other countries or the UN. I was able to be a part of building the foundation of a country’s legal system through these projects, which was exciting to me. That wouldn’t have happened if it was in a developed country because they already have strong foundations.”
How did you get success for ventures in Cambodia?
“In my opinion, the most important thing is to prepare for avoiding difficulties you would face while you conduct your business in Cambodia. Cambodia was an open and free country when I first arrived. There were many people visiting for that purpose, but it was natural to be risky. I consider there are some important things you should do to avoid difficulties, which are: knowing the culture of the country, thinking carefully where you are, and knowing the rules of the country, and learning the mentality of the people. Based on these points, it is necessary to understand that it is not a no-limit environment. In addition, Cambodia is a competitive environment. Even though you take a huge amount of time, you might miss opportunities if you do not keep your eyes open for them. As a result of competition, you may feel that it is not easy to get the best job as a foreigner and form your career. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for avoiding difficulties before enter the country.”
DFDL Contact
Partner; Managing Director