In addition to advance preparation, Ms. Marc also advises carefully choosing the initial team for the U.S. She advises that the CEO should be actively involved, and that the head of the U.S. operations should report directly to the CEO. She also advises choosing someone that the CEO trusts and with whom there can be direct and genuine communication. She thinks it is best if the head of the U.S. operations is someone that the CEO has already worked with, or someone familiar with both cultures, who is able to bridge the cultural gap. She also advises that the early team in the U.S. should be people with previous experience in a start-up.

On this point, the approach of IDDI fits fairly closely with Ms. Marc’s advice. Several executives from the European company, including Mr. Buyse, are actively involved in the U.S. operations and are frequently in the U.S. As one of the founders of IDDI, Mr. Buyse has experience starting a company, and he is familiar with the culture in the U.S. from having done graduate work at Harvard and having lived in the Boston area for many years.

The approach of Ipanema Technologies also fits fairly closely with Ms. Marc’s advice. Ms. Grigsby, an American, reports directly to the CEO in France. She speaks French, has previously managed groups in France, Ireland and Germany, and has served as interim executive for other start-ups. The French CEO also studied and worked in the U.S. and therefore is familiar with U.S. culture and business practices.

Copyright © 2002 Ami Wright - All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés.

Part One: Preparation | Part Three: The Three Executives Interviewed

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