Combined European-Chinese experience in practice

“SYNERGY - the combined power of a group of things when they are working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately”
Cambridge Dictionary
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Our advantages, your advantages

We know the reality
We speak languages
We are able to work with small
and large companies
We know,
where to look for solutions
We are able to find appropriate contacts
We are able to minimise risk
We live
in China
We are easily reachable for the Chinese
We understand complex processes
We are aware of local formalities

Our customers are companies in various industries:

cosmetics
pharma
food
machinery
ecommerce
HVAC devices
medical
infrastructural projects
HoReCa
household products
interior decoration
alcoholic beverages
water technology
others
synergy with asia

Complementary competence puzzles

Salvane's founders are people from two different cultures - the East and the West and they have many years of experience of working in the other culture.

01

BICULTURAL APPROACH

BICULTURAL APPROACH
01

We come from two different cultures and we understand each other very well.

Salvane was created to offer values resulting from the synergy of special competences - a Chinese woman who understands Western people and a Pole who is familiar with Chinese culture, the culture of the Far East.

02

LOCAL KNOW-HOW & RELATIONSHIPS

LOCAL KNOW-HOW & RELATIONSHIPS
02

We know and understand how things are done in China.

Relationships with Chinese partners, customers, suppliers and institutions built by a Chinese and a Pole give our business partners a greater sense of customisation to their needs, requirements and constraints.

03

SPEED AND FLEXIBILITY

SPEED AND FLEXIBILITY
03

We are not a large team, but we are very flexible.

Speed is important when doing business with China. We work fast because we are not limited by a rigid structure. We develop an individual approach to each project - depending on the current situation.

04

many sectors

many sectors
04

We have worked for many industries and in many different roles.

The strength of the Salvane team is its knowledge of many industries.
Over the years we have developed the ability to move nimbly between them, quickly adapting to the client's specific business and the role to be undertaken.

05

LOCAL RESOURCES

LOCAL RESOURCES
05

We have access to local resources and are adept at matching local resources to specific project needs.

Salvane ensures that they fit not only the project but also the bicultural environment.

About us - the founders

Eva Zhao

Has an excellent understanding of Western business needs

Co-founder, board member. Chinese, experienced in Western culture and Western business practices. Graduate of the University of Lodz and Warsaw (Poland), manager responsible for commercial relations with key clients in China.

Michał Bielewicz

15 years living in China

Co-founder, board member. Polish, experienced in Chinese culture and Chinese business practices. Manager, advisor, expert.

About Salvane

Our strength comes from the synergy of our competences.

Salvane was created by combining our skills and expertise. As a result, we offer solutions that are our own, that have been shaped in practice.

We are aware that China is very different, and even if it is unpopular, we tell it like it is. We have seen many cases where they wanted to Europeanise China and for some reason it did not work.

Our position is that there are better results in terms of alignment with China. But these are not instant solutions and we are open about that.

We know the reality

We live and work in China every day, giving us firsthand insight into the local realities—not just stories or secondhand accounts. This nuanced understanding enables us to understand how business really works in China, with all its unique rules and expectations.

This allows us to be effective without wasting time learning the basics or making unnecessary mistakes.

We speak languages

Our team is made up of an experienced Chinese woman who not only has excellent communication skills, but also speaks fluent English and Polish. She is supported by a European – a Polish man with many years of professional experience, including in China, working with large and medium-sized companies. He has nuanced understanding of the Chinese, their culture, business principles, motivations and expectations.

We Westerners too rarely realise the extent of the cultural difference between the West and China, or we simply prefer not to see it. The Chinese prefer to communicate by implication, while we Europeans prefer to speak plainly.

We Westerners too rarely realise the extent of the cultural difference between the West and China, or we simply prefer not to see it. The Chinese prefer to communicate by implication, while we Europeans prefer to speak plainly.

These are two very different styles. The Chinese may find us too direct and rude, while we feel we talk at length but without specifics. It all depends on the situation, but the key is to understand what the other person is really trying to say.

We are able to work with small
and large companies

Yes, that’s right, we have experience working with small and large organisations.

When working with small businesses where the owner is quick to make decisions, we identify solutions that are within their reach. We also deal with large organisations where the processes are more complex and our job is to support everyone involved so that the final solution is effective and brings tangible benefits to the business.

We know,
where to look for solutions

We know where to look for information, even though it is not easily accessible in China. Looking for something on the website of a Chinese public institution? No way! You won’t find anything there. Try the internet? You’ll end up with old, outdated data. Nevertheless, we know where to look for the information and solutions you need, even though it sometimes takes more time.

We are able to find appropriate contacts

Relationships are key when doing business with the Chinese – and we know how to build and maintain them.

The chances of your business succeeding in China are determined by whether you have contacts to the right people. Getting that contact in China is not easy, especially as there is a lack of career information on social media. Nevertheless, we are able to reach the right people and arrange meetings or teleconferences. Trust and long-term relationships are the cornerstone of business in China, and we have the experience to help you with this.

We are able to minimise risk

We help avoid risks in cooperation with the Chinese because we know the local conditions well. We know what to look for when choosing an importer, manufacturer, suitable solutions or negotiating contracts. Thanks to our experience in navigating the Chinese market, we help limit the, sometimes irreversible, loss of time and money. We minimise the risks associated with unclear regulations, unreliable counterparties or other local challenges that Western companies may find difficult to foresee.

We live
in China

We are locally based in Shanghai. We live in China, making us easily accessible to local clients, suppliers or other business stakeholders. We are not constrained by time difference, and can even make appointments on the same day.

We are easily reachable for the Chinese

We live to the rhythm of China, to the rhythm of the Chinese working calendar and holidays. We move freely around China, making us ‘on hand’ for Chinese business partners.

We understand complex processes

Our experience of working with large companies means that we understand the complex processes that need to be completed, for example, to make a bid compliant with Chinese law. This means we can plan and navigate with demanding partners.

We are aware of local formalities

We are well aware of the local formalities required to get things done smoothly for business. Formalism in China is different from that in Europe and we know that the European entrepreneur will get lost in these meanderings. We can guide him through the necessary and often complicated process.

Eva Zhao

Has an excellent understanding of Western business needs

Co-founder, board member. Chinese, experienced in Western culture and Western business practices. Graduate of the University of Lodz and Warsaw (Poland), manager responsible for commercial relations with key clients in China.

  • graduate of Warsaw University, Northeastern Illinois University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University

  • manager, expert in building business relations between Western companies and Chinese partners

  • 11 years of experience in European/Polish-Chinese business, handling government delegations and business missions

  • 16 years of experience in building business relationships between European/Polish and Chinese entrepreneurs, handling government delegations and business missions

Michał Bielewicz

15 years living in China

Co-founder, board member. Polish, experienced in Chinese culture and Chinese business practices. Manager, advisor, expert.

Specialisation - doing business in/with China, trademark protection in Asia

  • business promoter with China and Asia

  • author of a book on selling to China: 'Słodko Kwaśna Droga na Chińskie Stoły' (Sweet and Sour Road to Chinese Tables), published by PAIH, co-author of 'Vademecum Przedsiębiorcy. How to Sell in China', published by the Boym Institute Publishing House.

  • cooperated with well-known Polish companies in China

  • has given lectures on trade with China at the Kozminski University, the Warsaw School of Economics and the Jagiellonian University.

  • speaker at conferences organised by the PAIH, the BNP Paribas Bank SA and others.

  • graduate of the Gdansk University of Technology, the Warsaw School of Economics and the School of Business and Administration