As head of ASC Fine Wines, Canadian Don St Pierre Jr has been carefully cultivating the Chinese palette for wine since his family set up shop here 11 years ago.

 

Being an expat in China, as it is anywhere else, can be a tricky proposition -- having to settle down in a different country with all its foreign customs and concepts while trying to run a successful business can really stretch one's nerves to the fullest. Of course, a little help from an old hand at the game never goes amiss.

 

For ASC Fine Wines' Managing Partner Don St Pierre Jr, the best advice was dished out in traditional fashion. Much like many young men of eons past, defining counsel was doled out by his father.

 

Of course, when dealing in China, St Pierre's father has offered many a businessman invaluable insight into local enterprise. The former president of Beijing Jeep's tenacious tenure with the automotive giant is the classic joint venture case study and was the subject of the bestseller "Beijing Jeep" by Jim Mann.

 

"It's a great book -- I've read it three times," says St Pierre, Jr, who founded the wine company with his father in 1996. "I read it again six months ago. It's interesting to see how much things have changed."

 

Wine consumption in China has certainly evolved over the past decade. Along with the relaxation of import duties and a burgeoning middle class, the sector has seen the influx of foreign professionals such as St Pierre, Jr who have shaped the way the mainland consumes wine.

 

In fact, the magna cum laude graduate in International Business from George Washington University in the American capital has had an unrivalled impact on local tastes - he has just been voted 37th in the "Power List" by popular British wine publication "Decanter."

 

"I reckon I'm the toughest boss in the world. My role is the daily operation of the company, and I've always held myself to high standards and big goals."

 

The key to his success is clearly in the approach he takes to the company. "We look at things from a business perspective first; there are some wines that I enjoy and would be tempted to add to our portfolio but I know not all of my choices are the most popular ones. In the same way we don't hire purely wine experts, but rather the people most likely to develop the wine culture and educate people."

 

The Canadian moved to the city permanently in 1998 after selling his two businesses (one was golf gear and the other general sporting goods). He "holds a decent conversation" in Chinese after studying the language in Taipei, Taiwan. Married to a local lady, he is a father to a 17-month-old baby girl with "another on the way in late August."

 

The 39-year-old is no stranger to the expatriate life. With a jet-setting corporate honcho father, St Pierre Jr, found himself growing up in Asian locales such as Jakarta and Tokyo. Shanghai, increasingly so these days, is as expat-friendly as any other place to St Pierre Jr, a golfer with a 14 handicap. "I can get pretty much most products I want nowadays. The only thing I miss is baseball," he says with a chuckle.

 

The bespectacled businessman admits to not being the biggest fan of street food, but still eats a lot of Chinese fare. "I like Xintiandi - I don't necessarily have a favorite restaurant in the city but the many great Chinese restaurants there make it my usual destination."

 

Of course, mention wine in China and the usual stereotype of a clueless businessman mixing soft drink into his vino is often mocked by high brow, bow-tied connoisseurs. St Pierre Jr, however, is optimistic that this may be becoming a thing of the past, although he did dismiss suggestions that this was an urban myth. "There is clearly a growing fascination with wine," he says. "Wine drinkers are becoming culturally sophisticated. To put things into perspective, I mentioned adding soft drink to somebody and he replied with 'it's just like what the English do with adding milk to tea.' The principles are the same - you're essentially softening the tannins."

 

These days the family man is seeing his role in the company change to one of a long-term strategist. As the business expands across China's mainland - business is now up 75 percent as compared to the first year - St Pierre Jr is pleased to be in a position to be able to pick his customers. "It was tough to begin with. We were not always sure what was legal and what was not, and sometimes it was hard to collect payment on time. Now, things are clearer after China joined the WTO (in 2001) and we're 100 percent sure what we are supposed to be doing. We can also choose who we want to do business with, only if we're sure of them."

 

On a personal level, the Canadian is in no danger whatsoever from the perils of succumbing to the evils of alcohol abuse. "My wife Monica has shown me a balance to my life. It's all about the right perspective - the business is always an excuse to have drinks so you have to be careful about your lifestyle."

 

Don St Pierre Jr

 

Nationality: Canada (born in Windsor, Ontario)

 

Age: 39

 

Q&A

 

Favorite place in Shanghai?

 

Anywhere with my wife and baby girl Caitlyn.

 

Worst experience?

 

First year of setting up the business -- no sales, lots of terrible hangovers and very little sleep!

 

Strangest sight:

 

A photo of Pudong in 1988.

 

Description of yourself:

 

Competitive, honest and loyal.

 

Favorite weekend?

 

Morning playing with Caitlyn, dim sum lunch with the family, a little work in the afternoon and a dinner out with my wife.

 

Life's motto?

 

Don't have one -- I work hard, love my family and love my life.

 

What can be done to improve Shanghai?

 

Buy the driving instructors a car so they have actual experience of the road themselves!

 

Advice to new expats?

 

When you start thinking you understand how things work, you are, more likely than not, fooling yourself!

 

By Aubrey Buckingham

 

(Shanghai Daily June 12, 2007)