By José Ángel de la Paz
Manuel Barbera, a OneMBA graduate, was presented this year with an Australia Day Achievement Medallion for his exceptional contribution to business internationalization.
The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) staff member received this recognition on behalf of the Australian Government, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding staff members in the federal public sector.
In the words of Stephanie Fahey, Austrade's CEO, Barbera was recognized for “consistently giving the extra mile when it comes to clients, investors and colleagues; being a clear example of the organization's key values, including generosity, collaboration and advocacy of diversity; and always being willing to share, coach, mentor and continue to learn.”
Barbera currently works in Mexico City as a Business Development Manager for Austrade, the Australian Government agency responsible for promoting international trade, investment and education.
“Getting this recognition gives me a sense of honor, pride and motivation to keep bringing the best of me to my work every day, which has always been my goal in all the positions I have held,” said Barbera.
HIS CAREER IN AUSTRADE
Barbera began working at Austrade in 2011 at its headquarters in Madrid. “I was responsible for attracting Spanish investors for Australia's construction and infrastructure, water management and renewable energy sectors,” said the graduate.
At that time, he had the opportunity to work with major Spanish companies such as Acciona, OHL, Gas Natural, Ferrovial and ACS, among others, supporting their establishment and growth in Australia.
In 2015, he requested to be transferred to be in charge of the mining, energy and infrastructure departments at the Australian Embassy in Mexico. "Here in Mexico I have been responsible for promoting Australian companies' business interests in these sectors," he said.
According to Barbera, over the last few years, there has been a substantial increase in Australian participation in Mexico. “From the signing of the farm-out agreement between BHP Billiton and Pemex, which represents investments of $11,000 million, to the investment of IFM Investors in Aleática for $4,000 million, the number of Australian companies in Mexico has been growing, to the point that Australia has become one of the top ten sources of Foreign Direct Investment for Mexico,” he said.
4 ELEMENTS OF BUSINESS INTERNATIONALIZATION
Barbera's professional career in business internationalization began in 2007 in Australia, before joining Austrade.
Since then he has had the opportunity to collaborate with many successful companies as well as with some others that, for different reasons, have not achieved a successful outcome.
“For me, the key to opening new markets and achieving international expansion is to have a strategic vision,” he added.
According to Barbera's experience, a company's internationalization strategy should be based on these four key elements:
- Having market insights to make informed decisions: “Researching target markets helps companies prioritize markets based on hard data, which allows them to have an analysis of their competitors, segment growth and local government policies, among other factors.”
- Intercultural skills: “One of the most critical factors in international expansion is having the right people who know how to lead intercultural teams and navigate the different business cultures of each country.”
- A roadmap: “Growing in a new market is a long-term investment of resources and time. It is essential to have a clear structure to identify the resources available to the company and the measures to be taken to ensure the best return on investment.”
- Risk management: “Licenses, bureaucracy, taxes, regulatory changes, exchange rate fluctuation, fines and legal obligations, are some of the aspects that must be monitored continuously to ensure efficient risk management and proper decision making in international business.”
Barbera also recognized the role his education has played in advancing his career.
“The OneMBA program has allowed me to better understand my clients, which has helped me to be more strategic when identifying commercial opportunities for them, as well as to improve my communication and relationship with the different stakeholders,” concluded the graduate.
