Networking dinner in Yangon

December 2008


Yangon was not a bad place after all. Not what like Americans and Westerners had described in their one-sided media or Lonely Planet guide book who maintained a chapter on whether or not to visit Myanmar. Those were politically-motivated rubbish.

Halal food is important criteria for principle-hardened individual like me. Halal food outlets are many here, if not abundant, in this city of 6 millions.

Today I got a call HR Manager from PTTEP, our partner in Yetagun project in Myanmar. He wanted to meet me over dinner to get to know the new HR Manager from a partner company. I responded in affirmative as I was also at the receiving end. I was new in this country, in this city and a need to establish network with other multinational companies operating in Myanmar was of paramount importance.

We set the date on the phone. Followed up later with the venue via email. We met a week after that at Mai Thai Restaurant, a halal outlet, on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road. Mr Sarapong was accompanied by his Finance Manager, a lady in early 40’s who spent 3 years in Jakarta before her assignment in Yangon Office. She talked in Bahasa Indonesia quite fluently. I was accompanied by my colleague from INSTEP who happened to be in Yangon on business matter on the same day.

They ordered food before we arrived – prawn spring rolls, fried fish in chili, tomyam goong --- yes their national dishes – bean sprouts and of course rice. We talked about so many things that night. Over Thai dishes in a Thai restaurant, the topic of main interest was not surprisingly on Thais and Thailand . Thais just got the new Prime Minister Mr Abishit after existing PM was driven out of office by yellow-shirted Thaksin followers. They did not bank high hope either on this Obama-like young prime minister, for the same reason Obama was initially rejected by Democrat Hillary Clinton’s supporters.

I managed to ask on how PTTEP outsourced their non-core functions. Not much info I got as PTTEP is relatively newer oil and gas player in Myanmar compared to my organization. Their track record was not proven as yet.

After the dinner, I walked up the hill to my apartment from the restaurant. At 9pm, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road was busy as usual. And dusty as usual.

Lesson Learnt:

You may have some agenda in mind during networking session but remember the other party also has theirs. It is more appropriate to let the host complete their agenda first. Don’t worry you will have enough time to cover yours.