Nestle China head creates ‘shared value’
For Rashid Qureshi, chairman and CEO of Nestle China, the Shanghai Magnolia Award is “not only a personal honor, but also the recognition of Nestle.”
“The connection between Nestle and China has lasted more than a hundred years and will continue to deepen with the further opening-up of the China market,” said Qureshi, winner of this year’s awards set up 30 years ago to recognize foreigners who had made outstanding contributions to Shanghai’s development.
The world-leading food company established a sales office in the city as early as 1908. It has since built four production centers in Shanghai, which is also home to regional headquarters of five business units under Nestle. In 1999, the company acquired Shanghai Totole Food Co Ltd, and launched here its first research and development center in China.
“Shanghai is a charming city, always full of energy and bold enough to embrace changes,” Qureshi said. “If using three words to describe the city, I think Shanghai is innovative, dynamic and distinguished for its respect toward profession.”
Qureshi was appointed chief of Nestle China in 2016, and made the Chinese market the second-largest in the Nestle group. Nestle now has 31 factories, six R&D and innovation centers and more than 42,000 employees in China.
As a strong supporter of development in Shanghai and
China, Qureshi drives the company’s involvement in various economic exchanges, with participation in the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai last year as a typical example.
Promoted by Qureshi, Nestle became the first multinational food company to confirm its participation in the expo, where the company gathered more than 100 bestselling products from 16 countries, including Switzerland, Netherlands, the UK and Germany, bringing an exotic and delicious experience to Chinese consumers.
During the expo, Wyeth Nutrition under Nestle signed a memorandum of strategic cooperation with the Irish Food Administration, promising to complete 20 billion yuan (US$2.82 billion) of imports from Ireland in the following three years to promote agricultural, food and dairy trade between Ireland and China and to reflect Nestle’s commitment to Shanghai and China. The move is expected to strengthen Wyeth’s leading position in the China market, where it has secured the top seat since 2013.
“The expo is a major effort of China to support trade liberalization and economic globalization, actively open its market to the world, and promote economic and trade exchanges and cooperation with various countries,” said Qureshi.
“As one of the first foreign-funded companies to have entered the Chinese market, Nestle looks forward to demonstrating global nutritious and healthy food through this great platform, with an aim to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future for consumers.”
Attending the expo in person last year, Shanghai’s rapid economic development impressed Qureshi, especially its much improved business environment.
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