Born in Antwerp, the second biggest city in Belgium, I studied languages and economics at high school. My ambition from an early age was to travel the world, which led to my fascination in foreign lands and exotic places. I turned this passion into reality by enrolling at the University of Ghent to study oriental languages. At the end of my third year, I decided to travel to Taiwan to follow a number of university courses and put into practice what I had learnt.
After returning to Belgium and successfully passing my master’s degree, I headed back to Taiwan, where I stayed for another two years to hone my language skills and acquire a firm understanding of Chinese culture. Thanks to this practice in the field, I began teaching Chinese in my home town of Antwerp, as well as English and Dutch, while adding several more notches to my belt by becoming an interpreter and a sworn translator, with a strong focus on legal translations.
My experience in teaching and my knowledge of Chinese culture eventually led me to organise training sessions in the business sector (high tech, hotel & catering industry, etc.) on the do’s and don’ts of doing business with China. And from here, I founded my own consultancy business, Chinalinks.
Here are some key facts and figures about me:
- Over 2 decades of experience as a liaison between Taiwanese trading companies and American and European companies;
- Multiple contacts with multinational firms as well as medium-sized businesses thanks to my reputation as a highly trusted consultant in the field;
- Over 200 training sessions on how to do business with China for companies such as Alcatel, Technicolor, Niko, Newtec, and many more;
- Keynote speaker at various conventions, events, workshops, among which Provincie Antwerpen, Moon Festivals City of Antwerp, EMEA forum, and others;
- A lecturer in Chinese culture and language at Karel de Grote University College since 2006, as part of the International Business curriculum.
If I managed to grab your attention and you think I can help you do business with China, do not hesitate to contact me at info@chinalinks.nu.
Ella Reynders, Founder & CEO
Photo credit: Roland Pauwels