Get ORIENTED with Spirited Professionals this Thursday

Time to polish off your best “Where are you from? … What are you doing in China? … Oh how interesting!”s, because the global networking organization ORIENTED is resuming Happy Hour meet-ups in Beijing after a four-month hiatus.

Founded eight years ago, ORIENTED holds events in cities around the world, attracting professionals interested in networking or doing business in China. This Thursday (March 25) at 7pm – and on the last Thursday of every month for the rest of the year – ORIENTED members will meet at Loong Bar to get their connections on. Those registered before noon Thursday (March 25) get free entry, one free drink, snacks and Happy Hour half-price drinks until 10pm. According to the organizer, William James Heathershaw, there will also be raffle prizes sponsored by Dong-Xi.com, Luga’s Villa, ORIENTED, 90 Percent Travel and JW Marriott.

We got the scoop from Heathershaw about what else to expect.

How are ORIENTED events different from other networking events in Beijing? I understand you have made some recent changes to the group’s direction and purpose?
We are really trying to focus on making sure that newcomers to Beijing are getting ‘oriented’ with the right folks. We are actively working with contacts at foreign companies to ensure their new-to-Beijing staff check us out. We then attract those who have been in Beijing for a while who want to get connected with newcomers and become friends or form partnerships. This keeps the events fresh with interesting and new people. These events are about growing professionally and personally, not about building your potential client database.

Can you tell me a bit about the kind of people who participate in ORIENTED events?
We have always attracted a youthful, spirited crowd of Chinese and foreign professionals. Looking at the numbers of who have already signed up for Thursday’s event, it appears that approximately 45 are Chinese or foreign-born Chinese, and 35 are expats. An array of professions are represented, which makes these events so interesting. Members want to expand their networks outside of their own industry, which demonstrates how worldly and open-minded ORIENTED members tend to be.

What are your long-term goals for ORIENTED?
Two main things to focus on here. One, to create and maintain a solid group for Beijing newcomers to find their peers – those who are ambitious and have big ideas for business opportunities in Asia. Second, we want to maintain a social environment that can be conducive to personal and professional growth. ORIENTED is not fixated on jamming the venues full of people. Instead, we aim to have a high caliber of members attend.

To register, please visit www.oriented.com/rsvp by noon Thursday, March 25. Heathershaw welcomes questions and comments at ORIENTEDBJ@gmail.com.

ORIENTED Happy Hour; 7pm, Thursday March 25; Loong Bar. RMB 75/free (with RSVP before noon on Thursday, March 25). This event is sponsored by agenda.