Business development and trade are at the heart of the firm’s international activities. New markets offer the potential for growth, but are the firm’s products suitable for the new market, or will adjustments need to be made? Could regulatory constraints become an obstacle? Should the firm undertake all the production on its own or is some outsourcing, perhaps in the new market itself, a better choice? Should the firm build up its own distribution system in the new market, or is it better off entering a strategic alliance with a well-positioned local distributor?

Business development is not limited to decisions about market entry. Even if the firm is already global, its offering of products and services needs ongoing consideration. Market research can uncover unexploited opportunities, and the implementation of new technologies can help improve the overall business process. Such improvements will often impact areas of the firm as different as marketing, production, finance and human resources, so the business developer must ensure overall consistency with the firm’s corporate strategy.

Are you ready to develop product knowledge in a particular field and become an industry expert? And can you combine this with soft skills such as communication, ability to negotiate and network with both internal and external partners? If, on top of this, you have a passion for innovation, you might well have a lot to offer as a professional in this field.