China Seminar Series brings top Motorola executive to Bryant

Michael Tatelman spoke about China's role in Motorola's recent success.

The U.S.-China Institute and the Management Department at Bryant co-hosted Michael Tatelman, Motorola Corporate Vice President and President of Asia Pacific Mobile Devices during the spring semester to talk about the China's role in Motorola's 21st century success.

Tatelman already had a Bryant connection - his daughter, Lindsay '08 (Vernon, Hill, IL), is a Bryant student.

After showing a clip of some of Motorola's marketing activities and their famous spokespeople, he said, "Do I have a fun job or what?"

Tatelman shared some interesting facts about the current landscape in China. Among them:

China has more honors students than the U.S. has students.
There are over 90 cities in China with more than 1 million people, compared to nine in the U.S.
China could absorb every U.S. job and still have employment problems
China will soon be the largest English-speaking country in the world.

In 2001, Motorola was a leader in the Chinese economy with about a 30 percent market share in what was then a regulated mobile phone market. Once deregulation hit, the company quickly began losing market share to competitors who focused on the rural areas in China that Motorola had long been neglecting, said Tatelman.

"Motorola was known as America's Oldsmobile. A brand without cachet doesn't mean a lot," he said.

By 2004, the company's market share had dipped to nine percent. In 2005, Tatelman helped Motorola recreate itself as a fashion and mobile entertainment brand. Later that year, Motorola released the sleek and popular Razr phone. In just over three years, the company has sold an astounding 100 million Razr phones globally.

Part of Tatelman's job includes spending time with celebrities for endorsement opportunities. He has worked with Paris Hilton and soccer star David Beckham, and he is currently working on a deal with the NBA.

"The cell phone became the venue for self-expression in the 21^st century," he said. In a year, Motorola increased its market share in China to 23 percent of the 449 million mobile phone users in the country.

His advice for students pursuing business either domestically or abroad: relationships are important. "People buy from people," he said.

During Q & A following the speech, Brian Berger '07 (Warminster, PA) used the opportunity to give his resume to Tatelman.