After a short stint at his first job, Nan Ma joined AsiaInfo Technology, where he was assigned to the procurement department and took on responsibilities for managing the company’s travel operations.
AsiaInfo is the second company in his career, and he has remained with the company ever since.
Founded in 1993, AsiaInfo is a leading provider of information technology products and services with a focus on digital intelligence operations, 5G private networks, and AI large model deployment. The company employs over 14,000 people and manages annual corporate spending exceeding RMB 100 million (more than USD 13.7 million).
In the early days, business travel at AsiaInfo was relatively straightforward — booking flights and trains via on-site suppliers, with administrative departments overseeing logistics.
But as travel needs grew more complex, the function was shifted to the procurement department, tasked with a clear mandate: cost savings.
AsiaInfo made headlines in 2000 when it went public on NASDAQ alongside China’s major internet portals — NetEase, Sina, and Sohu — making it one of the first Chinese high-tech companies listed in the U.S.
The company began exploring international markets as early as 2015 — well before “going global” became a popular corporate buzzword. But the initial push was far from smooth. From policy misalignments to vastly different client habits and the failure to replicate domestic delivery frameworks abroad, the team faced a steep learning curve.
After that experience, AsiaInfo reassessed and restructured its overseas strategy.
Today, Ma sees this second wave of globalization as broader and deeper than ever — bringing both new challenges and fresh opportunities for travel managers like himself.
