How Wang Shukun became a big bee

This was devastating news. Luckily, he had already made headway with the owner of Bonfide Group, whom he had met coincidentally at the hotel where the two resided. Bonfide Group has interests in sectors including clearing and forwarding, construction, leasing of heavy machinery and most recently, real estate. It was founded in 1997.

First, Wang helped when the founder was struggling to operate a karaoke machine. The next day he took him some painkillers for his toothache. A bond was immediately formed, leading to a job offer.

He initially declined, but when faced with the possibility of not returning to Kenya, he reopened negotiations. He went back to Nairobi as a special assistant to the managing director handling the Chinese portfolio. His task is to bid for Chinese business and nurture these projects to completion.

His tenacity soon impressed his boss, who started referring to him by his own second name: Gichuki. "He regards me as his son," Wang says.

The name caught on fast, and soon the more than 20 office colleagues and 200 field workers called him by this name. The name Gichuki hails from the Agikuyu, a populous community in Kenya. People are named after family members, so there is deep value attached to it. The name also means big bee, and may symbolize a very hardworking person in the community.

Besides the name, he is known for being a perfectionist. "I motivate workers to finish on time and deliver high standards as expected by our Chinese clientele."

This has increased customer confidence in Bonfide Group, hence improving its international image. Furthermore, his integration with the locals is good. "The name gives a sense of belonging," he says. "People say that I have successfully become one of them."

Wang, who has lived in Kenya for three years and is now a business development executive, is doing quite well as his African alter ego.

His sentiments are shared by Khadija, whose Chinese name is Xu Chen. In her perfect Kiswahili, the China Radio International correspondent says her name has earned her respect from the locals. "They are proud that I have a Swahili name," she beams.

When the name was given to her by her lecturer 14 years ago while studying at Beijing School of Foreign Languages, her first reaction was to find out about and enjoy its meaning. "It means a hero or a pure saint," she says adding that her other two colleagues also got names with positive meanings.