The future of business networking

Viadeo, one of the worldís largest online business communities and Tianji, Chinaís largest online business network join forces to create the premier business platform for online networking between China and Europe

Tianji has grown to nearly 700,000 members in China in less than two years and is growing at more than 80,000 new users each month

Viadeo with over one million members in Europe attracts over 60,000 new members every month

Viadeo (www.viadeo.com), one of the worldís largest online business networks with over one million members across Europe, and Tianji (www.tianji.com), the largest professional social network in China, today announced a strategic partnership to create the premier business platform for online networking between China and Europe. Together the two networks represent nearly two million members across the world with almost 140,000 new users joining every month. The alliance between Viadeo and Tianji brings together two partners from different continents with similar positioning and business models and will allow their members to make vital business connections with potential suppliers, employees and clients across the world. As part of this strategic partnership, Viadeo has taken a significant stake in Tianji and will be represented on its Board of Directors.

Global economy
The strategic alliance between Viadeo and Tianji is a significant move, enabling members of Viadeo and Tianji to network on a truly global basis creating the premier business gateway between China and Europe. While China is experiencing unprecedented growth and the Chinese market represents a huge business opportunity, China remains a mystery to many western businesses. Likewise many Chinese businesses find the European markets difficult to access. Now the alliance between Viadeo and Tianji allows business people to develop a network of trusted business contacts between China and Europe. Viadeo now operates in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal and, thanks to the Tianji alliance, in China.

ìAs the worldís fastest growing economy, China presents a great opportunity for European companies seeking to increase their profits and enter new markets,î says Eric Didier, COO, Viadeo. ìNow, making vital business contacts abroad is easy and inexpensive. With Viadeo and Tianji, professionals will have the right contacts in place to make new connections between China and Europe, and all over the world. The business network is designed so that people can interact with clients, find potential new business prospects, suppliers or employees, whether they are three or three thousand miles away.î

Derek Ling, CEO of Tianji says ìThis strategic alliance brings immense value to the members of Tianji and Viadeo. Tianji and Viadeo fit well together being two mature and successful business networks with similar positioning and business models. Important for us is Viadeoís strong belief that their network must be a local business in each country and not just a western model transplanted to China.î

As a first step, by the end of May 2007, the service, will allow Viadeo and Tianji users to contact all members with a personal profile in English thereby enabling the majority of Tianji users to access the service. Viadeo and Tianji members will benefit from an enhanced search engine that will allow members to search profiles across the two platforms and develop their professional networks.

If you would like to speak to Viadeoís UK Country Manager, Peter Cunningham, about the alliance between Viadeo and Tianji, please contact Jodie Simpson or Annabel Kirk on 44 (0) 20 7592 1200.