The Public Apology founder Dave J. Edwards has put the company’s well-publicised Asian push in jeopardy after a major cultural gaffe during a meeting in China.
During the high-level meeting with a major Chinese corporation, Edwards, who is currently in China representing the TPA Media Holdings Group, failed to properly exchange business cards according to strict Chinese custom.
In China, it is protocol to present and receive business cards with both hands, with the writing facing to the recipient. One must also take the time to study the card carefully as a sign of respect for their position in the company.
Edwards reportedly forgot to adhere to this cultural norm, despite attending a six-week course on ‘Sino-Australia business relations’ in the lead up to his well-documented business trip to North Asia.
According to sources, Edwards handed his card over with a laconic, somewhat ostentatious flick of the wrist, as if he were offering a friend a cigarette.
He then failed to study the Chinese businessman’s business card, instead greedily shoving it into his back pocket, where it would rest, discarded, alongside a bunch of crumpled taxi receipts and Extra wrappers.
“We will definitely reconsider doing business with TPA Media Holdings after this flagrant sign of disrespect,” said a spokesperson for the unnamed Chinese company.
Edwards was also rumoured to have been slightly hungover during the meeting, at one point even accidentally dropping the f-bomb, ala Peter Russo in season one of House of Cards.
A TPA Media Holdings spokesperson refused to comment on allegations that Edwards may be suffering from alcoholism, but added that “it’s been a big week for the company.”
TPA Media Holdings brokered a landmark deal with the Chinese government earlier this week to penetrate the firewall preventing Chinese readers from accessing its flagship site The Public Apology.
By staff writers