Filip Karlsson is from Sweden, but he lived in Dubai for seven years. One year ago he moved to Bangkok and it did not take him long to figure out, how to expand his network in the big city.
Every summer Filip Karlsson used to go to Bangkok to participate in different golf tournaments. When he moved to Bangkok permanently with his wife and child, he signed up in the Scandinavian golf club, ZabaiGolf right away.
“When you play golf, you have the time to talk with people that potentially could be new clients in our company. You are together with them a whole day, and therefore you get to know them in a more relaxed way,” Filip explains.
Golf and business are two sides of the same thing, the 38 years old Swedish businessman thinks.
“Golf is not just golf. Golf is business. You have to play golf to meet new contacts and clients. So simple is that,” Filip explains.
The right sport
In Dubai, Filip used to play football, but the sport was not as convenient for business talk as golf.
“You go there for one hour. You are running most of the time and then you go home. You do not talk that much,” he says.
Filip started playing golf eight years ago in Dubai, when his boss, from the same company he works in today, encouraged him to start.
Today he is managing the company in Bangkok together with his boss. The company has seven expats – three of them, including Filip, are playing golf.
“But I think it is just a matter of time before the rest of them will start playing as well,” Filip laughs.
Up against friends
Filip is participating in the golf tournament MAMA CUP 28th of February.
In the Scandinavian golf club: ZabaiGolf.com, Filip is listed in the Top 5 MVP. But he laughs, when I ask him how many times a week he trains, because he has to admit that he does not train that much.
However he has high expectations for the tournament next Saturday.
“I probably win,” Filip says. “I was second in the last tournament. Kristian is probably my worst competitor – he is good putting,” Filip ends with a smile.
Sign up for the tournament here:
http://zabaigolf.com/mama-cup-2015/
Read more about Bangkok Golf Centre here:
https://www.facebook.com/bangkokgolfcentre
