Florent Capou is the senior chief engineer of the Geely Automobile Research Institute at Hangzhou Bay New Zone.

Capou has been in China for 10 years. He moved to Ningbo three years ago. Before settling down in Ningbo, he had visited the city on several occasions during business trips. "My job is actually extremely interesting and very rewarding, and that is why I decided to come."

Capou believes that with his current work in developing new concept vehicles, he is contributing to the future development of Chinese automobiles as well as Geely's growth.

Capou is from France. Ningbo, like his home city, has many rivers and wooded areas. The resemblance in environment makes him feel very much at home.

Compared to major Chinese cities in which he had lived, Ningbo has a slower-paced, more relaxed lifestyle.

The traditional stores and restaurants here have given him a unique taste of local Chinese culture, which could be hard to find in cities like Shanghai. "I like that this is not a big city, so it's very convenient to commute from work to home," said Capou.

Capou does not find communication to be an issue, as many people around him can speak English. "This city is more like an international city, so you can speak English freely."

For Capou, a family man, it matters greatly whether a city has a good education system. The well-being of his family members means just as much to him as his own career opportunities.

Capou enjoys his current job and would like to live here long-term, but still has reservations. "The school [that my child goes to] is not here. They [my family] would have to live away from me," said Capou.

Capou is glad to see more public infrastructure being built in the surrounding areas. "The new hospital is beautiful. The equipment is fantastic." Although, Hangzhou Bay's healthcare system still needs to recruit more medical professionals to meet the growing demand.

Capou feels optimistic about his professional development at Hangzhou Bay New Zone. He is confident that when more public facilities for education and healthcare are built, more overseas professionals would be motivated to work here.