When Paul Buetow was presented with the opportunity to work in Shanghai a few years ago, it did not take long for him to come to a decision.

Buetow, who was then the executive director of manufacturing and engineering at General Motors (GM) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, said it was the prospect of being a part of a rapidly developing market that motivated him to make the move.

"From a career standpoint, coming to Shanghai made perfect sense. The automotive industry in China was growing quickly and I thought it would be exciting to be part of that growth," said the 56-year-old.

"To be honest, working in China wasn't something that I had thought about before I received that call asking if I would be interested in the position. But I've been extremely happy with the decision."