Q&A with Dr. Max Collin, Head of Trade Advisory for Amazon Customs and Trade

Dr. Max Collin grew up between West Africa and Europe, and holds an MBA from INSEAD, as well as a PhD in International Relations from the Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies. His doctoral research focused on behavioral science and strategy, applied to the field of geopolitics and public affairs: in June 2021, he published his first book. Max spent a decade building expertise on highly regulated fields in consulting, venture building and private investment before joining Amazon in 2022. As Head of Trade Advisory for Amazon Customs and Trade (ACT), he now oversees the deployment of new services and products to support global traders in all of their customs needs.

Why did you choose Amazon?

After my MBA, I was looking for a challenge, and I had three criteria in mind. First was wanting to work for a business where I could be bold, experimental, and take calculated risks as a rule rather than an exception. Second was to find a place that would allow me to drive real, measurable impact at a very large scale. Last but not least, I wanted to be surrounded by a diverse crowd of the smartest, most motivated people in the world. Amazon offered me all three.

What is your favorite Amazon memory?

I remember meeting with the CFO of one of our partners, after months of protracted conversations on how best to grow our business. We had been stuck on several topics for a while, as conversations across several teams remained ongoing, and without a clear way out. When I finally flew in and met her, magic happened. After just one hour in the same room, discussing every topic openly, as real people, we managed to build an agreement. The very next day, everything was signed.

What is something you have done that you would consider innovative or pioneering at Amazon so far?

I recently joined Amazon Customs and Trade, which provides international traders with customs brokerage and cross-border customs tools and services: as an organization, ACT is entirely dedicated to removing friction from government requirements, and facilitating the flow of products across borders. I lead our new trade advisory team, which is evolving at the speed of light. We are building our team of experts, the Amazon way: putting technology front and center, and aiming to provide the best service in the industry. Our goal is simple: we want to make international trade easier, more affordable, and less time-consuming. Where others may see a challenge, we see an opportunity to help our customers grow in ways previously thought impossible. ?

What is exciting about the Amazon office?

Our offices are full of the smartest, most motivated people you will ever meet. Close your eyes, throw a stone – preferably a small one – and you will hit seven people working on something bold and innovative. Some of my most successful projects got started by a random conversation with someone who couldn’t wait to share what they were working on: that kind of energy is often the difference between “good” and “great” results.

"Our goal is simple: we want to make international trade easier, more affordable, and less time-consuming. Where others may see a challenge, we see an opportunity to help our customers grow in ways previously thought impossible."?

What do you do for fun/work life balance?

Balance is about self-reflection: finding the things that truly matter to you, and prioritizing them ruthlessly. Work will always be intense, so I make sure to make time for important relationships, and to recharge – either reading, golfing or looking for the perfect rooftop bar. I also like to keep things fresh by working with startups in an advisory capacity, and I try to regularly spare some time to work on my next book.

Best place you have ever traveled?

I spent much of my life travelling from place to place – and enjoyed every second of it. I fell in love with Tokyo at first sight: its busy streets, motley architecture and endless contradictions. I am also nostalgic whenever I visit Chiado in Lisbon – and its bronze statue of Fernando Pessoa. For another one which is difficult to beat – after a 10-hour drive out of Kathmandu, I climbed the hills of Bandipur just in time to watch the sunset over the Himalayan ranges: to this date, this remains the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

How do you foster a culture of innovation and creativity within your team and what techniques do you use to encourage experimentation and risk taking?

This is my favorite question. As a rule, and unless proven wrong, I work under the assumption that every member of my team is a highly qualified, motivated and responsible professional: and as a result, I trust and empower all of them to experiment, take risks, and learn. Failure is never an end – it is a teaching moment, which can be turned into future successes. If you are not ever failing, you are not trying enough! I always want to make sure that my team operates under this model: in this way, as in so many others, trust begets positive results.

To check out opportunities within the Customs and Trade organization click here.