Delegates

 Download copy of Delegate profiles (with pictures)

 

SUMMIT DELEGATE PROFILES

 

Henedina Razon Abad is a member of the Philippines House of Representatives. She has a career in public service spanning 31 years of development work, focused on building and strengthening human and institutional capacities in civil society and the public sector. She has a firm and proven dedication to the promotion of accountability, transparency and integrity among public leaders and institutions through public sector reform, leadership development and citizen empowerment. Mrs. Abad is a leader recognized for her significant contributions in capacity building and institutional development for the implementation of key reform programs such as decentralization, local service delivery, anti-poverty and anti-corruption programs. She is also a mentor recognized for her practical understanding of politics and public policy enriched by a unique combination of knowledge, skills and linkages from local and international work with civil society, electoral politics and academe. Mrs. Abad received her Bachelor of Arts from Maryknoll College, and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Haseena Binte Abdul Majid is an experienced NGO worker in the field of development and gender in South East Asia.  She is also a practicing interdisciplinary artist, most recently working with sculpture, sound and poetry. A graduate of English Literature from Nanyang Technology University, Abdul Majid currently works as a Research Assistant at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

 

Irid Farida Agoes is the Chair of the American Studies Department of the University of Indonesia Graduate Program, the President of the International Muslim Women Scholars in Indonesia, and the President of SIETAR Indonesia (The International Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research). She has dedicated her life to promoting harmony among culturally different peoples through helping them to better understand each other and to work productively together. During the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Agoes worked for AFS Intercultural Program, as National Director for Indonesia. From late 1990s until end of 2010 she served as the Indonesian Director of the Institute of International Education (IIE). In 1994 she co-founded Agoes & Agoes, a management and intercultural consulting and training company. Over the past decades, it has trained representatives of governments, international organizations and global corporations in Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and Western Europe. She is now in the Council of the Directorate General of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Culture. She earned her MA from the University of Indonesia and SUNY Buffalo and her PhD at the American Studies Department with a focus on Intercultural Studies.

 

Undraa Agvaanluvsan is advisor to the Mongolian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, working on policy issues of non-conventional energy resources such as oil shale and methane gas resources. She had previously worked as a visiting professor at Stanford University, conducting research on uranium resource development, nuclear energy policy, and smart-grid. Following her successful academic career, Dr. Undraa has worked in several posts in Mongolian government, including appointment to the scientific secretary of the Institute of Strategic Studies at the National Security Council of Mongolia, advisor to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as an appointment as Ambassador-at-large on nuclear energy issues. In addition, in 2007, Dr. Undraa co-founded a research think-tank, the MonAme Research Center, on energy and environmental issues. She started the Mongolian Young Leader Program to connect Mongolian students studying abroad and help them to return to their homeland. She was selected as an Asia 21 Young Leader in 2011.  She graduated from the National University of Mongolia with Bachelors and Masters degrees in Physics, followed by a diploma study at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy. In 2002, she obtained a PhD in physics at North Carolina State University, USA. Following her doctorate she conducted research in nuclear sciences at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for several years.

 

Selima Ahmad is Founder and President of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI). As a successful businesswoman with longstanding experience in the private sector, she took the initiative to form a Chamber of Commerce devoted exclusively to facilitating the advancement of women entrepreneurs. Drawing on her business experience and involvement with several trade organizations, Mrs. Ahmad convinced and mobilized women entrepreneurs, the government and development partners of the need for the creation of BWCCI. She has developed 3000 women entrepreneurs by planning, designing and facilitating different programs. She organized the first Women’s National Business Agenda (WNBA) in 2009, and steered all stakeholders to make the WNBA declaration. Her dynamic advocacy for access to credit for women entrepreneurs has created a separate allocation of funds by the central bank for women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Her accomplishments have earned her the awards of Best Woman Achiever 2005-06 by Consortium of Women Entrepreneurs of India and TIAW World of Difference Award 100 in 2010 for bringing a difference for women in Bangladesh.

 

Yusman Hambali Bin Ahmad is currently the Director of the Women’s Development Office in Penang, Malaysia. Mr. Ahmad’s first employment was with Telekom Malaysia, one of the largest government-link-companies (GLC) in the telecommunications industry in Malaysia. He later joined the Government of Malaysia in 2004 as the Assistant Director at the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU), Prime’s Minister Department. During that time, he was responsible for handling and monitoring the physical development projects in the state of Perlis and Penang in Malaysia. In 2010, Mr. Ahmad joined the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. He was also appointed as the Protection Officer under the Anti-Trafficking in Person Act 2007. He is actively involved in organizing programs, campaigns and seminars, especially those that relate to promoting gender mainstreaming and violence against women. He is also responsible for the creation and promotion of community and social awareness programmes among women in Penang as well as to encourage them to become entrepreneurs. Mr. Ahmad graduated in Multimedia Management (Hons) from Multimedia University (MMU), Cyberjaya, Malaysia in 2003.

 

Sabina Alam is a Director on the Board of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and one of the leading women entrepreneurs of the country. For almost two decades Mrs. Alam has successfully run her restaurant business. She eventually decided to branch out and ventured into the real estate business. She is the Director of “ABC Real Estates Ltd”, one of the pioneer real estate companies of Bangladesh since 2004. A devoted team player, she has been awarded the Priyo Dorshini Award by the Indian Women Entrepreneurs Association in 1998, the Begum Rokeya Shinning Personality Award by the Narikantha Foundation in 2007, International Award for Tourism, Hotel and Catering Industry by Trade Leaders Club, Spain in 2009, and many more. She has represented BWCCI in major international symposiums and meetings. She also is a member of other renowned organizations like Zonta Club, Bangladesh Kennel Club, and Dhaka Club. She has a Bachelor of Honours Degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Dhaka.

Barbara Watson Andaya is Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and currently Tan Chin Tuan Visiting Professor in the Department of History, National University of Singapore. From 2003-2010 she was Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Hawai’i, and in 2005-06 she was President of the American Association for Asian Studies. She maintains an active teaching and research interest across all Southeast Asia, but her specific area of expertise is the western Malay-Indonesia archipelago, on which she has published extensively. In 2000 Professor Andaya received a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, which resulted in The Flaming Womb: Repositioning Women in Early Modern Southeast Asia (2006). In 2010 she was awarded the University of Hawaii Regents Medal for Excellence in Research. Her research interests at present focus on the intersection between gender and religious change in Asia. She received her Ph.D. from Cornell University.

 

Alice Au is a Consultant at Spencer Stuart, and a member of the firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Board Services, Private Equity and Financial Services practices. She brings more than 15 years of executive search experience based in Hong Kong to her role. Prior to joining Spencer Stuart, Ms. Au was a senior partner with another leading international executive search firm, where she led the CEO and board services practice, as well as the private equity practice in Asia Pacific, and guided the rebuilding and expansion of the Hong Kong office. Ms. Au began her career as a semiconductor engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation in the U.S. She then joined McKinsey & Company as a management consultant in New York. Subsequently, as an executive in corporate development for International Paper Company, she led cross-functional teams in negotiating acquisitions in North America, Europe and Asia. She returned to Hong Kong in 1993 to establish a China fund and advise midsize international companies on their China entry strategies.  Ms. Au has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Yale University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She was recently appointed as a part-time member of the Central Policy Unit of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR. Alice speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

 

Donya Aziz is currently serving her second term as a Member of Pakistan’s National Assembly. Dr. Aziz is the President of the Young Parliamentarians Forum and serves on the Working Council of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. She is a member of the following Standing Committees in the National Assembly: Inter-provincial Coordination; Economic Affairs and Statistics; Privatization; Heritage and Integration; Technical and Professional Training; Rules and Privileges; and Petroleum and Natural Resources.

 

 

Anjali Bansal is a Consultant at Spencer Stuart, and Managing Director of Spencer Stuart’s Indian business, which she was instrumental in establishing. Based in Mumbai, she is responsible for the firm’s activities across their offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. She also co-leads the Board Services and CEO practice in the Asia Pacific region. She works in various geographies across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, advising Indian and multinational companies on CEO and senior executive search, governance and succession. Ms. Bansal is a frequent commentator on board governance, CEO succession, entrepreneurship and other executive leadership issues and is a regular columnist with Mint – The Wall Street Journal and other leading publications such as the Economic Times-Corporate Dossier. Before entering the executive search field, Ms. Basnsal was with McKinsey & Company, based in New York and Mumbai. She has a strong interest in development and entrepreneurship and chairs the board of FWWB (Friends of Women’s World Banking), a leading international microfinance institution. In addition, she is a charter member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) and is also on the board of United Way of Mumbai. Ms. Bansal received a master’s degree, with distinction, from Columbia University, in international affairs majoring in international finance and business and a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Gujarat University in India.

 

Shukria Barakzai is a member of the Afghanistan Parliament.  She is currently the Chairwoman of the Defence Committee and Chairwoman of the Thid Line Political Parliamentary Group.  Ms. Barakzai is the Co-Founder of Afghanistan Rights Monitor, an independent and impartial human rights organization in Afghanistan.  She is the Chief Editor of Aina-e-Zan (Women’s Mirror), and published its first issue after the collapse of the Taliban government.  She served on the Constitutional Revision Commission and is Director of the Asian Women Organization.

 

Rika Beppu currently heads up the M&A practice of Hogan Lovells, the newly-merged firm of the former Lovells and Hogan & Hartson. Her main focus is advising Japanese corporations on their outbound M&A transactions, which tend to involve target businesses in Asia and the Middle East. Ms. Beppu is a Corporate M&A lawyer with over 17 years of experience in advising multinational companies with their cross-border transactions. She started her career in London, and has worked in Hong Kong and in Tokyo. She has been based in Tokyo for the past 10 years, initially as the founding partner of the Tokyo office of a UK international law firm. She is qualified to practice law in England and Wales, and also in Hong Kong. She was selected as a 2007 fellow for the Asia21 Young Leaders Initiative of the Asia Society. Her favorite pastime is running around with her two young children.

 

Julie Bishop is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia. She served as a Cabinet Minister in the Coalition Government as Minister for Education, Science and Training and as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues.  Prior to this, she was Minister for Ageing. Ms. Bishop was elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Curtin in 1998. She has served on a number of parliamentary and policy committees including as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. Before entering Parliament, Ms. Bishop was a commercial litigation lawyer at Clayton Utz. She became a partner of Clayton Utz in 1985, and was the managing partner of the Perth firm from 1994 to 1998. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide in 1978 and attended Harvard Business School in Boston in 1996, completing the Advanced Management Program for Senior Managers. She is currently the Deputy Chair of the Western Australian Museum Foundation and a board member of His Majesty’s Theatre Foundation, a Director of the AFL West Coast Eagles and a passionate supporter of the Club. She is a patron and supporter of many business, sporting, service and cultural organizations within the electorate of Curtin.

 

Terry Boyd-Zhang is currently an Editor at Integrative Zoology and Communications Officer for the International Society of Zoological Sciences. She moonlights as a PhD student at Shanghai Normal University in World History, focusing on Ling Shuhua, a 20th century Chinese female short-story writer. She also is the mother to two children (ages 9 & 6). Born in small-town Ontario, Canada, Ms. Boyd-Zhang has been living in and out of China for fifteen years and now calls Beijing home.

 

 

 

 

Brantley Turner-Bradley is the Founder and Managing Director of China Prep. She has traveled, lived and worked in China since 1994. Her early professional expertise in China – qualitative market research, consumer insights, and marketing – gives her an in-depth understanding of detailed Chinese market trends with a special focus on contemporary Chinese youth. Ms. Turner-Bradley is fluent in written and spoken Mandarin Chinese. She  founded China Prep in 2006. Her interests include exploring China across a broad range of cultural and historical themes. She loves helping students making China relevant to their lives and passions and understanding where China is today and where it is headed in the future. She teaches Mandarin, a course on China Business Today and she leads trips whenever possible. Originally from New York, Ms. Turner-Bradley is a graduate of Groton School, Groton, MA, and Brown University, Providence, R.I., with a double major in East Asian Studies and Art Semiotics. She holds graduate certificates from The Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, China and The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies.

 

Marianne Broadbent is a Senior Partner at the innovative global leadership consultancy and executive search firm, EWK International, where she has both global and regional responsibilities. She is an executive advisor, specialist in leadership and executive capabilities, international speaker, facilitator and author. Her career has blended senior executive corporate roles, academic leadership and consulting roles. Senior executive roles have included Senior Vice President, New Product Development for Gartner Inc., and Group Vice President for Gartner’s CIO Executive Programs. In academia, she has been Associate Dean at Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne, a senior academic at RMIT University and visiting researcher at Boston University. Dr. Broadbent is co-author of two Harvard Business School Press bestsellers. Her insights and research have been published in CIO Insight and CIO Magazine, Sloan Management Review articles, commentaries in The Financial Times (UK) and the Australian Financial Review, and major academic journals. She is a Director of CAVAL Ltd, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, with previous appointments including membership of the Council of the Victorian College of the Arts.

 

Catherine Cai rejoined Merrill Lynch in 2005 and is currently a Co-Head of China coverage team. Prior to this position, she was a managing director and head of investment banking at ABN Amro.  Ms. Cai also worked at JP Morgan where she was a Managing Director and Head of China’s equity capital markets department.   She previously worked for Merrill Lynch in the Corporate Finance Group as a Director and Beijing Chief Representative from 1997 to 2003.  Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 1997, she worked as vice president and head of China for Salomon Smith Barney.  Ms. Cai has more than 17 years’ experience in the investment banking industry.  She participated in many IPO offerings, M&A, CB , High Yield transactions for Chinese companies.  Ms. Cai holds a law degree from Peking University and an MBA from University of Connecticut in US.

 

Jinqing “Caroline” Cai recently joined Christie’s Hong Kong as Managing Director for China.  Previously, she was the founding partner of the Brunswick Group’s Beijing office from 2005 until early 2012.  Ms. Cai has played a central role in several high profile Chinese transactions, providing strategic PR and reputational management advice. She was closely involved in the development and execution of the media program for CNOOC during the company’s attempted acquisition of Unocal. Ms. Cai has led strategic communication programs for clients such as Geely’s successful acquisition of Volvo Cars Corporation, China Investment Corporation and Sinopec.   Her other assignments include advisory work for international clients such as BP, TPG, VISA, Areva, Rolls-Royce and Pearson Group. She managed the highly successful first annual conference of Boao Forum for Asia, working between government, corporate and media organizations. She is one of the Editors-in-Chief of China’s Emerging Financial Markets (published by John Wiley & Sons). It was also published in Chinese by CITIC Press and selected as Top 10 Finance Books of the Year in 2010 by China Business News.  Ms. Cai is a graduate from Wellesley College and has a Master of Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs, Princeton University. She was an undergraduate at Beijing University.

 

 Shirley Che joined Westpac Banking Corporation Shanghai Branch in 2007 as Deputy General Manager.  She is responsible for the establishment of Finance, Operation and Technology Department for Shanghai Branch and is the chief liason with the local authority, Head Office, Regional Office, and CPA Firm.  Prior to join Westpac, Shirley worked with the International Bank of Paris and Shanghai in 1993. It was the 1st Joint-venture Bank in Shanghai, invested by ICBC and BNP Paribas on 50-50 basis. During her 14 years with BNP, she was responsible for Finance & Control, overseeing budgeting and reporting. Staring from 2006, she was also responsible for the running of Finance & Control Department of BNP Paribas Shanghai Branch.  Shirley graduated with her Bachelor of Economics from the Int’l Business Institution of Shanghai University and Masters Degree from the China East Normal School in International Finance. 

 

Chen Chunhong is the General Manager of the Yiyuan Environmental Group, which is based in Shanghai, China. Yiyuan Environmental Group manufactures and markets toilets designed to avoid cross-contamination and whose patented technology can save up to 83% of water compared with conventional 6-litre models. The Yiyuan toilet takes water straight from the mains, with no need for a tank to store it. Where traditional flushing toilets use a siphon to drain the sewage and the water that remains in the bottom of the bowl as a seal from the drainpipe, Yiyuan toilets use gravity to pull sewage down and a valve to separate the dirty from the clean. With this breakthrough technology, even if the mains supply is cut off, the equivalent of a large glass of water would suffice to clean the toilet. Ms. Chen is also very committed to many public initiatives such as forestation, protection of water sources, and the training of young entrepreneurs. In 2011, she was awarded the Laureate for Asia-Pacific of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, which are an international business plan competition created in 2006 by Cartier, the Women’s Forum, McKinsey & Company and INSEAD business school to identify, support and encourage projects by women entrepreneurs.

 

Helen Chen is a Consultant to HKUST Business School in Hong Kong, where she provides bespoke career coaching to MBA students, and strengthens the School’s connectivity with business community. Previously Ms. Chen was Senior Vice President at Coutts & Co, Ltd. in Hong Kong where she was responsible for business management in Asia. Prior to Coutts, she was a Director at UBS Global Asset Management in Hong Kong, where she formulated strategic initiatives in China and Asia. Ms. Chen began her career as the first foreign professional woman at the headquarters of The Mitsubishi Trust in Tokyo. Besides Finance, Ms. Chen was an Executive Director at Russell Reynolds Associates in Tokyo, where she handled senior executive assignments in Finance and Insurance. She was also a Visiting Associate Professor at Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy in Tokyo, where she built the MBA Career Advisory and Corporate Executive Education functions. Ms. Chen obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, and a Master of International Affairs degree from School of International & Public Affairs, Columbia University. She speaks English, Japanese and Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese and Shanghai dialects). She enjoys Omotesenke Japanese Tea Ceremony, and is fascinated by her newly acquired hobbies of painting and Chinese calligraphy.

 

Min Chen is a Managing Director in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Asia Corporate Finance Investment Banking Group. Ms. Chen joined Merrill Lynch’s Hong Kong office in 2006 and has focused on origination and execution of transactions primarily for Chinese real estate and lodging clients. Since 2006, Ms. Chen has advised Chinese clients on a wide range of capital-raising and strategic transactions in the private and public markets, including Hong Kong and US IPOs, follow-ons, convertibles and high yield debt offerings as well as strategic discussions on M&A transactions. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Ms. Chen spent four years in the North America Real Estate Investment Banking group at Citigroup, advising clients on capital-raising and strategic assignments across all sectors of the real estate industry. Over the years, Ms. Chen has executed numerous capital markets transactions, raising over US$10 bn of equity and debt proceeds for lodging, residential, retail and office clients. She has also advised various sell-side and buy-side clients on strategic and M&A transactions of over US$7bn. Ms. Chen received a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

 

Claire Chiang is Senior Vice President at Banyan Tree Holdings, and is a Co-Founder of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, a leading developer and manager of premium resorts, urban hotels and destination spas around the world.  She pioneered the group’s retail business in 1996 and has since overseen the launch of more than 80 retail outlets worldwide. As part of Banyan Tree’s strategic focus on human capital development, Ms. Chiang assumed two new roles in 2010 – chairperson for China Business Development, where she primarily focuses on the acquisition of new management contracts, and chairperson of the Human Capital Development Task Force, where she oversees key strategic issues in organizational and human capital capability. Ms. Chiang is also the chairperson of Banyan Tree Global Foundation which was established in early 2009 by Banyan Tree Holdings. Her role involves directing and guiding the evolving process of the group’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and its mission to “Embrace the Environment, Empower the People”. She also sits on the Global Governing Board of Caux Round Table (CRT) – an international network of principled business leaders working to promote sustainable capitalism – where she is Vice-Chair for Asia. Ms. Chiang is an Arts and Social Sciences graduate (Honours) from the National University of Singapore. In the early 80s, Ms. Chiang conducted intensive sociological fieldwork on factory workers and industrial relations in Hong Kong while completing her Master of Philosophy (Sociology) degree.

 

Jan Combopiano leads knowledge management efforts at Catalyst, leveraging resources and expertise to serve stakeholders, preserve the organization’s history, and maintain the knowledge infrastructure. As head of the Information Center, Ms. Combopiano works to provide knowledge and insights for Catalyst member organizations, the media, and outside researchers. In her operations role for the Research Department, she shepherds the knowledge cycle of Catalyst work from concept to historical preservation, including the content development for the annual Catalyst Awards Conference. Ms. Combopiano leads the Census team, which produces Catalyst’s annual reporting of women in leadership in the Fortune 500 and Financial Post 500, as well co-developing Governance-related research and events for the organization. As a core member of the Catalyst Award Evaluation Committee, Ms. Combopiano investigates and assesses the strength and sustainability of organizational efforts to build diverse and inclusive workplaces. She has spoken to corporate, nonprofit, and public audiences in the United States, Hong Kong, and Japan. Ms. Combopiano holds a Bachelor’s degree in American History and a Master’s degree in Women’s History from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She received a Master’s of Library Science from the State University of New York at Albany.

 

Allyn Danzeisen is the Youth Coordinator and a founding member of the Women’s Organisation of the Waikato Muslim Association (WOWMA), and a regional representative of the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ).  Raised and educated in the United States of America, she left a successful legal career as a litigator to return to her first two loves of education and community work. Since moving to New Zealand, Ms. Danzeisen has worked to create a Muslim women’s and youth program in a community where approximately 65% of the Muslim youth come from refugee backgrounds. As the national umbrella organization, IWCNZ represents Muslim concerns and goals on a national and international level and works to improve the lives of its membership, which covers all Muslim women in New Zealand. Last year, Ms. Danzeisen organized a national conference bringing Muslim women from around New Zealand together for the largest event in over 20 years.  She presently heads the Spanish Department at Hillcrest High School in New Zealand and volunteers her time and services to WOWMA and IWCNZ.   Previously, she was an attorney for eight years at a large law firm in Miami, FL, and taught at high schools in the U.S. and Japan. Ms. Danzeisen holds a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University, a J.D. from the University of Miami, and a L.L.M from the University of Waikato.

 

Jayantika Dave is the Vice-President Human Resources, India for Ingersoll Rand, and is the HR Business Partner for the India President. Mrs. Dave brings over 30 years of Human Resource, Consulting, and Entrepreneurial expertise to her role. While heading the Human Resources function for Agilent Technologies’ India operations for nine years, the organization expanded dramatically, and branched into R&D and more complex technologies. She was a member of the Board of Directors, a key business consulting partner, as well as the architect for the top leadership development roadmap. Ms. Dave has also previously led the Learning & Leadership Development functions and the Recruitment function for Hewlett-Packard India. In these roles, she gained valuable expertise in design and implementation of large scale leadership development programs, organizational effectiveness consulting and managerial assessments.

 

Camille Purvis Dawson serves as Outreach Unit Chief at the U.S. Consulate General Shanghai. In this capacity, she coordinates U.S. Government activities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces. She also serves as a coordinator for women’s issues at the U.S. Consulate.  A career Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, Ms. Dawson has been assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing twice, first as the Deputy Spokesperson from 2003-2005 and then as the Public Diplomacy Officer responsible for exchange programs from 2006-2009. She also served as a Political and Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Manila from 2000-2002. Prior to joining the U.S. Department of State, she worked as the Academic Coordinator for the Institute for International Mediation and Conflict Resolution, a media analyst with the Denver Research Group and an English teacher on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. Ms. Dawson received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and her Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University.

 

Vishakha N. Desai is president and CEO of Asia Society, a global organization committed to strengthening partnerships among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States, Appointed president in 2004, she leads the institution’s activities in the areas of policy, business, arts, culture and education as well as an institutional expansion that includes multimillion-dollar facilities in Hong Kong and Houston.  Dr. Desai is a frequent speaker at national and international forums on a wide variety of subjects that include US-Asia relationships, cultural roots of Asian economic development, regional connections within the Asia Pacific region, as well as the arts and cultures of Asia and Asian America.  Dr. Desai serves on the boards of The Brookings Institution, Citizens Committee for New York City, Bertelsmann Foundation (USA), and the New York City Mayor’s Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs.

 

Georges Desvaux is the managing partner of McKinsey & Company, Japan. Before transferring to Tokyo in July 2011, Mr. Desvaux worked in McKinsey’s Beijing office from 1999 to 2006, and Paris office from 2006 to 2011. In Japan and Europe, he advises the top managements in insurance, banking, consumer electronics, and logistics companies on global growth strategy, marketing capabilities, and organizational design. In China, he supported major Chinese state-owned enterprises in conducting market-oriented reforms. He also supported international IPOs in the high tech, telecom, financial institution and transportation sectors. Mr. Desvaux is a leader of McKinsey’s Marketing Practice. He has authored and contributed to articles and research on consumer and macroeconomic trends. He is dedicating significant energy to developing McKinsey’s global talent, and particularly women. He has initiated and co-led McKinsey’s US$20 million research on the role of women in corporations since 2007, co-authoring four Women Matter reports that highlight the contribution of women to company performance and the levers companies can activate to support and promote women leaders. He graduated from École Centrale Paris and earned an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

 

Cecilia Oreña-Drilon is one of the most awarded broadcast journalists in the Philippines. In 2010 she was honored by the KBP, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas which bestowed on her the prestigious Ka Doroy Broadcaster of the Year Award. Ms. Oreña-Drilon is also a recipient of the TOWNS Award, given every three years to outstanding women for their service to the nation, through their achievements in their respective careers. In her 27-year career as a broadcast journalist, she has covered some of country’s most memorable stories; such as the Philippine government’s negotiations with the CPP-NDF in 1986 and the MNLF in 1987, the bloodiest coup against the Aquino government in 1989, the killer quake in 1990, the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 and the ambush of Joe Pring by the CPP’s Alex Boncayao Brigade, a story which put her in directly in the line of gunfire. She also covered the opening of the landmark peace talks between the Philippine government and the Muslim separatist group, the MILF, in Tripoli, Libya. Since 2006, Mrs. Drilon has been co-anchor of the late night news program, ‘Bandila,” the first Philippine TV program to be a finalist in the Emmy Awards. She currently hosts and writes ‘Pipol on ANC,’ a revival of her top-rated and acclaimed show which ran for seven years on ABS-CBN Channel 2.

 

Kerstin Duell co-authored the study ‘Rising to the Top? A Report On Women’s Leadership in Asia’ with Astrid S. Tuminez, and consults the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy on developing ‘Pathways to Women’s Leadership in New Asia’. As a Burma/ Myanmar expert, she consults think tanks on Burmese social movements, foreign relations, and non-traditional security. Dr. Duell is also a researcher and photographer, documenting marginalized communities for various NGOs, UN agencies, and foundations; her photos on socio-economic issues, such as female refugees and the impact of HIV/AIDS on women, were shown in a number of solo exhibitions across Asia. She was selected for the “Asia-Europe emerging photographers’ forum 2009”, and has been sponsored by Olympus Singapore since 2006. In addition, she was selected for the BMW Foundation’s ‘Europe-Asia Young leaders’ network in 2011.  Dr. Duell holds a PhD in Political Science from the National University of Singapore, an MA in Southeast Asian Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) London, and a BA in Hispanic and Southeast Asian Studies from the Freie University and Humboldt University Berlin.

 

Fan Daoqin has been vice general manager of Jiangsu Shengbang Furniture Manufacture Limited Company since 2005. Previously, she held the position of vice general manager in Jurong Shengye Pipes Manufacturer. In addition, Ms. Fan is a member of the Sixth Zhenjiang People’s Congress, the Fourteenth Jurong People’s Congress, and the Vice Chairman of Zhenjiang Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

 

 

 

 

Brenda Lei Foster has served as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham Shanghai), the largest and fastest growing American Chamber in the Asia Pacific region since September 2005. As President, she is responsible for overseeing all of the Chamber’s various initiatives, as well as representing the Chamber and American business interests in China. In addition, Ms. Foster has served as President of the National Council of World Affairs Organizations and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society. She also serves on several advisory boards and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation. She received the 2009 China Elite Business Women’s Award and the 2009 Athena International Foundation Award for achieving excellence in business and leadership -  in doing so becoming the first American living overseas to receive this award. She was also recognized in the 2010 East-West Center 50th Anniversary Commemorative Publication for furthering the Center’s mission of building an Asia Pacific community and promoting a greater understanding of the region. Ms. Foster holds a B.A. and M.A. in Chinese studies from the University of Washington and an M.B.A. from the University of Hawaii.

 

Gu Fenghui is Vice President of East Asia Union Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. and Chairman of Shanghai Macro Home Property Management Co., Ltd. She is also the Executive Director of CPMI, the Vice Chairman of SHFER, and the Vice Chairman of TASPM. Projects that have been managed by Macro Home include the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Shanghai Maglev Train, Shanghai International Circuit, the Tennis Center of the Qizhong Forest Sports City, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, China National Expo Pavilion, Moon Boat (previously the Expo Pavilion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and the Shanghai Art Museum. Macro Home has been developed into a famous brand enterprise with total capital of 0.149 billion RMB, and a property management area of over one hundred million square meters. Ms. Gu has been awarded many honorary titles for her outstanding contributions, such as Advanced Individual of Expo, National March-eighth Red-banner Pacesetter Markers, The National Outstanding Business Women, and China’s Excellent Female Entrepreneurs.

 

Guo Shan is the President of China Symphony Development Foundation. Since she took over China Symphony Development Foundation in 2004, Ms. Guo has overseen several major music campaigns on the national level. She also founded the League of CSDF, consisting of initially 44 orchestra members. She was elected Chairwoman of the Alliance of Asia-Pacific Region Orchestras (AAPRO) in 2008 during its sixth Summit. She worked in the China Motion Picture Symphony Orchestra for over 20 years and was the assistant to the Executive Director of the orchestra since 1996. In the early 90s she was involved in China Music Instrument Grading System as Deputy Secretary-General of CCOM Music Grading Committee. Since 2000 Ms. Guo was appointed Deputy Director of China National Symphony Orchestra in charge of fundraising, programming and administration, also Adjunct Secretary-General of the CSDF during which she took the CNSO on tours in Japan, Australia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

 

Cherry Liwei Han is Vice President of Ingersoll Rand China. She joined Ingersoll Rand in March 2004. She heads up the Corporate Affairs team and takes the responsibilities of public and government affairs, communications, university relations, and enterprise branding across China. Under her leadership, the team facilitates the substantial growth of the company’s business in areas of Industry Technologies, Climate Solutions and Security Technologies by creating a favorable regulation and operation environment in the country.  Prior to joining Ingersoll Rand, Ms. Han worked with multinational companies including Microsoft, covering a broad spectrum of responsibilities, including sales, marketing, business development, and corporate affairs. With over 20 years of experience in business management, Ms. Han has extensive knowledge and insights into Chinese domestic markets and government polices to facilitate business growth under tough situations. She graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1982, and also holds an MBA from Bradford Management School, Bradford University, UK, and an EMBA from Guanghua Management School, Peking University, China.

 

Debra Hazelton was appointed as the first non-Japanese Country Head of Mizuho Corporate Bank (MHCB) in April 2007. MHCB is the corporate arm of the Mizuho Financial Group, one of the largest financial services companies in Japan. MHCB has an extensive network and strong business focus in the growing Asian region. The Australian and New Zealand business is managed from Sydney Branch (MCBS) and provides solutions in corporate, structured and project finance as well as treasury/ investment banking products to large Australian, Japanese and international corporate clients. The Australian Branch of Mizuho also supports US and European clients in accessing Asian markets. Ms. Hazelton’s previous banking roles were in the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and included executive positions in International Business Development, Financial Markets, Risk Management and Treasury. She spent approximately ten years in Japan as Treasurer and Country Head/ General Manager of CBA’s Tokyo Branch. Ms. Hazelton’s academic background includes graduate and post-graduate studies at Keio University (Tokyo, Japan), University of New South Wales, and Sydney University.

 

Maggie He is Regional Director, Marketing Communications – China at Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts.  She has been with Banyan Tree since 2004.  In this role, she co-ordinates all communications activities, with an emphasis on public relations and promoting the brand image.  Previously, Ms. He was Marketing Communications Coordinator at The Westin Shanghai, and had prior experience at the Shanghai JC Mandarin Hotel, and the Radisson Xing Guo Hotel, in Shanghai, China.

 

 

 

 

Catherine Hii is the founder and president of The Collector’s Club. It is a multi-labeled jewelry platform aiming to expose her clients from high fashion, fine Italian Jewelries to collectable, investment graded diamonds, colored diamonds and precious gems. Since its launch in Shanghai in 2007, Ms. Hii’s work has received many positive reviews from magazines such as Bazaar Jewellery, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Tatler, Insider’s, In club and many more. She was born in Malaysia. She received her early education in Singapore and earned a B.A. degree in English Literature (Summa Cum Laude) from Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania, USA in 1998. She is currently associated with a number of charity programs in China and was voted as one of the top 300 most influential members in the Shanghai community by Shanghai Tatler in 2011. She was also voted as one of the top 100 most influential women by In Club Magazine in the same year. She is married to Alex Tan and has a daughter, Charlene.

 

Hu Yunxia is the President of the Zhenjiang Women’s Federation.  In 1990, Ms. Hu was admitted to the Communist Party of China. Between 1997 and 2000, she served as Danyang Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League of China. In May of 2005, Ms. Hu was appointed as deputy district director of Jingkou District Municipality. She holds a master’s degree.

 

Claire Huang serves as Head of Marketing for Corporate and Investment Banking, Markets and Commercial Banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. In this role she leads Marketing for all corporate and institutional businesses globally. She is also Head of International Marketing and Corporate Affairs and leads Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Policy outside the US. She sits on the Board of the Bank of America Foundation. In her previous position as Executive Vice President, Marketing and Segment Management for Fidelity Investments, Ms. Huang was responsible for client segment strategies, client acquisition, retention and brand strategies and was Chairperson for the company’s Global Marketing Board. In that role, Ms. Huang turned around the company’s stagnant retail business and created a new unified Fidelity power brand as a more client solution-oriented company – with impressive results. This included a vast improvement in top-line business growth, net asset flows, total assets, trades and operating income. Prior to that, she served as Chief Marketing Officer for American Express Financial Advisors (currently Ameriprise) and was responsible for client acquisition and development, brand building and awareness, competitive research and customer satisfaction and loyalty. Previously, Ms. Huang reversed declining sales to generate new growth as Worldwide Head of Marketing for the American Express Travelers and Gift Cheques division.

 

Kelly Hutchison is Senior Vice President and Asia Pacific Head of Leadership Development at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.  She has more than 15 years broad-based experience in the banking & finance, consumer goods, retail, and media/publishing industries. In her current role, Ms. Hutchison is responsible for working with Heads of Business and HR Executives to build and deliver a range of leadership and organization development solutions across the region. In previous roles Ms. Hutchison has led divisional HR generalist teams across Asia Pacific as well as specialist teams in organization development, talent & performance management, and M&A. Her particular interest is in the area of personal leadership mastery and coaching. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts (Music) from Florida State University (USA), a Master of Science (Innovation/Service Management) from RMIT University (Australia), and is currently completing her formal coaching accreditation through the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership (IECL) in Australia. Originally from the US, Ms. Hutchison lived in Melbourne, Australia for ten years prior to relocating to Hong Kong in January 2010 with her husband and two dogs.

 

Attiya Inayatullah has a lifetime of service in her country Pakistan and internationally in the fields of human rights, social & human development and international relations. Currently, as a member of parliament she serves on the Human Rights, Millennium Development Goals and Population & Development Standing Committees and has a leadership role in steering legislation on women, children and reproductive health.  She has a doctorate in social demography and a master’s degree in sociology and anthropology. 

 

 

Julia Jiang is Senior Vice President of Human Resources of Bank of America, N.A., Shanghai Branch, and Human Resources Manager for China. She is responsible for overall Human Resources management in China. She leads the team to provide a full spectrum of professional HR services to support business growth, and ensure that HR objectives are in line with business strategy as well as to comply with the company policy and PRC regulatory requirements. Ms. Jiang joined Bank of America in 2006 in her current position. She was HR Generalist for Asia Card Services from 2008 to 2010. Before joining the bank, Ms. Jiang was Head of Human Resources in the Shanghai branch of a leading Asian bank for 9 years. In that capacity she was responsible for Staffing, Compensation & Benefits, Talent Management, Performance Management, Employee Relationship and HR projects. Ms. Jiang graduated from Shanghai International Studies University with major in English.

 

Jiao Xiaoli is Senior Relations Official at China Daily.  She previously worked for the International Labour Organisation, UNESCO, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the Information Office, China Radio International, and the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee.

 

Jiao Yang is currently the Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of Shanghai Women’s Federation. She started her career in Shanghai as the Secretary of the Youth League Committee of Fudan University. She successively served afterwards as the Deputy Director of the Information Office of Shanghai Municipal Government, the Director General of Shanghai Administration of Press and Publication and Shanghai Municipal Copyright Office, Deputy Director of Department of Publicity of CPC Shanghai Committee and Director of the Office of Shanghai Spiritual Civilization Construction Committee. Ms. Jiao has worked with the government publicity and information management department for an extended period and has successfully planned and implemented numerous mega-events of publicity and promotion of the city in more than 10 countries and areas. From Jun e 2003 to February 2008, she worked as the spokesperson for the Shanghai municipal government. She holds a B.A. in Journalism of Fudan University and an M.B.A. from Singapore Nanyang Business School.

 

Yvonne Yoon-Hee Kim is currently the Executive Director of the Asia Society Korea Center. Ms. Kim has advanced the Korea Center’s standing as a cultural, financial, and policy base for Asia Society’s operations in Asia since its startup stages in 2008 through creative content and multi-platform program development, whereby strengthening a wide spectrum of private and public sector relationships to enhance Asia Society’s mission. To maintain active engagement between Americans and Asians on issues affecting the peninsula and the Asia-Pacific, Ms. Kim is often sought after for her senior level contacts in Korea’s public and private sectors, as well as in the international business community, to further global programming support, strategic planning, and public relations for global outreach. Prior to leading Asia Society Korea Center in 2008, Ms. Kim worked as the Executive Associate for the Senior Vice President of Operations at Asia Society’s New York headquarters. Before joining Asia Society, she managed events and programs at the Office of the President of Columbia University as Special Events manager. She is also noted for her contributions to news media for the last fifteen years. She has worked for Newsweek, Korean Buddhist Television of America, Radio Korea New York, and New York’s WMBC-TV Channel 63. Ms. Kim has a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University in East Asian Studies. She is fluent in English and Korean.

 

Lyn Kok was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer for Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) in July 2010. Immediately prior to this posting, she had been Managing Director, Country Head of Strategy & Corporate Development and General Manager, Beijing for Standard Chartered Bank in China since 2006. Before joining Standard Chartered in Malaysia in 1997, Ms. Kok held various senior positions in sales, syndications and debt recovery in Toronto, Hong Kong and Singapore with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and the Chase Manhattan Bank. She began her career in banking when she joined Citibank’s Treasury unit in 1985. Ms. Kok has served as an executive committee member of the Malaysian Youth Orchestra Foundation, and has also served as Vice President of the European Chamber in China and Chair of the Banking & Securities Workgroup of the Chamber where she oversaw the preparation of market access position papers for the European financial industry. Ms. Kok is a member of Standard Chartered Group Executive Leadership Team and is one of 26 “Living with HIV” (one of two anchor CSR programmes for Standard Chartered) Ambassadors for Standard Chartered Bank worldwide. She has also been recently appointed as a council member for the Bank’s Global D&I programme.  Ms. Kok graduated in 1988, with an honors degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Toronto, Canada. She has one teenage daughter.

 

 Michael G. Kulma is the Executive Director of Global Leadership Initiatives at the Asia Society headquarters in New York. In this capacity he directs the Society’s four major leadership initiatives: Asia 21 Young Leaders, Diversity Leadership Forum, Williamsburg Conference, and Women Leaders of New Asia. He began his career at the Asia Society in 2000 working on policy issues related to Northeast Asia with a specific concentration on China. Prior to that, he lectured at a number of colleges in the New York City area, focusing on East Asian politics, foreign policy, and international relations. Michael contributes regularly to print and broadcast media on Asia-focused issues. He is a member of The National Committee on United States-China Relations. Michael received a BA in economics from the University of Chicago, a master’s in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, and a PhD in political science from the City University of New York.

 

Wendy Kuran is the Associate VP for Business Development; Duke Kunshan University (DKU) and China at Duke University, building relationships with individuals and corporations to support research, degree programs, conferences and training programs on the 200-acre DKU campus and conference center (37 miles from Shanghai, scheduled to open in 2013).  Ms. Kuran came to Duke in fall 2007, after a 20-year career in the health care industry. She began at the Fuqua School of Business and was until February Associate Dean for Global Corporate Relations and Centers, accountable for the start-up and management of industry-facing centers in energy/environment, finance, consulting, consumer goods, technology/entertainment/media, entrepreneurship (commercial and social), leadership/ethics, and international business. Prior to Duke, Ms. Kuran lived and worked in Los Angeles, first as VP of an inner-city teaching hospital, then in a series of executive positions in new product development and marketing at two Fortune-100 health plans, PacifiCare and UnitedHealthcare. She helped launch the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan, the largest government  t-private partnership in U.S. history. Her deep interest in global cultures has led to residence abroad, extensive travel on six continents and an inter-cultural marriage. She has also served as a founder and/or board member to NGOs in community health, poverty alleviation, education and the arts. She holds an AB Magna cum laude from Princeton and an MBA from Stanford.

 

Gauri Sikri Lakhanpal is the Head of Programs and Development for the Asia Society Hong Kong Center and has worked with the Asia Society for over 6 years across two different centers (Hong Kong and Mumbai) in various capacities in programming, development, and membership. She has worked on programs in the arts and culture arena as well as the sphere of business and policy and has worked closely with schools and universities in both Mumbai and Hong Kong to increase the footprint of the Asia Society’s reach amongst the youth. Prior to joining the Asia Society, Ms. Lakhanpal was a management consultant focused on the media and telecom sector with Monitor Company in Hong Kong and with netdecisions, a UK-based technology consulting firm, in their Singapore offices. She has also worked as a freelance consultant and journalist for several media companies. She has two bachelor’s degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Economics and Management Science, and a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics.

 

KaShi Lau is Managing Director and CEO of Bank Consortium Trust Co. Ltd. (BCT Financial).  Prior to joining BCT, Ms. Lau was Vice President (Marketing & Research) of the then newly incorporated Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation. She possesses extensive banking and finance experience which includes working as Assistant General Manager and Head of Private Banking at ABN AMRO Bank, Chief of Staff to the first Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, and serving as an executive at Citibank and major international banks in both Hong Kong and New York City. Apart from her current role as Chairman of the Hong Kong Trustees’ Association, she is a member of various committees of professional and governmental bodies in Hong Kong. She is also an Investment Promotion Ambassador of InvestHK. To support diversity and social capital, she has served on the Women’s Commission and Community Investment and Inclusion Fund. Ms. Lau graduated from Cornell University, with a master’s degree in Business Administration.

 

Diana Li is the founder and chief executive officer of Shanghai Yurong Tech Company.  Previously, she served as chief executive officer of Shanda Games starting in April 2008. Before serving as the CEO, she was appointed Executive Vice President for Shanda Group, and director of Project Management Center, Business Development Center, Game Testing Center and Game Design Center. Prior to that, Ms. Li was Asian-Pacific Region project director at Expedia Inc. in Seattle from 2004 to 2005, in charge of project management teams of Expedia in China, Japan and Australia. From 1999 to 2004, Ms. Li held management positions in various product groups including Microsoft Office, Windows and XBOX with Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington. From 1997 to 1999, she was senior manager with Fidelity Investments in Boston. Ms. Li began her career with Unifi Telecommunication Inc. in Boston in 1995. She was instrumental in the creation of an influential Sino-US publication, Harvard China Review, and served as chairwoman of the board in 1998. Ms. Li holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Peking University and a Master of Science in applied statistics and operations research from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

 

Gloria Li is currently Vice President of Corporate Communications & CI Management Group of Sony (China) Ltd, and President of Sony ExploraScience Museum. She oversees all PR work of Sony China, including Corporate PR, Product PR, Employee Communications, Media Relation and Risk Management. Meanwhile, she oversees website management and Corporate Identity governance for Sony in China. Besides the above responsibilities, she is also the President of Sony ExploraScience Museum, which is the only science and technology museum invested and managed by an enterprise in China, and enjoys a very high reputation in the science and education field in China.

 

Li Ming is the General Manager of Jiangsu Huangyang Metal Pipes Limited Company. She has been in this position since the formation of Huangyang in December of the year 1992. In recent years, Ms. Li has been honored as Zhenjiang Outstanding Technological Talent, Women’s Pace-setter, Top Ten Outstanding Youth of Jurong City and several other titles. During hers tenure, Jiangsu Huangyang Company has become a well-known manufacturer of metal pipes. A dozen years ago, Huangyang was just a small factory with only fifty employees; today it has become a hi-tech enterprise of national prominence. Huangyang Company currently occupies an area of 47 thousand square meters, employs about 200 staff, and reaches total sales of one hundred million yuan a year. Because of her tireless working and outstanding ability, General Manager Li Ming has been elected into the Jurong People’s Congress.

 

Li Rong is currently vice chairperson of Shanghai Women’s Federation, in charge of foreign affairs. She graduated from an engineering institute in 1987 and worked in the metallurgical construction industry for 5 years. She then pursued her career for 5 years in a state-owed enterprise with responsibility for corporate party affairs. In 1997, she entered the field of adult education. During another 5 years of her career in corporate vocational education, she went to Central Party School and received her master’s degree in economics and management. She started to be engaged in women’s education and training in 2002 and was the principal of the Shanghai Women Cadres’ School.

 

Li Yanling is currently the Assistant to the Chairperson in Foreign Affairs and Chief of Liaison Department of Shanghai Women’s Federation. Dr. Li is a member of the Executive Committee of the Twelfth and Thirteen Shanghai Women’s Congress. Before joining Shanghai Women’s Federation, she worked for Shanghai University. She holds a Ph. D. in American History and has written a book entitled Urban Renewal and Inner-city Transformation of United States of America.

 

 

 

 

Li Yihai is Senior Fellow of International Studies and Director of International Office of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS). He has been Director, International Office (Foreign Affairs Office) of SASS since 1993. After his graduation from university, he became a secretary and policy analyst in the government. In 1989, he began serving as Foreign Affairs Secretary to SASS President Prof. Zhang Zhongli. From 1991 to 1993, Mr. Li was Deputy Division Director of the Policy Planning Office, Shanghai Municipal Government. He also holds the posts of Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Center for International Studies (since 1995) and Deputy Secretary General of the Center for Think Tank Studies. He was Coordinator and Co-chair of the Anti-terrorism and Security Program from 1995, which was granted by the Ford Foundation. He was awarded the “Ordre des Palmes Academiques” of France (2004) and Chevening Senior Fellowship of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2008). His overseas experiences include International Visiting Scholar of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1999), Visiting Professor at the University of Sydney, Australia (2006), and Senior Fellow for Democracy at the Center for Diplomacy and Security Studies at the University of Birmingham, UK (2008). His publications cover the fields of international studies and national strategy, with a recent focus on issues of democracy and security.

 

Sabrina Lin is Vice President and Managing Director of Cisco Systems, Asia Pacific, Japan & Greater China Marketing Organization.  She is responsible for accelerating revenue growth, driving brand relevance, and engaging customers and partners through innovative use of traditional and digital marketing. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Lin held Managing Director positions in Channels, Sales, Strategy, Business Development, and Operations for Cisco China and Cisco Asia Pacific. She is also appointed Adjunct Associate Professor in Technology and Management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prior to joining Cisco, Ms. Lin held multiple executive roles in Fortune 50 companies with strategy, R&D, and services responsibilities in developed and emerging countries. She was also co-founder of two start-up companies in Silicon Valley engaged in education software research, online training, and social networking.  She started her career in university research and teaching at Stanford University. Ms. Lin holds a PhD in Psychology and an MS in Statistics from Stanford University. A native of Hong Kong, she is married with four children.

 

Lin Yi is Secretary General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). She has held this position since 2011. From 2007 to 2011, she was Director General of the African-Asian Affairs Department of the CPAFFC, Secretary General of the Chinese-African People’s Friendship Association, and Secretary-General of the China-India Friendship Association. Previously, she worked in the African-Asian Affairs Department of the CPAFFC.  Ms. Lin received a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature from Peking University, and an MBA from Frederick Institute of Technology.

 

Christine Liu is the founder and CEO of sHero, a forum she started in 2007 to promote active dialogue through which women can feel empowered to manage their career advancement and life balance.  Ms. Liu is an accomplished senior executive in the field of Human Resources, having held a wide range of leadership positions with multinational companies across industries of luxury fashion, pharmaceuticals, information Technology and manufacturing. She also serves on the board for Medical Care and Technology Inc. a US medical services and technology company.  Ms. Liu has served as the Director of HR for the Richemont Group, in which she provided leadership of all HR functions. In her prior position as HR Director for Honeywell shared services, she provided leadership for HR strategies throughout the Asia Pacific region and India. Other HR career assignments include GlaxoSmithKline, where as she was Director of HR.   Ms. Liu also worked in various functions like procurement, sales and marketing support and office administration with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.

 

Nan Lu is Director of the Department of International Relations of the CCPIT Tianjin Sub-Council. CCPIT is the abbreviation for China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. It aims at helping both domestic and foreign companies with their business.

 

Ma Jinfang is President and Chairman of the Board of Yihe Garment Limited Company, which is well known as the top brand of business wear in China. Under the leadership of Ma Jinfang, Yihe has achieved the top position in various segments of the business wear industry. Yihe Garment Limited Company established the first Business Wear Institute and the first Business Wear Museum in China. Yihe’s business wear is highly praised for its splendid design and quality. Numerous large-scale enterprises choose Yihe garment in order to promote their enterprise image. Since the establishment of Yihe, Mrs. Ma has also dedicated much of her time and money to charitable foundations. She has received numerous honors, including Chinese Outstanding Women Entrepreneur, Jiangsu Splendid Women Entrepreneur, and Jiangsu Model Worker. Mrs. Ma also is a National Women’s Pace-Setter, the Ninth National Woman’s Congress member, Jiangsu People’s Congress member and Member of the CPPCC Jiangsu Committee.

 

Almagul Menlibayeva is a contemporary video artist and photographer, who was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and lives and works in Kazakhstan and Berlin. She has gained international recognition, and her work has been widely exhibited in prominent venues around the world. Additionally, Ms. Menlibayeva’s videos have been shown at several international film festivals. In 2010, she was the recipient of a grant from the Open Society Institute Budapest, Art and Culture Network Program. In 2012, in addition to the Kiev, Sidney and Mediterranean Biennial, Ms. Menlibayeva’s work is currently being shown in Ecologies of Image, MUSAC, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, Spain, Paganism, Kalmar Konstmuseum, Kalmar, Sweden; Colors of the Oasis, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle, USA; and will be exhibited later in the year in a retrospective of Kazakh Art, at Museum of Contemporary Art PERMM, Perm, Russia, and in a solo exhibition at Casal Solleric, La Palma De Mallorca, Spain. In her latest videos and accompanying production photographs such as a Milk for Lambs (2010), Butterflies of Aisha Bibi (2010), Transoxiana Dreams (2011) and, forthcoming, Kurchatov22 (2012), she works thematically with the history and present day reality of a new post-Soviet Kazakhstan (since 1990) and the fate of its indigenous people through the lens of the human condition and with a focus on spirituality, gender and ecology. She holds an MFA from the Art & Theatre University of Almaty.

 

Russell Menyhart is the Political Unit Chief at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai. His portfolio includes human rights, religious freedom, labor issues, and the development of civil society in China. Russell previously worked for the U.S. State Department in Beijing, Buenos Aires, and Washington D.C. Before joining the State Department he worked as a public defender.

 

 

 

 

S. Alice Mong is Interim Executive Director, Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK).  Ms. Mong joined ASHK in November of 2011 and was appointed interim Executive Director in February of 2012.  Ms. Mong became Director of the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) in July 2009, and led the 30-year-old organization’s expansion into its new home, the leading national museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the history and culture of people of Chinese descent in America. Previously, she served as the Executive Director for the Committee of 100, a non-profit membership organization composed of distinguished Chinese American leaders. Prior to her non-profit work in New York City, Ms. Mong worked for a leading Hong Kong property company with major investments in Hong Kong and China. She began her career at the International Trade Division, Ohio Department of Development where she helped build a strong coalition of support from the Ohio legislature, business and educational communities on issues pertaining to Ohio/China and Ohio/Asia activities. This led to an appointment by Ohio Governor as the Managing Director of the State of Ohio Office of East/Southeast Asia based in Hong Kong. A graduate of The Ohio State University, Ms. Mong went on to earn an Executive MBA (joint degree) from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.  She is fluent in Mandarin.

 

 

 

Ann Morfogen served as Sony’s chief communications officer in the U.S. from September 1994 through December 2010, reporting to the CEO. In 2011 she formed her own consulting business with Sony as a client. While at Sony she oversaw all U.S. corporate communications and public relations activities for the company’s electronics, entertainment and new technology businesses, and directed global communications in collaboration with Sony’s Tokyo headquarters. She also served as President of the Sony USA Foundation, with responsibility for public affairs and philanthropic activities in the U.S., including the operation of the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, an interactive museum for children. Before joining Sony, Ms. Morfogen served as Vice President of Media Relations for CBS Inc. from September 1988 through August 1994. As the senior communications officer for the company, she was responsible for all publicity and media relations activities for CBS, CBS Entertainment, CBS News, and CBS Sports, as well as related network, affiliate, sales and corporate operations. Prior to that she worked for CBS News for more than 10 years, and held various positions in communications, public affairs and management at CBS Entertainment in Los Angeles, and the CBS Television Stations. She serves on the boards of numerous professional organizations, and was the recipient of a NY Women’s Agenda Star Award in 2005.

 

Goki Muthusamy heads the Diversity & Inclusion Program for Asia Pacific at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and is based in Singapore. She is responsible for proactively evaluating the bank’s diversity and inclusion needs and driving the strategy and execution of critical D&I projects across the Asia Pacific platform. Ms. Muthusamy joined Merrill Lynch in 2007. Prior to joining the bank, she worked with a non-profit organization that focused on Youth and Development. As such, she successfully completed projects in Indonesia and Botswana.  Ms. Muthusamy is involved in many civil society projects in Asia and Europe advocating the importance of cultural diversity and pluralism.  She was trained on the concept of cultural diversity, youth and volunteerism in an organization based in UNESCO Paris. She graduated in 2005 and has a BA in Psychology from the National University of Singapore.

 

Nobuko Nagase is a professor of Labor Economics and Social Policy at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo Japan. She has written about work and family in Asian perspective, comparing Japan with other East Asian and Western economies. Her field includes wage structure and work choice, labor market regulations and social security, tax and other institutional effects on work and gender, marital behavior and child-birth timing. Dr. Nagase has conducted empirical studies on child care supply, the public pension system, long-term care insurance, child care leave and other institutional features of the Japanese system. Presently, she is a representative of a five-year competitive research project focusing on enhancing Japanese women’s career attainment, increasing men’s family involvement, and promoting social policies, including supportive changes in labor practices in firms, in the supply of day care facilities, and in rules for governmental outlays. Results of her research have been published in various scholarly journals, including Japanese Economic Journal, Journal of Population Problem, Econometric Review and Quarterly Journal of Social Policy. She has also been appointed to various committees of the government.

 

Claire Ngo is the Founder and CEO of CMN Consultancy. She established CMN Consultancy, an advisory and coaching business aimed at fostering talent development in Asia in 2008. CMN’s clients include multinational institutions, universities, and corporate executives.  She is passionate about mentoring and maximizing potential.  Prior to that, Ms. NGO was at Goldman Sachs from 1995 until January 2008, where she helped build their Equities business in Singapore and headed their Asian shares US business in New York.  Ms. Ngo was appointed Managing Director in 2002 and has served on the Women’s, ASEAN, and Charities Committee. She participated in the ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum and co-chaired the GS Women’s ASCEND conference in Asia and continues to be a huge advocate for promoting qualified women into key leadership positions. She sat on the GS Singapore Pte. Ltd. Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008. Prior to Goldman Ms. Ngo was chosen to aid Charter 77 Foundation, advising a group of Czech Ministry of Finance and Czech bank officials in Prague in 1992. She is a member of the Chairman’s Council for Conservation International and currently sits on the Board of the Singapore Repertory Theatre. She is also the Singapore Partner for Chartwell, a global speaker bureau.  Ms. Ngo was recently named a 2012 Henry Crown Fellow at The Aspen Institute.  She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia.

 

Ton Nu Thi Ninh is currently the Director of the Tri Viet Center for Social and Educational Research. She has served her country as a diplomat for more than two decades, specializing in multilateral institutions (United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Francophonie, ASEAN) and global issues (international peace and security, development, environment, governance, and human rights). Madame Ninh was the chief architect for key international efforts on behalf of Viet Nam, such as the holding of the Summit of French-Speaking Countries in 1997 in Ha Noi. From 2000 to 2003, Madam Ninh was Ambassador and Head of Mission to the European Union in Brussels, then, until 2007, Vice Chair of Viet Nam’s National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee with a special focus on North America and Western Europe. She is currently a member of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament and is on the Honorary Advisers’ Council of the Asia-New Zealand Foundation.

 

Susan Oliver is chairman of Fusion Retail Brands, and a Non-Executive Director of CNPR, Programmed Group, Coffey International. She is an experienced company director of 16 years on the boards of major listed companies that include Transurban Group, Centro Properties Group, Just Group and Mutual MBF. Not-for-profit roles include Melbourne Chamber Orchestra , The Smith Family and the Victorian AICD council. Ms. Oliver has executive experience in the private and public sector as a senior manager in technology business development, start-up Company and new technology commercialization, project management, policy development and strategy consulting. She has contributed significantly to the innovation, IT and arts policy agendas in Australia and is on the small technologies panel for the Victorian government. She teaches risk and strategy modules for the AICD. In 2010 she conducted a study for the Australian Institute of Company Directors on scenarios for the director of the future and in 2011 completed a study for Skills Australia on scenarios to 2025 for skills in Australia.

 

Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi is head of Unilab Foundation, and concurrently Senior VP for Corporate Affairs, Corporate Planning and HR for Unilab. Ms. Palomar-Fresnedi has a unique perspective that comes from her combined work and life experience. She has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and North America.  Her global career has seen her through different senior executive roles, including 15 years in global Unilever. For her work, she was externally recognized as one of the top Asian Women of Achievement in the UK in 2005, and Outstanding Filipino in Singapore in 2009. She is also co-Founder of Except One, Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based management consultancy.  She works with Chairmen, CEOs and senior business leaders globally in transforming leaders and organizations, as consultant or executive coach. Ms. Palomar-Fresnedi is a sought-after speaker on leadership, global diversity and CSR. She holds a B.A. in Mass Communications, Magna Cum Laude, from Far Eastern University, and a Master in Management, with Distinction, from The Asian Institute of Management.

 

Farah Pandith was appointed Special Representative to Muslim Communities by the US Department of State in June 2009. Her office is responsible for executing Secretary Clinton’s vision for engagement with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organizational level. She reports directly to the Secretary of State. Prior to this appointment, she was Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. In this role she was focused on Muslim communities in Europe where she was responsible for policy oversight for integration, democracy, and Islam in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. She also worked on issues relating to countering violent Islamic extremism. Before joining the Department of State, she served as the Director for Middle East Regional Initiatives for the National Security Council. She was responsible for coordinating U.S. policy on “Muslim World” Outreach and the Broader Middle East North Africa initiative. She reported directly to the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy. Special Representative Pandith served on the staff of the National Security Council from December 2004 to February 2007. She received an A.B. in Government and Psychology from Smith College, where she was president of the student body. She has served as a Trustee of alma maters Smith College and Milton Academy. She is currently a member of the Board of Overseers of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

 

Jayagowri Pindaya is Assistant Director of NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women (NIEW), Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia.   In this position she is responsible for conducting training courses and workshops, organizing luncheon talks and lecture series, conducting international seminars, and coordinating research on women’s issues. She provides consultation services to NAM member countries to support their own efforts to empower their women. She seeks funding and sponsorship from other corporations and organizations in order to help increase the participation of women from the poorer countries of NAM. Prior to this position, Ms. Pindaya served in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry as an Investigation Officer and a Bilateral Officer for China, EU, Japan, ROK and India.  She received her B.A. (Hons) in Business and Financial Economics from Staffordshire University, UK, and is currently pursuing a Masters in Economics at University Malaya.

 

Carley Pulford is the Executive Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. She works closely with the membership, events and communications team to assist members in meeting their business goals as well as growing the Canadian community in Shanghai.  M. Pulford’s dedication to providing members with quality services and bringing together the Canadian community has been key to moving the Chamber and the Canadian business network forward.

 

 

 

Imma Riera is a member of the Spanish Parliament, the Congress of Deputies.  She was first elected as a deputy in 2000, and is a member of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, part of the Convergence and Union Coalition. Ms Riera has been Chairman of the Subcommittee on Privatization, Vice President of the Committee on Finance, Spokesperson of the Covenants of Toledo (pensions), and a member of Bilateral Spain – Russia’s Congress of Deputies. Currently, she sits on the Committee on Industry, Energy and Tourism, where she is Spokesperson for Science and Innovation; as well as the Economic Committee. She began her career in the financial sector, assuming different responsibilities (Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Banking area and Corporate) at two Italian banks. Subsequently, she assumed a leading position at Arthur Andersen, and later at PricewaterhouseCoopers. She has participated in several international conferences and seminars as a lecturer in economic and financial matters, and has written articles of interest in various worldwide media. Ms. Riera holds a law degree from the University of Barcelona, a Diploma in Comparative Law from the University of Strasbourg (France), a Master in International Politics and Economics from the University of Florence (Italy), a Diploma London Forex (ACI), and PADE IESE (Barcelona, Spain).

 

Sophiline Cheam Shapiro is a choreographer, dancer, vocalist and educator whose dances have infused the venerable Cambodian classical form with new ideas and energy. She is co-founder and Artistic Director of Khmer Arts, dual-based in Long Beach, CA and Takhmao, Cambodia.  Ms.  Shapiro is a 2009 recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship, a lifetime honor awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, and a USA Knight Fellowship. She was awarded the Nikkei Asia Prize for Culture in 2006 and has received Creative Capital, Durfee, Guggenheim and Irvine Dance Fellowships, among many other honors. Born in Phnom Penh, she was a member of the first generation to graduate from the School of Fine Arts after the fall of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime and was a member of the dance faculty there from 1988 to 1991. She studied all three major roles for women (neang, nearong and yeak), which is rare. With the school’s ensemble, she toured India, the Soviet Union, the USA and Vietnam. She immigrated to Southern California in 1991, where she studied dance ethnology at UCLA at undergraduate and graduate levels.  She is an Asia Society Asia 21 Fellow from class of 2007.

 

Shen Hong is a fashion critic from New York and is the CEO and Chief Creative Artist of EVE New York. Ms. Hong was the first person to bring the concept of “Personal Wardrobe Assistant” into China, and played the role of consultant and spokeswomen of the government. She was also a host on CCTV and other local satellite TV stations. In 2005, Ms. Hong published the book All The Vogue, which has sold over one million copies.  She has worked as the chief image consultant for weather forecast hostesses at CCTV, and has been honored by the China Women’s Federation. In 2009, she published Scarf En Vogue, and was featured on the cover of Wise Leaders. She introduced the famous American designer brand Badgely Mishcka into China, and was appointed as a consultant to the Shanghai Tourist Bureau.

 

Ambica Shrestha is President of The Dwarika’s Group of Hotels and Resorts in Nepal.  She is also the Managing Director of Kathmandu Travels and Tours, Managing Director of Nepal Treks and Natural History Expedition, President of The Dwarika’s Himalayan Shangri-La Village Resort, and Chairman of Himal Media.  The Hotel Dwarika has now become a landmark and an example of heritage preservation through tourism. The hotel has won the PATA Heritage Award and many other awards. Ms. Shrestha began her career as a schoolteacher.  In 1969, she and her husband opened Kathmandu Travel & Tours. Ms. Shrestha is the first Tourism Women Entrepreneur in Nepal, and is a member of the National Tourism Council and Organization. She received her bachelors’ degree from Patna University, and speaks Newari, Nepali, English, and Hindi.

 

Song Qinghua is the Founder and Executive Director of Shining Stone Community Action (SSCA), a well-known NGO in China. Her NGO career started in 1997 when she joined Global Village of Beijing. She founded Shining Stone Community Action in 2002. Since then, she has researched participatory development in urban communities. From 2002 to 2010, she facilitated over 300 trainings and workshops, attended by over 45000 people, and organized and hosted over 100 public discussions on social issues. Since 2005, Ms. Song has devoted special attention to the development of social enterprises in China. She has visited social enterprises and social entrepreneurs in Britain, America, India, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with funding support from the British Council, Global Links Initiatives (Britain), and Ford Foundation (U.S.).

 

Deborah M. Soon is Senior Vice President, Strategy & Marketing for Catalyst.  She is responsible for Catalyst’s business strategy and planning, market assessment, and overall marketing operations. For Catalyst’s entry into new markets, Ms. Soon sets priorities and develops the business model, entry strategy, and plan. In addition, she is responsible for brand management, corporate events, public affairs, IT, and Catalyst’s Corporate Board Services. Prior to working at Catalyst, Ms. Soon was a consultant at Spencer Stuart, one of the leading global executive search firms. Her search engagements focused on the areas of technology, education, and healthcare, with specific functional emphasis on CEOs, other senior executives, and board placements. Prior to Spencer Stuart, Ms. Soon was the CEO of Larscom, a telecommunications company she took public in 1996 and subsequently led as a public entity. Earlier in her career, she held various executive positions in marketing and software engineering at AT&T, BBN, and EDS. She holds a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of California at San Diego and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. She also completed special studies in Mathematics at Cambridge University, England. Ms. Soon is a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Advisors of DirectWomen Board Institute and a member of the Advisory Board of Watermark.

 

Claudia Süssmuth-Dyckerhoff is a Director in the Shanghai Office of McKinsey & Company. She joined McKinsey in 1995 in its Zurich Office. Since then she has focused on working for healthcare companies and health systems in Europe, the US and Asia. In 2006 she moved with her family to China and serves clients in China and across Asia. In addition to her leadership role in the Pharma/Health Care Practice in China, Dr. Süssmuth-Dyckerhoff is also leading the Asian Health Systems and Services Sector that includes provider and payor client work. Much of her recent work has been in support of local Asian health ministries, including an inside-out analysis of one country’s healthcare system and recommendations for reform as well as supporting privatization of health services. She also serves Healthcare clients on strategic questions like expansion, localization of services, commercial excellence, organizational design and talent development. Within McKinsey Dr. Süssmuth-Dyckerhoff is known as a passionate people leader and in this context she also leads various McKinsey Women initiatives across Asia, including broadening the internal network, dedicated trainings, mentorship programs, and the Asia-wide McKinsey Women Matter research. She holds a PhD in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen focusing on strategy and organization (1995) and she holds an MBA from ESADE in Barcelona (1992).

 

Tang Jimei is General Manger of Jiangsu Shengmei Industrial and Technological Group. Shengmei Group was founded in 2000 and now has eight subsidiary companies, and has become a synthesized, highly efficient and environmentally friendly company that leads the industry in Jiangsu province. Ms. Tang was honored as a Yangzhong Top Ten Women Entrepreneur, Jiangsu Outstanding Business Women, and Jiangsu Women’s Pace-setter. She makes a special effort to employ laid-off workers, lightening unemployment pressure on the community. Ms. Tang also established Shengmei Charities to help with Shengmei employees who are in difficult circumstances and people who need assistance in the community. Shengmei has sponsored public welfare affairs with a million yuan in the past two years.

 

Shamo Thar is the Managing Director of the Pentok Institute. Over the past decade, she has worked extensively with Tibetan rural communities in Qinghai, western China and international development agencies in the USA and China. She has held a lectureship at Qinghai Normal University where she taught English, and initiated and instructed the Development Studies Program. Born and raised in Qinghai, the least developed region in western China, she has seen issues like poverty hinder opportunities for many young girls and women. Humbled by a trip to Mukbo Village, an isolated herding community of 750 Tibetan nomads in Qinghai, she worked together with her former female students to create the Pentok Institute, a women’s non-profit organization, which was founded in 2009. Pentok Institute is dedicated to empowering Tibetan women through sustainable education and leadership services in rural villages of Qinghai. Shamo Thar’s work at Pentok has been financially awarded by the Global Fund for Women, Clinton Global Initiative, World-Change, the Australian Embassy in Beijing and many other individuals, female entrepreneurs and grant-making organizations. As the managing director at Pentok, she raises funds, develops program strategies and brings together networks from around the globe for the cause. Shamo Thar holds an MA in international development from Brandeis University, USA, which she attended on a fully financially-supported scholarship program.

 

Astrid Tuminez is the Vice Dean for Research at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. She brings to the school nearly two decades of experience in public policy analysis, philanthropy, research and project management, and private equity. Prior to joining LKY School, Dr. Tuminez was Senior Research Associate of the Philippine Facilitation Project of the United States Institute of Peace. She was also a Senior Fellow of the Southeast Asian Research Centre of the City University of Hong Kong.

 

 

Malini Vaidya is based in the Singapore office of Spencer Stuart and leads the firm’s Consumer Goods & Services Practice for the Asia Pacific region as well as the Packaged Goods Practice globally. She also drives the firm’s efforts for the Board Services and CEO practices for Southeast Asia, in addition to playing an active role in developing the Financial Services Practice’s search initiatives throughout Asia. Previously, Ms. Vaidya was a consultant in the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur offices of another international executive search firm. There, she played a key role in driving the firm’s Malaysian practice, led the financial services practice group for Southeast Asia, and co-led the firm’s efforts in the consumer goods and services industry within the region.  Prior to her career in executive search, she served as the India head of business development for cash management services in the corporate financial services group of ANZ Grindlays Bank.  Ms. Vaidya also served as strategic adviser within ANZ Grindlays as a member of the core McKinsey–Grindlays team. She holds an honors bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Xavier’s College at Bombay University, and master’s degrees in finance and in economics from Northeastern University in Boston.  She is a citizen of Singapore and has previously lived and worked in both India and the United States.

 

Juree Vichit-Vadakan teaches at the Graduate School of Public Administration, National Institute of Development Administration where she had served as Dean of the School as well as Vice President and President of the National Institute of Development Administration. Currently she serves as the Secretary General of Transparency International (Thailand chapter). She has worked extensively (and has been a strong advocate) in the following areas: good governance and anti-corruption, civil society as a development partner, philanthropy for development, and gender equality and women’s rights. She founded the Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society which advocates for balanced, equitable and sustainable development as well as for fostering civil society and giving for social purpose. In 2003 Dr. Juree was appointed as Chair of the Organizing Committee for Women Leaders Network Conference which the Thai Government hosted in conjunction with the APEC meetings in the same year.  She also served as Chair of APEC’s Gender Focal Point Network for 2003.  In addition, she has been appointed as a member of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women from 2004-2007 and again from 2012-2015. Dr. Juree is responsible for numerous research and consultancy projects, both for government and international agencies. She also serves on several government as well as national civil society boards. Dr. Juree earned her BA, MA and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. The numerous awards that she has received over the years include the Haas International Award from University of California Berkeley in 2006 and an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Law from Indiana University in 2007.

 

Freda Yixun Wang is the China Representative of the Asia Society China Center. She has been associated with Asia Society since 1995 and has been an International Council Member of Asia Society since 2000. In addition, Ms. Wang is a council member of the China Reform Forum, a Beijing think tank, since 2000, as well as the managing director of Shanghai Wisdom Communication Consulting Co. since 2005. Prior to that, she was the co-founder and managing director of ME-China Inc., and was the founding chief corporate representative of Dow Jones & Company Inc. in Shanghai. She also concurrently served as managing director of Dow Jones TV Group China and vice Chairman of Dow Jones Shanghai Consulting Inc. Other positions Ms. Wang held include:  the director of international business development for TV Art International, Inc. in New York, project manager at The Center for US-China Arts Exchange at Columbia University in USA, officer at the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture in China.

 

Wang Jianjun is Secretary of the CPC Committee of Radio and TV Shanghai, and Chief Executive of Shanghai Media Group（SMG). SMG has maintained one of the most complete portfolios of media and related businesses in China, and is now one of China’s largest providers and distributors of Chinese language media contents and services. Prior to her current role, Ms. Wang served in different key positions with the Shanghai municipality and was an acclaimed veteran in public sector communication for more than a decade. She successfully headed the planning and execution of many publicity campaigns, amongst which were those to promote the image of the city of Shanghai and for major international events such as the 2001 Fortune Global Forum and APEC hosted by Shanghai.  Ms. Wang also worked as Chief Editor of a number of national award-winning print and video campaign publications. She has received national awards for leading the creation and operation of news centers for the Shanghai section of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. She currently sits on the Organizing Committee of Shanghai Magnolia Stage Performance Award and the Leadership Group of the Special Theme for Art & Literature, and is Deputy Director of China Revitalization Reading Guidance Committee. Wang majored in Chinese Literature at Shanghai Normal University, then studied Law at East China University of Politics and Law and Economy & Management in The Party School of The Central Committee of CPC.

 

Yan Li Wang is a Partner of HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, a major Australian legal firm. She has 20 years’ experience in taxation and corporate/commercial law gained in both accounting and legal firms. A significant part of her practice involves being a trusted advisor to senior executives, business owners and their family groups, managing their commercial, legal and tax affairs.  Ms. Wang works with clients in the manufacturing, packaging, retail, property and construction, leisure and hospitality industries as well as high net worth individuals and family groups both in Australia and overseas, along with nonprofit organizations. She is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and other Chinese dialects and her understanding of Chinese and Asian culture greatly assists her clients in their commercial dealings in Asia as well as in facilitating Asian investment in Australia.  Ms. Wang is also an advisory board member, and the Australian representative, of private charitable foundations with a global reach in 40 countries. In this capacity, she assesses funding applications to the foundations, provides counsel to and works with NGOs both in Australia and overseas on projects in medical research, education, microfinance, social enterprises and post disaster reconstruction. She is a member of the Leadership Council (Melbourne) of Social Ventures Australia, an NGO that provides funding and strategic support to other NGOs to attain fundamental sustainable social change for disadvantaged communities.

 

Erna Witolear is the former UN Special Ambassador for MDGs in Asia Pacific (2003-2007). She had served as the Indonesian Minister of Human Settlements and Regional Development; also as a member of the Commission on Developing Countries and Global Changes, and the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor. Ms. Witolear is at present chairing the Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia, the Foundation for Local Governance Innovation (YIPD). She is the honorary chair of the Earth Charter International, co-chair of the Asia Pacific Water Forum; on the board of diverse CSOs like the Indonesia Biodiversity Foundation (KEHATI), the Foundation for Sustainable Development (YPB), Friends of the Environment Fund (DML), and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) based in Canada. Ms. Witolear founded the Indonesian Environmental Forum (WALHI); was also president of Consumers International (CI) and the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI).  She is a chemical engineer from Bandung Institute of Technology with a Master of Science in Human Ecology from the University of Indonesia.

 

Cecile Wu is a Director of Global Corporate & Investment Banking, Bank of America, N.A. She is a Senior Banker and East China Team Head of Local Corporate.  She has 18 years banking experience in coverage function. Prior to her role with BANA, she was Head of China Desk for Americas of Citibank based in New York, responsible for both inbound and outbound business.  Ms. Wuspent 5 years with Citibank China before relocating to New York and managed one of the most important and largest local client portfolios in the East China region. She has years of experience in corporate banking with Societe Generale.  Ms. Wu is very active in diversity and inclusion program during her days with Citi and was part of the steering committee for the Citibank China Women Council, responsible for networking. She was born in Shanghai and received a BA from Shanghai International Studies University.  She can speak Mandarin, French and English.

 

Wu Qing is the founder of the Beijing Cultural Development Center for Rural Women and a well-known English Language Professor.  She taught English Language for 40 years from 1960-2000. Before she retired, she was teaching English and American Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. During her term in the university, she was conferred Excellent Professor Award, Excellent Teacher Award twice from the Municipality of Beijing and Margaret Turner Award for Best Teacher teaching the basics many times. From 1977 – 1979, she was seconded to China Central Television (CCTV) to host the English on TV program and English on Sunday program, televised throughout China. Since the mid-1980s, Professor Wu has been actively promoting human rights and women’s rights. She was a member of Women’s Studies Forum, English Department, Beijing Foreign Studies University, from 1986 – 1995. Beginning in 1989, she has served as a gender specialist with the Canadian International Development Agency. She became a People’s Deputy to the Haidian People’s Congress in 1984. She has received numerous awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award, presented by the government of the Philippines, being named an “Outstanding Individual of 2007” by the Changping District Education Committee, and a “Top Cover Personality” by the Chinese Senior Citizens’ magazine; and was nominated by the Schwab Foundation Network as one of the World’s Outstanding Social Entrepreneurs of 2003.

 

ShiQi Wu works on Commerce Solutions for Google APAC, based in Singapore. Her interest in diversity and inclusion includes gender and fostering organizational success in a multi-cultural workforce. As such, she also leads the Women@Google initiative in APAC which looks to build connections and development opportunities for women working at Google and their communities. She has a BA in History from The Pennsylvania State University and an MA in Chinese history from Columbia University.

 

 

 

 

Wu Yanmei is the Secretary of the CPC Branch in Zhenjiang Jingkou District.  Ms. Wu became a CPC member when she was 22. In 2007, she started her career in Jingkou District of Zhenjiang City. Between 2000 and 2007, she studied at Jiangsu University, earning her bachelors and masters degrees. After graduation from Jiangsu University, Ms. Wu’s first job was the Deputy Secretary of CPC branch in Jingkou District Xiangshan Town Zongzelu Community. Later, she transferred to Jingkou District Xiangshan Town Jiu Lijie Community to take her current position of Secretary of CPC Branch.

 

 

 

Guomei Xia is a professor at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. She is an expert on health sociology and social policies in China. She is the Executive Director of the Center for Studies of Social Development and Human Health at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.  Ms. Xia has been engaged in health-related research programs since the 1990’s and has published numerous books and academic articles in leading journals. Her publications are well received by researchers and policy makers and her contributions to China’s HIV prevention and drug control are highly appreciated by academic community and government.  Ms. Xia has appeared frequently on television on issues about gender, sex and drug education, and HIV risk, which makes her one of the most popular scholars in Shanghai.

 

 

Huijuan Xu is Assistant President and Director of Dean’s Office at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). Before joining CEIBS in 2001, Ms. Xu was Director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Division and Associate Professor at BUAA.   Her publications have appeared in the Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering (International Academic Publishers), Academic Degrees & Graduate Education, Journal of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Aeronautical Science and Technology, and Beijing Higher Education Research. She earned her EMBA degree at CEIBS, Shanghai in 2011, Master’s degree in Management of Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, New York in 1999, and Bachelor degree in Materials Science at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA) in 1988. Before going abroad for overseas study, Ms. Xu was a part-time Ph.D. student in Management Science and Engineering and a part-time Masters student in Educational Economy and Administration at BUAA (a Master-doctor continuous study Program).

 

Yu Xiaqiu is the chairwoman of Changjiang Runfa Group.  Ms. Yu previously worked in the medical field, and established Changjiang Runfa Group in 2001.  Under her leadership, Changjiang Runfa Group has become one of the top national brands in the industry of elevator fittings.  She has won many awards, including the National Women’s Pace-setter, Jiangsu Women’s Pace-setter, and Suzhou Top 10 Outstanding Women. In addition, Ms. Yu is a member of the Seventh National Science Association Committee and the Eleventh Jiangsu People’s Congress.

 

Yu Xiaoqi is an associate professor and Master’s tutor of the School of Humanities and Law of Jiangsu University. Her research approaches and research interests are in the fields of Jurisprudence, Judicial ethics, Legislation, Marriage and Family, and Women.  Ms. Yu holds multiple degrees including a Bachelors in Education from the Department of Political Science in Qiqihar University; Master in Legal Theory from the  Graduate School in Party School of the CPC, and Doctor of Law from the College of Humanities of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.  She received the first and second prize of systematic thesis in the Party School of the CPC and National School of Administration, the third prize of philosophy social science in Jiangsu province and the first prize of women research achievements in Jiangsu province. Ms. Yu is a member of the East Asia the Law and Philosophy Institute, director of Marriage and family law of China Institute, legislative consulting expert of provincial National People’s Congress Committee for Internal and Judicial Affairs, director of provincial Women’s Research Society and CPPCC member of Suzhou city.

 

Tashi Zangmo is the Executive Director and the Founder of the Bhutan Nuns Foundation (BNF), in Thimphu Bhutan.   Dr. Zangmo’s childhood experience inspired her to champion the cause of underprivileged women and girls through educating Buddhist nuns in Bhutan. Right after she received her PhD Degree in 2009, she returned to her home country and started the Bhutan Nuns Foundation (BNF) under the patronage of Her Majesty, the Queen Mother, Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck. The Foundation’s mission is to provide adequate learning opportunities and improve the basic living conditions of every Nunnery in Bhutan, so that the nuns of Bhutan will in turn benefit the women and young girls in the larger Bhutanese society. It also plans to create a Higher Buddhist Learning Center (equivalent to college) that will be open to all Bhutanese nuns seeking higher education in Buddhist studies, as well as to provide a space for the general women in Bhutan.  Dr. Zangmo has a Bachelor’s Degree in Buddhist Higher Studies from the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Varanasi, India, and an additional Bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in Development Studies. She has a Master’s and PhD degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

 

Zhang Guoyun is deputy director general of Foreign Affairs Office of Zhenjiang Municipal Government. Mr. Zhang holds a Master’s Degree of Philosophy from Suzhou University.  He has gained abundant experience of dealing with foreign affairs during his long-time career. He is a senior worker in the fields of foreign affairs in Zhenjiang City.  Mr. Zhang was once honored International Friendship Award from Tempe City, Arizona in USA.

 

Zhang Jingxia is the president of Jiangsu Women’s Federation, a position she has held since December of 2008.  The main goal of Jiangsu Women’s Federation is to unite and mobilize women in the Jiangsu Province to take part in China’s reform and social development.  The Federation also seeks to promote the implementation of the basic State policy of gender equality.  Ms. Zhang was born in Jiangsu Taixing City and received educated at Nanjing Normal University Department of Ideological and Political Education.  She also studied Economic Management in Party School of the Central Committee of CPC.  Ms. Zhang was accepted to the Communist Party of China in January 1974.  She started her career in Taixing Machine Tools Factory and held many positions including Secretary of the Communist Youth League Taixing Committee, Secretary of the CPC Hanjiang District Committee, and member of standing committee of the CPC Yangzhou committee.  

 

Nathan Zhang or “Xiangzi,” is the founder of brandnü project. Born in Liaoning, Mr. Zhang is a designer and communications professional with a passion for connecting creative communities with rural artisans.  He was first inspired to found brandnü while living and working abroad in Canada, where he studied leading models of social enterprise. In 2008, Mr. Zhang and his wife moved back to China with a mission: to help rural women. Through brandnü, he aims to build bridges between East and West that promote China’s socially-conscious designers and entrepreneurs. He is working hard to make brandnü a place where love can be received and spread to others.

 

Zhang Ying has been the president of Northern International Group since 2009.  Prior to that, she had two years’ experience as Chief Director of Trade Development Division in Tianjin Commission of Commerce. She had previously worked as chief director in Tianjin Foodstuffs Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd. for seven years.  Ms. Zhang graduated from Nankai University with a doctorate in international trade, and has been invited as the master tutor of Nankai University.  She is an honorary Vice Chairman of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles.  She is also a member of Tianjin Qualification Evaluation Committee.  She is a visiting professor at Tianjin University of Finance and Economics.  She speaks English and Japanese. 

 

Zhang Yixing is deputy director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government. Previously, she spent eight years as Deputy Director General of the Shanghai Commerce Committee.  From 1988 to 2000, she was a professor at Shanghai International Studies University. She received her education at Shanghai International Studies University, in English Language and Literature, and at Lancaster University, in Linguistics.

 

Zhou Weijing is a professor and the Associate President of the Foreign Languages School of Jiangsu University of Science and Technology. Her research interests are in the fields of applied linguistics, phonetics of English and Chinese, second language acquisition, ESP research, and research on Pearl S. Buck. Between 2000 and 2008, Dr. Zhou taught at the Foreign Languages School of Jiangsu University. Since 2007, she has worked with the Cambridge Phonetics Science Lab.  She is the deputy chairwoman of the Zhenjiang Pearl S. Buck Research Association, Academic Chief of the Zhenjiang Pearl S. Buck Memorial Hall, a member of the World’s Applied Linguistics Research Association, Asia-Pacific Applied Linguistics Research Association, and International Phonetic Association. Dr. Zhou also is the Executive Director of Foreign Language Testing Research Association of China and Colleges & Universities English Phonetic Teaching Research Association of China.  She has a Bachelor’s degree from the Foreign Languages School of Suzhou University and a Master’s and Ph.D.’s degree from the Foreign Languages School of Nanjing University.

 

 Zhu Xiaoming is the Vice Mayor and Acting Mayor of Zhenjiang. From 1986 to 2004, Ms. Zhu worked for the Jiangsu Planned Economy Committee. She joined the Communist Party of China in 1992, and later held the position of Chief of the Planning Department in the Development and Reform Commission. In 2004, Ms. Zhu was appointed the Vice Director of the Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission. Since 2010, Ms. Zhu has been the Chairwoman and head of the party group of the Jiangsu Bureau of Statistics.  She has a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Environmental Protection at Nanjing Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree from the Party School.

 

Zhu Zheqin (aka Dadawa) is the first contemporary Chinese diva to achieve worldwide stardom.  She has sold over 3 million CDs worldwide and in over 50 countries.  Ms. Zhu is the founder of “Show the World,” a culture-based development goodwill action for ethnics in China, started in 2009.  She served as an UNDP China Goodwill Ambassador 2009-2011.   She received the 2010 Chinese Culture Promoter Award from the Chinese Culture Promotion Society.