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Kai-Fu Lee
Founder & CEO, 01.AI and Chairman of Sinovation VenturesDr. Kai-Fu Lee is Founder & CEO of 01.AI and Chairman of Sinovation Ventures, a leading venture capital firm managing US$3 billion in dual-currency funds and building the next generation of deep-tech companies. Sinovation's distinctive "VC + AI" model powers venture-building across AI startups, with 01.AI, founded by Dr. Lee in 2023, as its flagship. At the cutting edge of the generative AI and AI agents revolution, 01.AI develops advanced solutions and builds global partnerships to accelerate enterprise and sovereign AI transformation. Before founding Sinovation Ventures, Dr. Lee served as President of Google China and held senior executive roles at Microsoft, SGI, and Apple.
He holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Columbia University, a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University, and honorary doctorates from both Carnegie Mellon University and the City University of Hong Kong.
He previously co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Council at the World Economic. Dr. Lee is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost voices on artificial intelligence, having been named to TIME100 AI's Top 25 AI Leaders, TIME 100 (2013), and WIRED 25 Icons of the Century. Across social media platforms, he is followed by more than 50 million people worldwide.
His contributions to the field of artificial intelligence span more than four decades. In 1988, he developed one of the first game-playing programs to defeat a world champion in Othello, and later built the world’s first large-vocabulary, speaker-independent continuous speech recognition system. At Apple, he led pioneering AI initiatives in speech and natural language processing that were featured on ABC’s Good Morning America and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. He also founded Microsoft Research Asia, originally called Microsoft Research China, which MIT Technology Review recognized as one of the world’s leading research labs.
Dr. Lee authored more than 100 academic papers and holds 10 U.S. patents. His New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling book, AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order (aisuperpowers.com), discusses US-China co-leadership in the age of AI, as well as the broader societal impacts of the AI technology revolution. His 2021 co-authored book, AI 2041 (ai2041.com), predicts how artificial intelligence will change our world over the next 20-year horizon. His new book, AI Native - The Mandate to Transform Your Company, will be published in the fall of 2026.
Jinjian Zhang
Founding Partner at Vitalbridge CapitalJinjian Zhang is the Founding Partner of Vitalbridge Capital. He has over 12 years of private markets investment experience, across companies' life cycle and China's evolving market landscape. He is widely recognized by industry peers as "the most aggressive and influential AI investor" in China. His circulated investment methodology series, Signal and Noise, has been influential within the investment community. Jinjian was named to the Fortune China 40 Under 40 list in 2024 and was awarded "Best Asia Tech Fund Manager of the Year 2025" by SuperReturn & Pitchbook.. His representative investments include MiniMax(00100.HK), SUDO, LimX Dynamics, SpiritAI and HyperShell.
Jinjian founded Vitalbridge in 2019 and has established a thematic investment approach. This approach is highly selective, concentrated, and oriented towards long-term investments ahead of broad market consensus. Vitalbridge has become one of the most influential funds in the AI and embodied AI field in recent years.
Jinjian holds a Master’s degree from the National Laboratory of Fudan University, majoring in neural network.
Samantha Zhu
Chairperson and Market Unit Lead at Accenture Greater ChinaSamantha Zhu is Accenture’s Senior Managing Director, Chairperson and Market Unit Lead for Greater China, responsible for the company’s strategy, growth, and operations in the region. She leads a team of around 14,000 professionals that offer services across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song to a wide variety of multinational and Chinese clients across industries.
Since joining Accenture in 1997, Samantha has held various leadership roles in Accenture Greater China, including Client Group Lead of Communications, Media & Technology, Operations Service Group, Human Capital and Diversity Lead, and the Corporate Citizenship Council Lead. Under her leadership, Accenture Greater China was certified as a Great Place to Work® for three years in a row since 2022.
Samantha has long been an advocate for responsible business and social impact, driving initiatives in women leadership, inclusion and diversity, and sustainability. She has been recognized as one of the most powerful women by Fortune China in 2022 and 2023 and as one of Forbes China’s 100 Power Businesswomen for three years as well. She sponsors Accenture’s engagement with the World Economic Forum on China’s energy transition and responsible AI.
Samantha holds a Bachelor of Arts from Fudan University and is based in Shanghai.
Nancy Wang
Country Manager, Greater China, and Head of Talent Solutions for Greater China, Southeast Asia and Korea at LinkedInNancy Wang is the Country Manager of LinkedIn Greater China, and Head of Talent Solutions for Greater China, Southeast Asia and Korea.
Since joining in 2019, she has led a high-impact team across Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, overseeing strategy, sales, marketing, business development, and customer success. Under her leadership, LinkedIn has become a trusted partner for organizations navigating digital transformation and global talent trends.
With over 20 years of experience, Nancy has held senior leadership roles at Microsoft, Oracle, and Trax, where she served as President of Greater China. Her career reflects a consistent focus on market expansion, team empowerment, and strategic execution.
Nancy is widely recognized for her visionary leadership. She was named one of Fortune China’s Most Influential Businesswomen for 2024 and 2025, a 36Kr SHE POWER 2023 Influential Woman, and a recipient of the 2024 Forbes Chinese Elite Award — honors that celebrate her impact in global business connectivity and her advocacy for women in leadership.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics and Trade from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and is currently pursuing an Executive MBA at the university’s Antai College of Economics and Management, further deepening her strategic and global business acumen.
Known for her clarity, empathy, and results-driven mindset, Nancy brings a rare blend of foresight and human connection to every role — inspiring teams, driving innovation, and building bridges across borders.
Chunmei Lin
President and General Manager of Corning Greater ChinaChunmei Lin is appointed Vice President, Corning Incorporated and President & General Manager, Corning Greater China in January 2025. In this role, she is responsible for leading Corning’s businesses in Greater China and ensuring integration of business processes in the region.
Lin joined Corning in 2005 and has held a series of leadership roles, including:
---- Vice president, government affairs and corporate communications, Greater China.
Oversaw government affairs and corporate communications strategies to support the growth of multiple Corning business groups in China.
---- Vice President, Government Affairs and Corporate Communications, Corning East Asia Region.
Led the newly established East Asia Government Relations Council, defined regional strategic priorities, enhanced cross-market collaboration, and expanded Corning’s influence across East Asia.
---- General Manager, Corning Pharmaceutical Technologies (CPT), China.
Drove the growth and profitability of Corning’s newly launched Pharmaceutical Technologies business in China, with a focus on scaling supply of borosilicate glass tubing for pharmaceutical packaging and accelerating the adoption of Corning® Velocity® Vials and Corning® Valor® Glass in the Chinese market.
---- Vice President and General Manager, Greater China, Life Sciences Market-Access Platform (MAP). Spearheaded the region’s growth strategy—leveraging new investments, product introductions, and strategic industry partnerships—to significantly increase revenue and profitability, while advancing organizational development and culture to enable sustainable, long-term success.
In addition, Lin has successfully led and executed multiple joint venture projects between Corning and its Chinese partners, demonstrating exceptional strategic execution and cross-functional leadership.
Lin holds a Master of Public Affairs degree in Economics from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Master’s degree in Linguistics from Beijing Normal University, and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Guanghua School of Management, Peking University.
Sally Loh
President of Otis Greater ChinaOtis has a long and proud history in China – dating back more than 130 years. Today, the region is marked by rapid urbanization and the rise of the digital era, granting Otis new and ongoing opportunities to deliver innovative solutions to its customers.
As President of Otis China, Sally is responsible for evaluating and responding to these market dynamics to ensure continued growth and development of the Otis business in China, while focusing on the digital transformation across our Service, field installation, manufacturing and enterprise operations. Based in Shanghai, she leads her teams to develop and implement strategies that drive customer satisfaction and ensure the safe, comfortable and reliable riding experience they have come to expect from Otis.
Sally joined the Otis family more than two decades ago, and has held roles of increasing responsibility across Asia. She was named CFO of Otis China in 2015, COO in 2022, and President of our China region in 2023. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and an MBA from the University of Manchester (UK).
Shirley Zhao
President of Astellas ChinaAs the President of Astellas China, Shirley is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Driven by the passion to bring the best healthcare to patients, she began her career as an obstetrician-gynecologist before moving into pharmaceutical commercial marketing and management roles.
With a track record of successfully driving brands to become market leaders in various therapeutic areas, Shirley brings extensive experience of developing corporate strategy, talent capability building and culture transforming & shaping. Prior to Astellas, Shirley has held various leadership positions in several multi-national and domestic innovative pharmaceutical companies, including VP and oncology BU head of Eli Lilly China, General Manager of Genzyme China, President of Allergan China, President of Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) China and General Manager of Cstone Greater China. She is also the first ever female General Manager of RDPAC, and the first Chinese Board Member of AmCham Shanghai.
The deep insight and high learning agility across companies and cultures, amidst the rapidly changing dynamics of China, brought numerous awards for Shirley including the Global President Award of BMS, the Global & APAC Best Brand Manager of Eli Lilly, the Best General Manager of Allergan International, and Women in ESG of sHero, etc. In 2025, Shirley was elected as the Executive Chairman of Alumni Association, Tongji University School of Medicine.
Shirley holds a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Tongji University School of Medicine in Shanghai and an MBA degree from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. She is an active co-founder of several women's leadership organizations and is a strong advocate for inclusion and diversity.
Dorothy Dong
President of Starr Investment Asia; Chairman at Starr Insurance ChinaMs. Dorothy Ying Dong is the President of Starr Investment Advisors (Asia) Limited and the Chairman of Starr Insurance China, responsible for the business operation, investment and development strategy in China for Starr Asia.
Ms. Dong Ying has been responsible for the establishment of Starr China Investment Platform since 2007 and focused on the healthcare investment fields. She has led the team and conducted investments in healthcare, technology, and insurance sectors, as well as Fund of Funds investments for more than 1.7 billion US dollars. Additionally, she has established a strong investment and industry ecosystem, resulting in excellent long-term performance returns through different economic cycles. Since 2014, she has served as Vice Chairman of Starr Insurance China and as the Chairman since 2020 after leading the acquisition of Dazhong Insurance.
Healthcare and technology are two of the fields in which Ms. Dong has extensive investments. Her investments include Techpool Bio, Buchang Pharma, Aidea Pharma, Gushengtang, Hanxi Hospitals, Nanyan Insurance, InnoCare, AkesoBio, Abbisko, Conmed, Boan Bio, Frontera, MegaRobo, Kuaishou, Kidswant, Huisuanzhang, JOVO Energy, and some other industry leaders, and establish close cooperative relationships with the entrepreneurial teams. As well as supporting and leading investments, Ms. Dong has also established strategic alliances with general partners to create a strong investment ecosystem, including Boyu, Yunfeng, Hew Horizon, Qiming, Sherpa, YuanBio, Long Hill, Hankang, Creacion, Quan, Eastern Bell, Sinovation, Ince, Gao Cheng, and some other leading funds.
Ms. Dong has over 25 years investment experiences. She has been working in many leading groups and serving as a member of the Bord of Directors or Advisory Board of many companies and investment funds. She has strong connections and resources in healthcare, insurance, finance, and technology fields, as well as related government authorities. Ms. Dong is the Founding Director and former Rotating Chairman of the China Medical and Health Industry Investment Forum of 50 (H50) and actively promoting the development of China's medical and health industry, as well as a Tutor of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) and an Executive Committee Member of China Children’s Development Fund, contributing to the progress of China's education and children's rights.
Prior to joining Starr, she served as a Vice President at AIG Global Investment Corp. (Shanghai) Ltd., a division of American International Group, Inc, focusing on private equity in the PRC, and as a Director at Anglo Chinese Finance Limited. She worked as an Analyst and Fund Manager for Atlas Fund at Rochdale Investment Management Company in New York. Prior to that, she worked for HSBC Corporate Finance (Asia) Limited and Credit Lyonnais Securities (Asia) Limited. Ms. Dong received Bachelor’s degree in law from Shanghai University (Fudan Sub-school) in the PRC, and MBA degree from McGill University, Canada. She was admitted as a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and is a member of the Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts and the CFA Institute.
Daniel Huang
CEO and Founder of MegaRoboDaniel Huang (Huang Yuqing) is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MEGAROBO Technologies. Graduated from Xi’an Jiaotong University with a bachelor’s degree in Information Engineering and holding an MBA from Tsinghua University, he previously led R&D teams at RIGOL Technologies specializing in precision electronic measurement and motion control.
He founded MEGAROBO in 2016 to develop modular intelligent autonomous agents integrated with AI, machine vision and industrial IoT. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a national high-tech enterprise providing end-to-end automation solutions for life science drug discovery, semiconductor manufacturing and light industrial sectors, with global clients and investment from industrial leader Bosch. Recognized as a Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow honoree, Daniel drives MEGAROBO’s mission to reshape lab and manufacturing workflows with flexible robotic automation.
Joanne Goh
Head of Business Execution at Citibank (China) Co., Ltd.Joanne Goh is Head of Business Execution for Citi China, based in Shanghai.
In this role, Joanne is responsible for the execution of a wide spectrum of Citi China’s franchise management priorities. She is also focused on strengthening the firm’s risk management as well as legal entity governance.
Prior to assuming her current position, Joanne was the Head of Business Management of Corporate Banking in China, responsible for strategic priorities execution and in-business risk management of Corporates, Financial Institutions, Public Sector, and Global Subsidiaries groups. Before that, she was a China Market Specialist in Securities Services.
Joanne began her career at Citi as a Management Associate in Hong Kong in 2004, where she has held various roles in Operations, Financial Institutions, as well as Asia-Pacific and Hong Kong country Securities Services.
Joanne is passionate about promoting an inclusive culture and engagement. She is the Senior Sponsor for Citi China’s Families Matter Network and for CitiClub. She is also currently serving as the Vice Chair of the AmCham Shanghai’s Women’s Executive Network Committee. Joanne holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Management degree from Cornell University.
Ellen Wu
Human Resource Director, Asia Small Medium Enterprise & Corporate of MicrosoftEllen has more than twenty five years of extensive human resources experience with proven track records in the areas of strategic business & people priority planning, leadership effectiveness and development, learning strategy, development framework, change management and organization development, talent development and executive and coaching, employee engagement and retention both at strategic and operational levels.
She is a certified executive coach since 2011 with the accredited program with International Coach Federation (ICF) and also certified with psychometrics & diagnostic tools such as Hogan, MBTI, EQi 2.0, Leadership Potential by Korn Ferry. Ellen is passionate in building the culture of diversity and inclusion, and has invested her personal time in the past few years on female talents growth and career coaching.
In Ellen’s current role as HR Director of Asia Research & Development at Microsoft, she is responsible of driving strategic clarity and alignment through partnership and consultation with business leaders to deliver value and impact from people and organization perspectives.
Prior to Microsoft, Ellen was the Sr. Director of Leadership & Talent Management at AIA Insurance Co. China orchestrating the company’s long term learning strategy with holistic development framework to enable business to achieve growth aspiration plan in China. Before that, Ellen has held various senior HR leadership positions at Standard Chartered Bank both in China and Singapore for seven years with client facing and center of excellence roles looking after learning for global functions, learning for ASEAN region and also overall HR management for Retail Banking Business in China.
Between 2006-2012, Ellen was with Microsoft both in Taiwan and Greater China Region as the subsidiary HR lead for Taiwan and the People and Organization Capability Consultant in the region. Before that, she has diverse cross-cultural and industry experience travelling around in Asia, America and Europe in other multinational companies headquartered in US, Switzerland, Taiwan including airline services, tele-communication, high technology both hardware and software, distribution, sales & marketing and services with various roles in business planning and support, project management, Human Resources management.
Yun Wang
Chief Financial Officer at Citibank ChinaYun Wang is the Chief Financial Officer of Citibank China, where he oversees the bank's financial strategy, accounting, and regulatory reporting in one of the world's most dynamic markets.
Yun's career began not in finance but in technology — he earned his B.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Cornell University and spent his early years as an engineer. That technical foundation has shaped how he leads today: as AI reshapes every job function, he brings a rare dual lens to the C-suite, combining an engineer's fluency in technology with a CFO's discipline in capital, risk, and governance. At Citi, he has championed the use of data and new technology tools to transform how finance teams work — automating the routine so people can focus on judgment, insight, and leadership.
Yun earned his MBA from Columbia Business School. He has built a 24-year career at Citi spanning New York, Singapore, Sydney, Bangkok, and Shanghai, in roles across Treasury, Strategy, M&A, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Controllership, before serving as country CFO.
A marathon runner and father of three, Yun is a committed mentor to emerging leaders and a strong advocate for building diverse, future-ready teams.
Karen Fan
Partner; Managing Partner and Chief Representative at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Shanghai Office (USA)Karen Fan is a partner, the Managing Partner and Chief Representative of Dorsey & Whitney Shanghai Office, qualified to practice in the State of New York and achieved PRC legal qualification.
Fan’s practice areas include cross-border M&A, PE & VC investment, international joint venture, business sale and asset divestiture, and CFIUS risk control and compliance program. Fan has the ability to provide strategic advice and practical guidance to Chinese clients when they encounter legal and regulatory challenges in expanding businesses into the international market.
Leading the China M&A group of Dorsey, Fan has completed many challenging and consequential cross-border M&A transactions, including (1) representing Visirna, a Greater China subsidiary of Arrowhead, in selling assets relating to Greater China rights to Plozasiran to Sanofi, (2) representing The Coca-Cola Company in the complex restructuring of the joint venture of still beverages business in China; and (3) representing Huntsman in restructuring an MDI facility in Shanghai (3) representing R&F Properties in the sale of the Guangzhou International Airport R&F Integrated Logistics Park to Blackstone. Under the leadership of Fan, Dorsey’s China M&A practice recently won the recognitions such as Deals of the Year 2021 to 2025: Cross Border by China Business Law Journal, China International Notable Law Firm by ALB Asia M&A Rankings 2022 – 2-24, Other Notable Firm: China in IFLR 1000 M&A Rankings 2022-2024. Personally, Fan has been recognized by China Business Law Journal as the Growth Driver in the A-List, 2025-2026 and IFLR1000 Rising Star Partner: M&A – Foreign: China, 2023 – 2025.
Fan is also a frequent professional speaker at Select USA events hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce on the topic of U.S. ever-changing legislation and policies on the clean energy industry. On that basis, Fan assisted numerous Chinese clean energy and EV component producers in navigating complex U.S. legal regime (including the Inflation Reduction Act, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and FEOC Rules) and developing strategic solutions to supply chain stability, market access, compliance and continued operations in the U.S. market.
As one of the first batch of honorable foreign lawyer members of the Shanghai Bar Association (“SBA”), Fan is a regular speaker in the foreign legal training programs organized by the SBA.
Olivia Plotnick
Founder of Wai SocialOlivia Plotnick holds 8+ years of experience helping brands plan and execute digital strategy for China. She is the founder of wai social, a marketing and consulting agency focused on helping brands build relationships and communities with consumers in China.
Olivia has held key leadership roles in several nonprofit communities including free-fitness community, FitFam, and IPWS - International Professional Women’s Society. She has delivered a TEDx talk on the power of communication, was selected as a Global Women Asia ’23-24 Fellow, and has delivered speeches at APEC and to numerous Fortune 500 companies and international delegations all over the world on the topic of marketing in China.
Stephanie Gao
Director of Executive Education at City University of Hong Kong’s College of BusinessProf. Stephanie Gao is a Professor at City University of Hong Kong’s College of Business. She holds a doctorate from the University of Montpellier, France, and a master’s degree from the University of St Andrews in the UK. Stephanie Gao is a bilingual, bicultural leader who has lived and worked in the United Kingdom.
She is a senior executive with extensive experience in AI, cloud computing, e-commerce and international business operations. Stephanie was deeply involved in company’s international business expansion, during her 11 years’ experience in Alibaba’s International business expansion, her experience come across global digital operations for Alibaba.com (SME business), AliExpress.com (B2C E-commerce), and Alibaba Cloud (Cloud and AI). This experience gave her a comprehensive understanding of business internationalization across variously business models and gained rich practical experiences.
As a former Vice President at Alibaba Cloud International, she oversaw the company’s overseas education ecosystem, positioning Alibaba Cloud as a top-three cloud service provider worldwide and a leading AI platform in Asia from education field. She built Alibaba Cloud International team’s global marketing and brand communication system from the ground up, integrating digital platforms, o2o marketing events and branding content into a unified global framework, also led the global relaunch of AlibabaCloud.com, consolidating product, training, and branding portals into a single multilingual platform that generate global SME business leads.
Parallel to her marketing leadership, Gao founded and scaled the Alibaba Cloud International Academy, establishing a full-stack global education framework. The Academy supports digital transformation for governments, universities, and enterprises through AI and cloud talent development programs. She also forged strategic partnerships with partners in 20+ countries, advancing global digital and AI education. Her leadership extended across APAC, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East, managing a multicultural team that executed business growth and talent development strategies.
As a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and founding member of the Global Alliance for AI and Intangible Valuation, she brings deep insight into how emerging technologies drive business value. Now at CityU, she leverages years of industry experience to enrich education, focusing on AI, cloud computing, and digital strategy in her teaching and programmers.
Jackie Luan
Founder and CEO of ChikkaJackie Luan is the Founder and CEO of Chikka, an AI-native Human Intelligence platform that helps organizations understand people at scale through intelligent, conversational research.
Before founding Chikka, Dr. Luan was a marketing professor at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, where she taught business data analytics and consumer insights. She later founded a data science and AI consulting company, working with global brands including Estée Lauder, Unilever, Disney, Walmart, and General Mills.
Today, Jackie works on the intersection of AI and human intelligence, and advise corporate leaders building AI-native platforms and teams. She has a Ph.D from Yale University and a B.A. degree from Peking University.
Stephanie Sam
Editor-in-Chief at American Chamber of Commerce in ShanghaiStephanie co-manages the Chamber’s flagship publications, including Insight magazine, and co-authors the China Business Report. She also drafts weekly briefings and contributes to leadership communications.
She frequently moderates and emcees large-scale conferences and international forums, engaging with senior executives and cross-border stakeholders.
William Yang
Founder & CEO of SigmaZ AIWilliam Yang is the Founder and CEO of SigmaZ AI, an interactive intelligence lab focused on post-training for diffusion language models and a vision-based framework for recursive self-improvement.
Born in 2003, he started building companies as a student in the UK, working in brand marketing and online education before selling one of them ahead of graduation. He studied Economics at the University of Warwick and business at the University of Cambridge.
The idea for SigmaZ came from a user of his education product, who told him: if I could watch it, I wouldn't read it. He now leads a team of researchers and engineers, most of them a decade older than he is, on a single question — how to close the gap between how fast AI generates and how fast people can absorb.