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Yogesh Farswani
President, Greater China, Pratt & Whitney at United Technologies CorporationYogesh Farswani was appointed to current role in October 2018. In this new role, he will provide strategic leadership for all customer relationships in the region, including managing the full range of Pratt & Whitney sales and support services to commercial customers and establishing sustainable relationships as a single point of interface for
growing business opportunities.
Prior to this role, Yogesh was Senior Director, Finance (Asia) and Vice President, Business Development (Singapore). He provided strategic and operational leadership for UTC’s enterprise risk assurance in the region. In addition, he served as UTC’s primary liaison with Singapore’s Economic Development Board, American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and Regional Leadership to grow UTC’s presence in Singapore. Yogesh brings with him more than 20 years of experience in launching new game-changing products, commercializing new technologies and driving business performance. He joined Pratt & Whitney in WHQ in 1996 and has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility including Global CFO (interim) for Pratt & Whitney’s large commercial engine MRO network and prior to that CFO for all Large Commercial Engine Programs where he supported the launch of the next-generation Geared-turbo Fan product family.
Yogesh is a graduate of Pratt & Whitney’s Financial Leadership Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bryant University, an MBA from the University of Connecticut, and a Certificate in Management from the University
of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. He also attended the UTC/INSEAD Global Leadership Development Program at INSEAD Singapore in 2014.
Yogesh currently resides in Singapore with his wife and two daughters.
Ker Gibbs
President at AmCham ShanghaiKer Gibbs first came to China in 1985 and has worked in various roles giving him broad exposure to US-China relations and business issues facing American companies operating in Asia.
In the 1990s Mr. Gibbs worked for the Boston Consulting Group in Shanghai. Since then he has split his time between Asia and Silicon Valley, serving in executive positions with Apple, Disney, and high-growth Internet businesses. He moved to Shanghai in 2002 as head of Asia Pacific for a Nasdaq-listed network security company that was acquired by McAfee. His career in high tech led him to banking; he became head of technology and media in greater China for HSBC. As an investment banker he worked with Alibaba, Baidu, and other firms advising on mergers and cross-border transactions.
From banking Mr. Gibbs moved to direct investments. He was a founding investor in the Crystal Orange hotel group, helping grow the company to 130 properties and 1,500 employees in China. He also led successful investments in real estate, e-commerce, and medical technology companies.
Before his appointment as president, Mr. Gibbs was elected three times to the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and served as chairman for 2016 and 2017. He also sits on the board of the United Way in China and volunteers with Renewal, a local homeless shelter. He is an op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal, South China Morning Post, and other publications.
Ker Gibbs holds a BA in economics from UCLA and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.
Jianzhong Lu (MC), Weir China President
President of China at Weir GroupDr. Lu Jian Zhong, as one of the pioneers in the field of CSR and Sustainability, has rich, systematic and forward-looking theoretical system and practical experience in this field. Dr. Lu actively advocated the idea of sustainability, led many CSR managers, philanthropists and initiatives to innovate, and made outstanding contributions to the promotion of public welfare and CSR development. Dr. Lu is the founder of CSR Thought Lab, a Board member of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Deputy Director-General of China Corporate Social Responsibility Think Tank, Expert of the Think Tank of China Federation of Industry & Economy, Expert of the Southern Weekly CSR Research Center, Member of the Shenzhen Manufacturing Strategy Advisory Board ; former Co-chair of American Chamber (Shanghai) BCSR Committee, Guest Professor at Nankai University.
Dr LU Jian Zhong, currently Weir Group (China) China President.
Jeff Astle
Managing Director of APCO WorldwideJeff recently joined APCO Worldwide as Managing Director in their Shanghai office, leading the team on client engagement, business development, operations and service delivery.
He was previously Managing Director China at the China-Britain Business Council, where he led its teams that help UK business and stakeholders enter and grow in the China market, and managed relations with Chinese and British government across China. Jeff has lived and worked in China for 10 years and has worked in the Asia-Pacific region for 18 years.
Over his 25-year career he has worked in international trade development, marketing, communications, finance and corporate strategy roles. He began his career in the media industry, culminating in launch marketing director of a UK national broadcast network. He later moved into strategic advisory, advocacy and partnership development in Asia for various broadcasters, trade bodies and government institutions.
He has postgraduate degrees in marketing (Bristol Business School) and global business (Oxford University), and is a chartered management accountant (ACMA), chartered marketer (MCIM) and intermediate Mandarin speaker.
Hui "Roy" Zhang
Director, Corporate Responsibility Asia of United TechnologiesMr. Hui Zhang is the Director of Corporate Responsibility Asia for United Technologies Corporation. Prior to UTC, he leads a broad array of corporate function from CSR to communications at Abbott and SAP Labs China, etc. He is also the CSR Forum chair for European Union Chamber of Commerce China in Shanghai, CSR Think Tank expert of China Federation of Industrial Economics, Contributing his insights and advices in the area of CSR & sustainability strategy, CSR management, stakeholder engagement and philanthropy communication, etc. Mr. Zhang also served as the CSR advisor and consultant to UNDP and ILO in China, CSR expert for Corporate Communications Handbook for NGOs sponsored by European Union, Heinrich Böll Foundation and CANGO, guest lecturer on CSR to MBA programs at CEIBs, Tsing Hua University, Fudan University, etc. Mr. Zhang graduated from Tianjin Foreign Studies University with Bachelor degree in English Language and Cultures in 1996. In 2010, he became the Accredited Business Communicator of International Association of Business Communications (IABC). He is the 2011 Alumni of Swedish Institute Management Program, a Sino-Sweden fully sponsored CSR scholar visit program.
Vivian Xiao, Signify Greater China Head of Integrated Communications
Head of Integrated Communications at Greater China at Signify (former Philips Lighting)Vivian Xiao has been the Head of Integrated Communications, Greater China, Philips Lighting since November 2016. She leads the company’s Branding, PR, Digital and Marketing Communications functions in the Greater China market.
Prior to joining Philips Lighting, Vivian had been in charge of Corporate Communications, Branding and Sustainability Communications for Eaton and HSBC.
Vivian has more than 17 years of experience in communications, public affairs and media industries. She began her professional career as a journalist after graduation. She previously served as a correspondent for the Reuters Shanghai bureau and as a financial reporter for Shanghai Daily.
Vivian holds a bachelor's degree in international journalism from Shanghai International Studies University and a Master of Business Administration from the Washington University in St. Louis. Vivian is the Vice Chairman of the Business CSR Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
Dr. Peiyuan Guo
General Manager at SynTaoDr. Guo Peiyuan, who holds a Ph.D. in Management from Tsinghua University, is the general manager of SynTao and chairman of SynTao Green Finance. Dr. Guo Peiyuan continuously focuses on research and practices about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and socially responsible investment (SRI), with abundant experience on research, training and consulting services. Now SynTao has become a leading CSR consulting company in China with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Washington D.C.
Dr. Guo Peiyuan has served for over one hundred companies, governments, and social organizations home and abroad, including China Mobile, China Pacific Insurance, Amway China, Volkswagen, International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), etc. He has served as a judge in multiple CSR awards. Now he also teaches MBA course Business Performance and Sustainability in School of Economics and Management , Tsinghua University, and teaches international student course Social Innovation and CSR in School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University.
He also serves as consultant, trainer or member in many organizations, including the followings.
Member of the stakeholder council of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Trainer of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Member of Green Finance Committee of China Finance Society
Project leader of financial sustainable development project in China Banking Association
CSR instructor of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Adviser of China Charity Leader Training Plan
Expert of China Corporate Citizenship Committee
Member of Youth Think-Tank of China Woman Development Foundation
Member of CSR Think-Tank of China Federation of Industrial Economics
Member of sustainability reports advisory group in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Member of South Korea CSR top 30 of East Asia Committee.
Jiakai Yuan
Vice President and China Chief Representative at United Way WorldwideYuan Jiakai is the Vice President and China Chief Representative of United Way Worldwide.
Over a decade ago, Jiakai devoted his professional life to civil society work in China. Jiakai served leadership positions at both leading domestic and international nonprofit organizations including China Red Cross Jet Li One Foundation, Beijing Youcheng Entrepreneur Poverty Alleviation Foundation, Arlington based Rare Conservation and World Wildlife Fund for Nature China Representative Office.
Before his nonprofit career, Jiakai worked for Credit Suisse’s Leveraged Finance Group within Investment Banking Division in New York. Jiakai received his undergraduate degree (BBA) from University of Toronto and his master’s degree (MBA) from University of Michigan. Jiakai was nominated and selected as a member of World Economic Forum Global Young Leader Class of 2019, and the "Future Leader of the Year" award from American Chamber of Commerce Shanghai in 2019.
Sandy Yang
Senior Director, Corporate Marketing and Communications of Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co., Ltd.Sandy Yang is Senior Director, Corporate Marketing and Communications at Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $24 billion and approximately 70,000 employees globally.
Sandy leads strategic direction of the entire corporate marketing team across various functions including strategic vertical marketing, external and internal communications, branding, corporate social responsibility, integrated marketing and social practice to establish reputation and maximize business growth opportunities.
Over 20 years extensive experience in marketing, communications and branding with multinational companies in Asia and across globe. Sandy joined Thermo Fisher from TE Connectivity, where she served as global marketing and communications director. Prior to that, Sandy worked for Texas Instruments and Ogilvy for various leadership roles. Sandy has extensive experience in different regions across globe.
Sandy holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fudan University and an MBA from Tongji University and ENPC.