Ker 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.

Matthew Margulies is vice president of China operations for the US-China Business Council (USCBC). In this role in Beijing he oversees USCBC’s government affairs and advocacy strategy in China, and provides policy analysis oversight. Most recently, Margulies worked as director of the US Chamber of Commerce’s China Center, where he was responsible for promoting and executing US Chamber advocacy and programs relating to US trade and investment policy with China. Prior to that, Margulies served as China Practice Lead and Senior China Analyst for Crumpton Group LLC, a boutique strategic analysis and political risk consulting firm, as well as in roles with USCBC based in Washington, DC, and with the Chinese state-owned enterprise China Unicom Group.

Mattie Bekink is responsible for the Economist Corporate Network’s China strategy, including programme development and client servicing across China. She also provides support to all Economist Corporate Network programmes worldwide with a China component.

Ms Bekink has extensive experience in the public, private and policy sectors. Prior to joining The Economist Group, she was the Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in the Netherlands. She also ran an eponymous consulting business, advising senior executives from businesses, universities and non-profit organisations on China policy, strategy, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility. Ms Bekink practiced law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, has worked with the US-Asia Law Initiative at NYU Law School and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative China Program, and served in the legal department at General Motors China.

Ms Bekink has a BA in International Relations from Stanford University and a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center.

LU Haiqing joined InterContinental Hotels Group in 2013. He’s currently the Chief Corporate Affairs & Strategic Relations Officer responsible for managing all external and internal communications and key stakeholders’ relations, such as owners, media, industry organizations, government authorities, and communities in Greater China.

LU Haiqing has nearly 30 years’ experience in corporate affairs. He started his career in the foreign service of the Chinese government. Subsequently he was a lecturer for a brief period in the School of Public Affairs, and an assistant researcher in the China Center, both with the University of Maryland at College Park. After his tenure in the public sector, he moved on to senior positions in multi-national companies such as Fortune, Ogilvy, Baxter, Diageo, and Tesco. The unique mix of his experiences offered him comprehensive perspectives and contributed to the strategic guidance and insights he has been providing to the business community on all aspects of public affairs, in terms of both capitalizing on market opportunities and managing corporate risks.

LU Haiqing holds a master’s degree in Public Administration & International Relations from the University of Maryland at College Park. He lives in Shanghai. In his spare time, he enjoys outdoor activities and reading as well.