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FORTUNE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN BREAKFAST (By invitation only)
● Innovating for the Future: Leading Through Global Transformation
A
gathering of top female executives and members of Fortune’s Most
Powerful Women community will feature special interviews and a town-hall
style discussion about leadership in a time of monumental change.
● THE BIG GET-TO-KNOW-YOU
MPW's trademark icebreaker invites all participants to introduce themselves.
MPW PANEL DISCUSSION: CLOSING THE GENDER GAP (By invitation only)
The share of female CEOs in the Fortune Global 500 jumped 20% last year, but their numbers are still tiny: 29 CEOs or less than 6% of all chief executives. Still, that total represents a record, proof of progress but still far short of equal representation. A conversation with top female executives will identify the factors keeping women from the C-Suite and share best practices for building a deep bench of female talent.
MPW TOWN HALL DISCUSSION: HOW LEADERS ARE NAVIGATING A WORLD IN FLUX (By invitation only)
Various disruptive forces—the green transition, the AI revolution, and geopolitical crises—are converging to fuel unprecedented uncertainty and present unparalleled opportunity in today’s business world. In a town-hall style discussion, top leaders from different industries will share their best practices for navigating this era of change; how they’re stoking innovation, addressing gender inequality in leadership roles, and adapting their management style to meet the moment.
WELCOME REMARKS
THE INNOVATION IMPERATIVE
Hong Kong has consistently confounded skeptics warning of its imminent demise. Now, in the aftermath of the pandemic, the city faces new challenges: a battered stock market, tepid demand for property, subdued growth on China’s mainland. Finance Secretary Paul Chan explains how Hong Kong is reinventing itself yet again—embracing technology and innovation to preserve and enhance its status as one of the world’s most dynamic commercial hubs.
What Customers Want: Understanding the Global Consumer
How the world's largest retailer is working to tap into customer preferences and concerns across a far-flung portfolio of different markets.
COPING WITH CHAOS: BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR AN AGE OF UPHEAVAL
The convergence of technological advancements, climate threats, geopolitical volatility, and market unpredictability is upending everything we thought we knew about global trade. Business leaders share how they’re leveraging technology and rethinking supply chains as our understanding of ‘globalization’ continues to evolve.
UNLOCKING ASIA'S AI POTENTIAL
Asia is full of AI potential: the region is home to over half the world’s internet users, and investments in the technology in Asia-Pacific are expected to reach $78.4 billion by 2027. The challenge for business leaders now is to capitalize on that interest and demand—and turn it into opportunity and growth for their companies. Top executives reveal how they’re integrating AI into their businesses and ensuring all the AI buzz generates real results—not just hype.
HONG KONG’S NEXT ACT
The newly appointed CEO of Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing, the exchange’s first-ever female chief, shares her vision for preserving—and expanding—Hong Kong’s role as a global financial hub and capital market super-connector.
LUNCH SESSIONS
● THE FUTURE OF FINANCE: ARE WE MOVING BEYOND BANKS?
The world of
finance is in tumult. Advances in digital technologies have transformed
the way people in rich and developing countries alike pay for even the
most basic purchases. Are currency and coins on their way out—taking
with them the rationale for banks as physical structures? And if so,
what comes next? Will the future of finance be dominated by
decentralized cryptocurrencies? Central bank digital currencies? Or
something else? Will financial innovation bring financial stability—or
its opposite?
● SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION: REDEFINING BUSINESS IN A DIGITAL AGE
The
business world is in the midst of an era of transformation. Global
markets are undergoing a radical overhaul, science and cutting-edge
technologies are tackling monumental challenges, and companies face a
stark choice: innovate or fall behind. How are business leaders
embracing game-changing innovations, from AI to Web 3.0, to maintain a
competitive edge?
● ACCELERATING THE GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION
The
head of the International Energy Agency has argued that military
conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine will accelerate the global shift away from
planet-warming fuels and toward renewable energy. But other experts
warn that the pace of that transition has slowed amid geopolitical
uncertainties, energy supply shocks, and rising interest rates. What
must be done to speed the global energy transition and meet the
worldwide goal of keeping warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius? What are
the technologies that will make that transition possible? And how will
the world find the capital necessary to implement that tech at scale?
NAVIGATING ASIA’S CHOPPY MARKETS
One size has never fit all for investors in Asia, but that is especially true now. Asia’s best-performing major index (Japan) gained nearly 30% last year, while its worst-performing (Hong Kong) lost 14%. The region is a puzzle for investors hunting for growth, but there are opportunities to be had for those who grasp how factors like geopolitical shifts, the promise of AI, and China’s challenged economy are altering the landscape.
WHAT’S NEXT? VENTURE CAPITALISTS PREDICT MEGATRENDS OF TOMORROW
Venture capitalists have become more selective with their dollars, but that hasn’t moderated their hunt for the next game-changing company. Panelists share how they’re evaluating opportunities in a more conservative investment environment and identify the industries and technologies that are ripe for the biggest payoffs.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN, REIMAGINING TOURISM AND TRAVEL
With borders reopening, the world is on the move again. But in the pandemic’s aftermath, what about tourism and travel feels permanently changed? Different regions seem to be bouncing back at different speeds and in different ways. What are the major variations? And what have industry leaders—in the hotel, airline, and online booking sectors, as well as government officials—learned from their COVID ordeal?
BAYWATCH: CHINA’S GREATER BAY AREA AS INNOVATION CATALYST
The Chinese government’s bold plan to link the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau to nine other cities in Guangdong’s Pearl River Delta would create a single integrated economic hub with more than 70 million people and a GDP almost as large as South Korea’s. China’s blueprint for a “Greater Bay Area” is often compared to America’s “Silicon Valley,” but it has the potential to outshine rival international “bays”—not just San Francisco but also New York or Tokyo—by using world-class infrastructure to connect a diverse combination of innovative companies across sectors. But the challenges to meaningful integration are daunting. Can the grand vision for connecting the region be achieved?
NETWORKING AND COFFEE BREAK
IS JAPAN ‘BACK’?
The world’s third-largest economy is emerging from three decades of stagnation and deflation. Investors are cheering; the benchmarked Nikkei stock index is nearing its pre-bubble high. But Japan faces daunting challenges, including a shrinking and aging workforce and massive government debt, to keep its recovery on track.
CHARGING AHEAD: WHO’S WINNING THE GLOBAL EV RACE?
Electric vehicle adoption is key to helping the world reduce carbon emissions, but consumers remain hesitant, scared off by cost and range anxiety. Some companies—and countries—have overcome these barriers and are pulling ahead in the global EV race. What has distinguished the winners from losers so far, and how can the industry as a whole win over the remaining skeptics?
CHINA’S ECONOMY: WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON
The lunar new year got off to an auspicious start for China as consumer spending and travel during the holiday period surged to pre-pandemic levels. But the world’s second-largest economy faces many headwinds: mounting public debt, a troubled property sector, a shrinking labor force, and daunting levels of youth unemployment. Aggravating those challenges: continued trade tensions with the West—which could intensify depending on the outcome of the US presidential election. There are a few bright spots, including a booming electric vehicle sector, and surprising resilience to Western in key areas like chip manufacturing. What’s in store for 2024? A panel of distinguished global analysts share their predictions.
GLOBAL EXPANSION STRATEGIES
Huizhou-based TCL Electronics last year reclaimed its ranking as the world’s second-largest television manufacturer. But the company, one of the first large Chinese firms to successfully execute an overseas acquisition, faces fierce global competition for sales of televisions and a host of other electronic products. Founder and group chairman Li Dongsheng outlines TCL’s strategy for the next stage of its global expansion.
SHAPING THE NEXT ERA OF HEALTHCARE
In recent years, we’ve seen a sliver of what can be achieved when we embrace collaboration in biotechnology. Invisible cochlear implants, genome-edited crops, and vaccines for once-incurable diseases are all examples of the leaps and bounds that have been made in biotech. What more could be possible when the world comes together to develop mutually beneficial technology?
THE GREEN TECH PARADOX
The green transition is more urgent than ever, yet green innovation, as measured by patent filings, has declined since 2010, according to the IMF. What factors are stymying advancement and how can today’s leaders help unlock technology’s promise to aid in the essential mission of decarbonization?
COCKTAIL /RECEPTION • Fortune Asia Future 30 Award Ceremony
In recognition of Asia's Innovative Companies Set For Long-Term Growth
DINNER & PROGRAM
SPRINTING TOWARDS BABYLON?
One of Asia’s best-known AI experts, in a
fireside conversation with FORTUNE, discusses the significance of recent
breakthroughs—on both sides of the Pacific—in large language model
technology and talks about how he is driving innovation at his own
recently launched AI venture.
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON TRADE, TECHNOLOGY, JOBS, AND GROWTH
The global economy continues to surprise: a stunningly resilient U.S.,
inflation that’s falling faster than expected, and a long hoped-for soft
landing that now seems achievable. A renowned economist and former
finance official with a unique perspective on technology shares his
views on the challenges facing the world economy.
Additional speaker to be announced
SMART HEART: HOW AI WILL SUPERCHARGE MEDICAL DEVICES
Medtronics, one of the world’s largest medical device makers, has enormous economies of scale. The chairman and CEO, shares how the $100 billion company is embracing AI, embedding the technology into many of its devices, from insulin pumps to heart monitors, and using AI as a tool to train surgeons.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES AT A CROSSROAD
Cryptocurrencies have been dogged by scandal—and yet recently earned a stamp of legitimacy when the U.S. approved Bitcoin ETFs. Other financial hubs, including Hong Kong are seeking regulatory regimes that would allow for innovation but still protect consumers. Crypto experts discuss what’s next for cryptocurrencies and how they’ll shape the future of how we buy, borrow, and invest.
INNOVATION IN AVIATION
The CEO of one of Asia's largest carriers explains how his airline thinks about innovation and describes how new technologies will transform the way we fly.
NETWORKING AND COFFEE BREAK
SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS
The textile industry is a big emitter; it consumes large quantities of water and energy, and textile waste is enormous—92 million tonnes annually. Industry leaders explain how they’re innovating to shrink the sector’s environmental footprint and rethinking globe-spanning supply chains.
THE SKILLS CHALLENGE: TRAINING THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW
Most business leaders expect generative AI to unleash dramatic gains in productivity and corporate profits. Yet, according to one recent estimate, just 6% of companies have trained at least a quarter of their workforces on gen AI. How can employers tackle the dual challenge of closing such gaps in technological readiness while easing workers’ anxiety about AI replacing jobs?
CHINA’S GEN Z CONSUMERS
China’s young consumers are more discerning than ever. Pragmatism—not impulse—is driving their purchasing decisions in a challenged economic environment; they favor quality, sustainability, and the chance for social interactions in their retail experiences. How can brands keep up? Leaders at the forefront of this revolution share how they’re leveraging technology and data to meet the evolving demands of today’s consumers.
Closing Remarks
FORTUNE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN BREAKFAST (By invitation only)
Alyson Shontell joined Fortune in October, 2021, as its new editor-in-chief. She previously served as editor-in-chief of Business Insider. She joined Business Insider in 2008 as the company's sixth employee. She started as a sales planner before joining the editorial team in 2010, where she became a startup reporter and was first to cover some of today's largest tech companies, including Pinterest, Tinder, Instagram, Uber, and Snap. She rose to become a senior correspondent, then executive editor. She was appointed editor-in-chief in 2016 and became the youngest and only woman to run a global business publication. Under her leadership, the business division grew to hundreds of millions of monthly readers. Ms. Shontell was the host of Business Insider's conferences and launched a podcast, Success: How I Did It, where she interviewed influencers about their career paths. She has appeared on the major media and has interviewed media personalities, technology leaders, politicos, and sports star LeBron James. She is a judge for the prestigious Gerald Loeb awards in business journalism and has been named one of Min's Rising Stars in Media and Folio's 2017 Top Women in Media. Ms. Shontell graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she majored in psychology and advertising.
Yvonne Xie is the new media executive editor of Fortune China.She previously served as the managing editor of the business department for China Daily’s website and as senior manager of global communications for the Dalian Wanda Group.Ms.Xie is the co-winner of the 20th China News Awards for Best Interview.She graduated from Nankai University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Claire Zillman is a Hong Kong-based senior editor for Fortune, where she oversees a team of reporters that covers business in Asia. She also writes stories on women in business and gender in the workplace. Her feature on the then-unbroken glass ceiling at Wall Street’s banking giants won a New York Press Award for business reporting. She co-authors Fortune’s Broadsheet newsletter about women in business and co-chairs various Most Powerful Women conferences. Before moving to Hong Kong in 2020, she worked for Fortune in London and New York. Earlier in her career, Claire was a reporter for The American Lawyer magazine, covering legal affairs. She graduated with degrees in journalism and history from Syracuse University and is originally from Chicago.
MPW PANEL DISCUSSION: CLOSING THE GENDER GAP (By invitation only)
Kathryn McLay is the President and CEO of Walmart International where she leads a team of 500,000 associates serving 80 million customers weekly across 18 countries. She plays a pivotal role in Walmart International's contribution to the long-term growth of Walmart, fostering a commitment to helping people save money and live better.
Before her current position, Kathryn served as President and CEO of Sam’s Club, overseeing a members-only warehouse club with over 100,000 associates in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. During her four-year tenure, Sam’s Club experienced a 43 per cent revenue growth to $84 billion in fiscal year 2023, and millions of new members.
Kathryn's journey at Walmart began in 2015 as Vice President of U.S. Finance & Strategy, where she led cross-functional and strategic initiatives, before moving to Supply Chain in 2016 and redesigned the way product moved from supplier to shelf, created an integrated end-to-end Walmart U.S. supply chain and led operations of the imports and reverse networks. As Executive Vice President of Neighborhood Markets in 2018, she managed nearly 700 small-format stores across the U.S.
MPW TOWN HALL DISCUSSION: HOW LEADERS ARE NAVIGATING A WORLD IN FLUX (By invitation only)
WELCOME REMARKS
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
THE INNOVATION IMPERATIVE
Alyson Shontell joined Fortune in October, 2021, as its new editor-in-chief. She previously served as editor-in-chief of Business Insider. She joined Business Insider in 2008 as the company's sixth employee. She started as a sales planner before joining the editorial team in 2010, where she became a startup reporter and was first to cover some of today's largest tech companies, including Pinterest, Tinder, Instagram, Uber, and Snap. She rose to become a senior correspondent, then executive editor. She was appointed editor-in-chief in 2016 and became the youngest and only woman to run a global business publication. Under her leadership, the business division grew to hundreds of millions of monthly readers. Ms. Shontell was the host of Business Insider's conferences and launched a podcast, Success: How I Did It, where she interviewed influencers about their career paths. She has appeared on the major media and has interviewed media personalities, technology leaders, politicos, and sports star LeBron James. She is a judge for the prestigious Gerald Loeb awards in business journalism and has been named one of Min's Rising Stars in Media and Folio's 2017 Top Women in Media. Ms. Shontell graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she majored in psychology and advertising.
What Customers Want: Understanding the Global Consumer
Diane Brady is an award-winning business journalist and author who has interviewed newsmakers worldwide and often speaks about the global business landscape. As senior editorial director of the Fortune CEO Initiative, she brings together a growing community of global business leaders through conversations, content, and connections. She is also executive director of Fortune Live Media and interviews newsmakers for the magazine and the CEO Daily newsletter. Prior to joining Fortune in February 2024, Diane was Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes, where she oversaw leadership coverage, C-suite networks, and editorial video while building out new events and franchises. She previously worked for McKinsey, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Wall Street Journal, and Maclean's. Her book Fraternity was named one of Amazon's best books of 2012, and she also co-wrote the acclaimed Connecting the Dots with former Cisco CEO John Chambers.
Kathryn McLay is the President and CEO of Walmart International where she leads a team of 500,000 associates serving 80 million customers weekly across 18 countries. She plays a pivotal role in Walmart International's contribution to the long-term growth of Walmart, fostering a commitment to helping people save money and live better.
Before her current position, Kathryn served as President and CEO of Sam’s Club, overseeing a members-only warehouse club with over 100,000 associates in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. During her four-year tenure, Sam’s Club experienced a 43 per cent revenue growth to $84 billion in fiscal year 2023, and millions of new members.
Kathryn's journey at Walmart began in 2015 as Vice President of U.S. Finance & Strategy, where she led cross-functional and strategic initiatives, before moving to Supply Chain in 2016 and redesigned the way product moved from supplier to shelf, created an integrated end-to-end Walmart U.S. supply chain and led operations of the imports and reverse networks. As Executive Vice President of Neighborhood Markets in 2018, she managed nearly 700 small-format stores across the U.S.
COPING WITH CHAOS: BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR AN AGE OF UPHEAVAL
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
Dipali Goenka is the CEO and managing director of Welspun Living, one of the world’s largest home textiles exporters and one of the largest wholesalers of textiles in the U.S. Under her leadership, Welspun has grown to more than a $1 billion global enterprise, with more than 13,000 outlets in 500-plus cities and industry-leading brand recognition. In her 25-year career, Goenka has been recognized for guiding Welspun to promote gender parity, sustainability, and inclusive growth in the workplace. She more than tripled the number of women working at Welspun and established SPUN, a company initiative that provides a living for 1,350 female entrepreneurs in local communities. Goenka has been named a CNBC Changemaker, Forbes Asia’s 16th Most Powerful Women, Most Powerful Women in Business by Business Today, and Most Influential Women in India by Business World. She graduated from Harvard University.
Joe Ngai is currently a Senior Partner and the Managing Partner of McKinsey China Region, which comprises of 600 consultants across offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Taipei and Chengdu. He has led many large-scale transformation efforts for Chinese as well as multi-national institutions. He has advised on various topics including strategy, operations transformation, mergers & acquisitions and organization transformation. He is the co-author of two editions of “Life Insurance in Asia”, a leading publication in its field. He speaks frequently on financial, management and social enterprise topics.
Joe sits on the Council of Advisors on Innovation and Strategic Development for the Hong Kong Chief Executive. He has been appointed to various Government advisory committees, including the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council, the Financial Infrastructure Committee of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and also the Education Commission. He is also a Board Member of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park.
He is passionate about social enterprise and education. He is the Chairman of Diamond Cab, an award-winning social enterprise, a director of Diocesan Boys’ School Foundation, a director of Phillips Exeter Academy General Alumni Association and a former president of the Harvard Business School Association of Hong Kong.
A HK native, Mr. Ngai received his A.B. in economics from Harvard University as well as his JD and MBA from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.
UNLOCKING ASIA'S AI POTENTIAL
HONG KONG’S NEXT ACT
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
LUNCH SESSIONS
Ms. Nicole Chen serves as Managing Director for North APAC and Country Head for China at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). She is responsible for overseeing business development and strategic execution across Greater China and the North Asia region. Her focus is on delivering world-class data and financial infrastructure solutions that span capital markets, data analytics, indices, risk management, and post-trade services.
Since joining the data and analytics industry in 2006, Ms. Chen has cultivated nearly two decades of deep expertise in the field. She has accumulated extensive leadership experience and played a key role in driving LSEG’s strategic execution and long-term growth across China and North APAC. Her strengths include corporate strategy development, digital transformation, cross-border collaboration, and capital markets advancement.
Prior to joining LSEG, Ms. Chen held various strategic and management consulting roles at leading global firms, including IBM. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to financial services and data analytics, she was named one of Fortune magazine’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” from 2021 to 2024. Ms. Chen is a graduate of the EMBA program at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management.
Rob Chu joined Amazon Web Services in October 2023 as Amazon’s Corporate Vice President and the President of Amazon Web Services Greater China Region, responsible for Amazon Web Services’ overall business strategy and development in the region. As the global leader of cloud computing, Amazon Web Services is committed to being the best place for companies to build and use AI, accelerating their digital transformation and innovation by providing secure, reliable and trusted cloud services, while being rooted locally and connected globally.
With 30 years of experience in software, IT consulting, cloud, and AI, Rob has extensive experience and expertise in leading large organizations to innovate and deliver value for customers, in both multinational and China local companies.
Before joining Amazon Web Services, Rob served as a Corporate Vice President at Baidu, where he was a member of Baidu’s Executive Management Team and led Baidu’s Apollo Self Driving Business. Prior to that, Rob worked at SAP for over 20 years in various leadership positions across engineering, strategy, and business development. In his last role at SAP, he led its S/4HANA development organization, with a global team of thousands of employees spanning across Germany, Central Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific. Earlier in his career, Rob also had startup experience.
Rob holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Nanjing University, and MBA degrees from both the University of California Berkeley and Columbia Business School.
Wang Fang is Executive Editor, Shanghai, of Fortune China.Before joining Fortune in March 2021, she spent 18 years at the Financial Times, holding multiple roles including online news editor (New York City), multimedia producer (London), and senior duty editor of the FT’s Chinese website (Beijing).Fang graduated from New York University in 2003 with an MA degree in business and economic reporting.She received her BA degree in journalism from Fudan University in Shanghai in 1999. Between 1999 and 2001 she was a technology industry reporter at Shanghai Daily.
Yvonne Xie is the new media executive editor of Fortune China.She previously served as the managing editor of the business department for China Daily’s website and as senior manager of global communications for the Dalian Wanda Group.Ms.Xie is the co-winner of the 20th China News Awards for Best Interview.She graduated from Nankai University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Cherry Zhu is currently president of Dow Greater China. She leads the strategic business growth, market development and financial performance for the region. She also plays a key role enhancing company's employee experience in Greater China and advancing a culture of inclusion and diversity.
Previously, Cherry was global product director for Dow Consumer Solutions responsible for leading Engineered Materials and Elastomers growth and managing business Profit & Loss.
Zhu joined Dow in 2001 as technical service & development engineer for Engineering Plastics in China. Since 2004, she had taken on various leadership roles, including product manager for glass bonding adhesives in Europe, Asia Pacific commercial director for Dow Automotive Systems, and Asia Pacific product director for Dow Elastomers.
Cherry earned her master's degree in Polymer Science & Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2000 and her MBA from Northwood University, USA in 2010. She stays with her family in Shanghai.
Cherry is the Board Member of Junior Achievement China, Executive Advisory Board Member ofCommittee of Multinationals of CPCIF, and Advisory Board Member of AICM.
Cherry was listed as "Top 100 Women in Business 2024" by Forbes China, and 2023 & 2024 "Most Powerful Women" by Fortune China.
NAVIGATING ASIA’S CHOPPY MARKETS
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
Hao Hong is a renowned economist, professor at the Graduate School of Finance, Renmin University of China (2020-2022), and a member of the China Chief Economist Forum. He formerly served as Managing Director and Head of Research at BOCOM International, and as Chief Global Strategist at CICC. His international experience includes roles at Citigroup and Morgan Stanley across their London, New York, and Sydney offices.
Mr. Hong has received numerous industry accolades, including “Person of the Year 2024” by Bloomberg Businessweek, “Economist of the Year” by Asian Private Banker in both 2022 and 2023, and recognition as one of China’s “Top 10 Most Influential Economists” and “Top 10 Economic Figures” by Sina Finance in 2023 and 2024. He was also named “Institutional Chief Economist of the Year” by Yicai First Financial in 2021, 2023, and 2024. He serves as a brand ambassador for the CFA Institute and has been voted “No. 1 China Economist and Strategist” by Asiamoney. Bloomberg has described him as “the man who called China’s boom and bust” and “the most accurate strategist in China.”
His book, The Forecast, was named “Book of the Year” by FT China and selected as “Best Business Book of the Year” by both Yicai and Tencent Finance. He was also honored as “Writer of the Year” by CITIC Press.
WHAT’S NEXT? VENTURE CAPITALISTS PREDICT MEGATRENDS OF TOMORROW
ON THE ROAD AGAIN, REIMAGINING TOURISM AND TRAVEL
Diane Brady is an award-winning business journalist and author who has interviewed newsmakers worldwide and often speaks about the global business landscape. As senior editorial director of the Fortune CEO Initiative, she brings together a growing community of global business leaders through conversations, content, and connections. She is also executive director of Fortune Live Media and interviews newsmakers for the magazine and the CEO Daily newsletter. Prior to joining Fortune in February 2024, Diane was Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes, where she oversaw leadership coverage, C-suite networks, and editorial video while building out new events and franchises. She previously worked for McKinsey, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Wall Street Journal, and Maclean's. Her book Fraternity was named one of Amazon's best books of 2012, and she also co-wrote the acclaimed Connecting the Dots with former Cisco CEO John Chambers.
BAYWATCH: CHINA’S GREATER BAY AREA AS INNOVATION CATALYST
Jing Guangjun, Male, Han nationality, born in June 1972 in Shenyang, Liaoning Province.
He is the Doctor of Engineering, Associate Professor and Senior Economist, currently working as Chairman of the Board， secretary of the Party Committee of Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holdings Group Co., Ltd and member of the 13th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He has been engaged in the research of integrated artificial intelligence applications for a long time and is committed to collaborative innovation in the fields of intelligent manufacturing and industrial Internet applications.
He has presided over and completed more than 10 national, ministerial (provincial) and municipal scientific research projects, presided over and completed more than 30 "digital city" and "smart city" application research and development projects, and won the national, provincial and municipal scientific and technological progress awards for many times.
Wang Fang is Executive Editor, Shanghai, of Fortune China.Before joining Fortune in March 2021, she spent 18 years at the Financial Times, holding multiple roles including online news editor (New York City), multimedia producer (London), and senior duty editor of the FT’s Chinese website (Beijing).Fang graduated from New York University in 2003 with an MA degree in business and economic reporting.She received her BA degree in journalism from Fudan University in Shanghai in 1999. Between 1999 and 2001 she was a technology industry reporter at Shanghai Daily.
NETWORKING AND COFFEE BREAK
IS JAPAN ‘BACK’?
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
CHARGING AHEAD: WHO’S WINNING THE GLOBAL EV RACE?
Nicholas Gordon is a Hong Kong-based associate editor, where he assists with audience development and commentary coverage for the Asia-Pacific region. Before joining Fortune, he worked as a content manager for a Hong Kong-based think tank working on regional economic development issues. He has a masters in international relations from Oxford University and a bachelors in social studies from Harvard College.
CHINA’S ECONOMY: WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON
Fred Hu is Primavera Capital Group’s founder, chairman, and CEO, the nonexecutive chairman of Yum China Holdings Inc., and a board member of ICBC and UBS Group AG. Hu is a member of The Nature Conservancy’s global board of directors and the co-chair of its Asia Pacific Council, a trustee of the Institute for Advanced Study, a member of the HKEX Mainland China Advisory Group, the global advisory board of the Council on Foreign Relations, Harvard Kennedy School’s Dean’s Leadership Council, and Harvard University’s Global Advisory Council. Before forming Primavera, Hu was partner and chairman of Greater China at Goldman Sachs, and previously served as an economist at the International Monetary Fund. Hu holds a master’s degree in engineering science from Tsinghua University and a master’s degree and PhD in economics from Harvard University.
Wang Fang is Executive Editor, Shanghai, of Fortune China.Before joining Fortune in March 2021, she spent 18 years at the Financial Times, holding multiple roles including online news editor (New York City), multimedia producer (London), and senior duty editor of the FT’s Chinese website (Beijing).Fang graduated from New York University in 2003 with an MA degree in business and economic reporting.She received her BA degree in journalism from Fudan University in Shanghai in 1999. Between 1999 and 2001 she was a technology industry reporter at Shanghai Daily.
GLOBAL EXPANSION STRATEGIES
Zhang joined FORTUNE China in 2009, and was promoted to Executive Editor in 2013. Zhang currently have more than 2.9 million followers on LinkedIn. Before joining FORTUNE China, Zhang was Managing Editor of InformationWeek China. In 2004, he was admitted by Cambridge, Oxford and Carnegie Mellon University and chose to pursue MSc of Computer Science in Oxford. In 2005, he graduated with straight “A”s from Oxford University, gave up an early offer from a sub company of News Corporation in West London and came back home to continue his career in China’s media business.
Zhang has a BA in English & American Studies from Beijing Foreign Studies University and joined China Daily to work as a reporter and editor. In his earlier days, Zhang won the “best story award” from China Daily twice and played a key role in creating the ELT weeklies for the group. Zhang also got the Certificates of "Building a Business" course from Said Business School, Oxford University, and Finance Media EMBA Fellowship Program from PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua University.
SHAPING THE NEXT ERA OF HEALTHCARE
Yvonne Xie is the new media executive editor of Fortune China.She previously served as the managing editor of the business department for China Daily’s website and as senior manager of global communications for the Dalian Wanda Group.Ms.Xie is the co-winner of the 20th China News Awards for Best Interview.She graduated from Nankai University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, is the founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation generative artificial intelligence and robotics platforms for drug discovery. Since 2014, Zhavoronkov has invented critical technologies in the field of generative artificial intelligence and reinforcement learning (RL) for the generation of novel molecular structures with the desired properties and the generation of synthetic biological and patient data. Under his leadership, Insilico raised more than $400 million in multiple rounds from expert biotechnology, health care, and financial investors; opened R&D centers in six countries and regions; and partnered with multiple pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic institutions. Since 2021, the company nominated 18 preclinical candidates, started six human clinical trials, and entered Phase II with an AI-discovered novel target and AI-designed novel molecule. Since 2012, Zhavoronkov has published more than 200 peer-reviewed research papers and three books. He serves on the advisory or editorial boards of Trends in Molecular Medicine, Aging Research Reviews, Aging, and Frontiers in Genetics, and founded and co-chairs the Annual Aging Research and Drug Discovery (10th Annual in 2023). He is the adjunct professor of artificial intelligence at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.
THE GREEN TECH PARADOX
Claire Zillman is a Hong Kong-based senior editor for Fortune, where she oversees a team of reporters that covers business in Asia. She also writes stories on women in business and gender in the workplace. Her feature on the then-unbroken glass ceiling at Wall Street’s banking giants won a New York Press Award for business reporting. She co-authors Fortune’s Broadsheet newsletter about women in business and co-chairs various Most Powerful Women conferences. Before moving to Hong Kong in 2020, she worked for Fortune in London and New York. Earlier in her career, Claire was a reporter for The American Lawyer magazine, covering legal affairs. She graduated with degrees in journalism and history from Syracuse University and is originally from Chicago.
COCKTAIL /RECEPTION • Fortune Asia Future 30 Award Ceremony
DINNER & PROGRAM
Alyson Shontell joined Fortune in October, 2021, as its new editor-in-chief. She previously served as editor-in-chief of Business Insider. She joined Business Insider in 2008 as the company's sixth employee. She started as a sales planner before joining the editorial team in 2010, where she became a startup reporter and was first to cover some of today's largest tech companies, including Pinterest, Tinder, Instagram, Uber, and Snap. She rose to become a senior correspondent, then executive editor. She was appointed editor-in-chief in 2016 and became the youngest and only woman to run a global business publication. Under her leadership, the business division grew to hundreds of millions of monthly readers. Ms. Shontell was the host of Business Insider's conferences and launched a podcast, Success: How I Did It, where she interviewed influencers about their career paths. She has appeared on the major media and has interviewed media personalities, technology leaders, politicos, and sports star LeBron James. She is a judge for the prestigious Gerald Loeb awards in business journalism and has been named one of Min's Rising Stars in Media and Folio's 2017 Top Women in Media. Ms. Shontell graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she majored in psychology and advertising.
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON TRADE, TECHNOLOGY, JOBS, AND GROWTH
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
SMART HEART: HOW AI WILL SUPERCHARGE MEDICAL DEVICES
Geoff Martha is chairman and CEO of Medtronic, the global leader in health care technology. In his role, Mr. Martha leads the US $32 billion company and its 95,000 employees to deliver groundbreaking technology solutions for more people in more places worldwide. Since becoming CEO in 2020, he has been recognized as an innovative executive, including as a top CEO in health care technology by the Healthcare Technology Report and as one of Modern Healthcare’s Most Influential People. In his role, he has accelerated Medtronic’s strategic acquisitions, boldly pursued novel R&D funding models, and embraced new ways to partner across industries and global borders. Mr. Martha assumed his role as CEO as the COVID-19 pandemic rocked communities worldwide. As part of his commitment to lead with purpose, he mobilized the company to help global health care professionals and partners continue to treat patients and protect themselves. In addition to accelerating the development of remote solutions, he made the unprecedented move to open source the company’s IP, making proprietary ventilator designs available to manufacturers globally. In 2021, the Ireland-U.S. Council honored him its Global Achievement award to recognize his role in overseeing Medtronic’s significant contributions to the fight against the pandemic. Since joining Medtronic in 2011, Mr. Martha has remained an ardent supporter of Medtronic-sponsored philanthropic and diversity initiatives. In 2023, the company was named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the first time, reinforcing the impact the company has had with its unwavering commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity. Before joining Medtronic, Mr. Martha served 19 years in a variety of business development, strategic marketing, and sales management roles at GE HealthCare and GE Capital. He is an active member of the global business community and serves on numerous for-profit and nonprofit boards.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES AT A CROSSROAD
INNOVATION IN AVIATION
Alyson Shontell joined Fortune in October, 2021, as its new editor-in-chief. She previously served as editor-in-chief of Business Insider. She joined Business Insider in 2008 as the company's sixth employee. She started as a sales planner before joining the editorial team in 2010, where she became a startup reporter and was first to cover some of today's largest tech companies, including Pinterest, Tinder, Instagram, Uber, and Snap. She rose to become a senior correspondent, then executive editor. She was appointed editor-in-chief in 2016 and became the youngest and only woman to run a global business publication. Under her leadership, the business division grew to hundreds of millions of monthly readers. Ms. Shontell was the host of Business Insider's conferences and launched a podcast, Success: How I Did It, where she interviewed influencers about their career paths. She has appeared on the major media and has interviewed media personalities, technology leaders, politicos, and sports star LeBron James. She is a judge for the prestigious Gerald Loeb awards in business journalism and has been named one of Min's Rising Stars in Media and Folio's 2017 Top Women in Media. Ms. Shontell graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she majored in psychology and advertising.
NETWORKING AND COFFEE BREAK
SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS
Claire Zillman is a Hong Kong-based senior editor for Fortune, where she oversees a team of reporters that covers business in Asia. She also writes stories on women in business and gender in the workplace. Her feature on the then-unbroken glass ceiling at Wall Street’s banking giants won a New York Press Award for business reporting. She co-authors Fortune’s Broadsheet newsletter about women in business and co-chairs various Most Powerful Women conferences. Before moving to Hong Kong in 2020, she worked for Fortune in London and New York. Earlier in her career, Claire was a reporter for The American Lawyer magazine, covering legal affairs. She graduated with degrees in journalism and history from Syracuse University and is originally from Chicago.
THE SKILLS CHALLENGE: TRAINING THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW
Diane Brady is an award-winning business journalist and author who has interviewed newsmakers worldwide and often speaks about the global business landscape. As senior editorial director of the Fortune CEO Initiative, she brings together a growing community of global business leaders through conversations, content, and connections. She is also executive director of Fortune Live Media and interviews newsmakers for the magazine and the CEO Daily newsletter. Prior to joining Fortune in February 2024, Diane was Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes, where she oversaw leadership coverage, C-suite networks, and editorial video while building out new events and franchises. She previously worked for McKinsey, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Wall Street Journal, and Maclean's. Her book Fraternity was named one of Amazon's best books of 2012, and she also co-wrote the acclaimed Connecting the Dots with former Cisco CEO John Chambers.
CHINA’S GEN Z CONSUMERS
Angela joined Nike China in 2005. She is currently the Vice President of Nike Inc. and General Manager of Nike Greater China, and is responsible for shaping the vision and growth strategy for Greater China – all while continuing to elevate the Nike brand and create strong consumer connections. During her tenure, Angela has played a critical role in driving the Greater China business and delivering sustainable and profitable growth. After Angela officially assumed the role of General Manager on June 1st, 2015, Nike Greater China enjoyed significant revenue growth , with FY21 revenue reaching $8.29 billion. Nike Greater China under Angela’s leadership maintained seven consecutive fiscal years of double-digit growth. Angela’s solid business experience, proven track record, knowledge of the Greater China marketplace and foresight of digital business have made her a crucial member of Nike’s global leadership team.
Prior to her current position, Angela acted as the VP, CFO & GM of Territories for Nike Greater China from January 2015 to June 2015, and served as the VP & CFO for Nike Greater China from September 2011 to December 2014. Before joining Nike, she worked in management positions for Coca-Cola China and P&G.
Angela joined the board of Barry Callebaut AG in 2018, and in July 2022, she was elected to the Estée Lauder Companies Inc.’s Board of Directors and also joined the company’s Audit Committee.
Angela holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Nicholas Gordon is a Hong Kong-based associate editor, where he assists with audience development and commentary coverage for the Asia-Pacific region. Before joining Fortune, he worked as a content manager for a Hong Kong-based think tank working on regional economic development issues. He has a masters in international relations from Oxford University and a bachelors in social studies from Harvard College.
Closing Remarks
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
Diane Brady is an award-winning business journalist and author who has interviewed newsmakers worldwide and often speaks about the global business landscape. As senior editorial director of the Fortune CEO Initiative, she brings together a growing community of global business leaders through conversations, content, and connections. She is also executive director of Fortune Live Media and interviews newsmakers for the magazine and the CEO Daily newsletter. Prior to joining Fortune in February 2024, Diane was Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes, where she oversaw leadership coverage, C-suite networks, and editorial video while building out new events and franchises. She previously worked for McKinsey, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Wall Street Journal, and Maclean's. Her book Fraternity was named one of Amazon's best books of 2012, and she also co-wrote the acclaimed Connecting the Dots with former Cisco CEO John Chambers.
Clay Chandler is Fortune’s Asia editor. Based in Hong Kong, Clay oversees Fortune’s editorial operations throughout the region, contributes feature articles, commentary, and news analysis to the magazine and Fortune.com, and leads the Asia- and China-based conferences. Clay writes Eastworld, a twice-weekly newsletter with analysis of developments in Asian business, finance, and technology. Clay returned to Fortune after a six-year stint at McKinsey & Company. He worked previously for Fortune as Asia Editor in Beijing, and before that covered business, economics, and technology in the U.S. and Asia as senior staff writer for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Clay has lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo, and reported from every major Asian capital. He speaks Mandarin and Japanese, is a graduate of Harvard University and a former fellow of Harvard’s John King Fairbank program on Chinese studies.
Ms. Nicole Chen serves as Managing Director for North APAC and Country Head for China at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). She is responsible for overseeing business development and strategic execution across Greater China and the North Asia region. Her focus is on delivering world-class data and financial infrastructure solutions that span capital markets, data analytics, indices, risk management, and post-trade services.
Since joining the data and analytics industry in 2006, Ms. Chen has cultivated nearly two decades of deep expertise in the field. She has accumulated extensive leadership experience and played a key role in driving LSEG’s strategic execution and long-term growth across China and North APAC. Her strengths include corporate strategy development, digital transformation, cross-border collaboration, and capital markets advancement.
Prior to joining LSEG, Ms. Chen held various strategic and management consulting roles at leading global firms, including IBM. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to financial services and data analytics, she was named one of Fortune magazine’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” from 2021 to 2024. Ms. Chen is a graduate of the EMBA program at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management.
