Speakers

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 17.30h: One - on - One: Brexit - what are the consequences for the Chinese - European relations?

Dr. Jochen Bittner, born in 1973, has been a political editor with Germany's newsweekly DIE ZEIT since 2001. He studied law and philosophy and holds a PhD in legal philosophy from the University of Kiel. Before joining the DIE ZEIT, he worked as freelancer for various publications, among them the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Die Welt.

Following the 9/11 terror attacks, he kept a special focus on terrorism, security and intelligence affairs.

From 2007 to 2011 he was DIE ZEIT’s European and Nato Correspondent in Brussels.

Today, Dr. Bittner mainly covers European and security affairs. Besides this, he is co-responsible for DIE ZEIT’s opinion pages.

Since 2013 he has been a Contributing Writer for the International New York Times.

His latest book „So nicht, Europa!” (Not this way, Europe! / 2011) deals with the shortcomings of the European Union. 

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 15.00h: Panel A: New customers?! – the rise of the new Chinese middle class

Hamad Buamim has been the President & CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry since November 2006. He also serves as the Deputy Chair of the World Chambers Federation - ICC in Paris. Educated in the USA, Buamim graduated with Honors (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Southern California - Los Angeles in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In 2002, he obtained an MBA with Honors in Finance from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. Buamim is a Member of the Board of Directors of the UAE Central Bank, Managing Director and Board Member of Dubai World, Member of the Board of Directors of the Dubai International Financial Center Authority, Chairman of National General Insurance and Board Member of Union Properties. Previously, Buamim served as Chairman of Emirates Financial Services, Chairman of Emirates NBD Capital and Board Member of Emirates NBD Bank and Network International.

Victor Chu was born in Canton, China and came to Hong Kong at the age of four. He received his early education in Hong Kong and England, and took his law degree at University College London. Mr. Chu is admitted to practise law in England and Hong Kong since 1982.

Mr. Chu is Chairman of First Eastern Investment Group, a leading Hong Kong-based international investment firm and a pioneer of private equity investments in China.

Victor Chu has served as Director and Council Member of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Advisory Committee Member of the Securities and Futures Commission, and part-time member of Hong Kong Government’s Central Policy Unit. Mr. Chu has served as a Foundation Board Member of the World Economic Forum from 2003 to 2015 and currently co-chairs the Forum’s International Business Council. From 2004 to 2009, Mr. Chu served on the Executive Board of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris where he also chaired the ICC Commission on Financial Services and Insurance.

Mr. Chu was awarded the 2011 Global Economy Prize by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. 

Thursday, November 24, 2016 9.30h: Panel: A new global trade order shaped by regional trade agreements – what’s in it for China and the EU?

Björn Conrad is the Vice President of the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS). He coordinates the institute’s research agenda and its outreach to political and economic decision-makers. His own expertise is in the areas of economic innovation and environmental policy.

He previously served as Climate Change and Environment Officer at the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), managing numerous environmental projects in China and its neighbouring countries. Prior to that, he worked for the Global Environment Facility at the World Bank in Washington, DC. In 2008 he initiated the Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute’s China Programme. In 2014, Conrad was appointed member of the expert committee tasked with drafting a China Strategy for the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

After completing his studies in Sinology, Political Science and Economics in Germany and China, Conrad received a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, specialising in environmental policy and economics.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 09.30h: Panel: A new global trade order shaped by regional trade agreements – what’s in it for China and the EU?

Nathalie Errard is the Senior Vice President and Head of Europe and NATO Affairs of Airbus Group since 2012. Prior to this position, she served as Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations and Financial Communication for Airbus Group from 2008 to 2012. She had been in the Investor Relations department since 2005.

Ms. Errard started her career as external auditor with PriceWaterhouse in 1995. She joined the Mergers & Acquisitions team of Aérospatiale in 1998 to participate in the creation of EADS. From 2000 to 2005, Ms. Errard held several positions in Mergers & Acquisitions at Technicolor in France and the U.S. Her major achievements included: doubling of revenues at Thomson's California subsidiary; establishment of a TV manufacturing joint-venture with TCL of China. Ms. Errard served also as Head of Thomson's Europe & Asia Corporate Audit. Ms. Errard holds a degree from the “Télécom Ecole de Management” in France.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 17.30h: One - on - One: Brexit - what are the consequences for the Chinese - European relations?

The former Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany (1998-2005) led the Green Party in its first participation in government, both at the state (Hessen) and federal levels. From 2006 to 2007, Joschka Fischer held a professorship at the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University (US). Joschka Fischer is a founding partner of Joschka Fischer and Company.

Wednesday, November 23, 11.15h: Panel: China's economic transition - a challenge for a fragile global economy?

Mr. Gibbs has 25 years of enterprise software industry experience and spent more than 20 years working in the Asia Pacific region. Since 2013, Gibbs manages the company’s businesses in Mainland China, HK, Macau and Taiwan as Global Senior Vice President, SAP SE and President of SAP Greater China. Greater China was defined as a separate region, reporting to the board, in 2013. Gibbs has been instrumental in revitalising the company’s business in the market and achieving solid growth across Greater China. In the third quarter of 2016, SAP Greater China delivered the 12th consecutive quarter of solid growth. He was awarded the Future Business Leader at the Innovation China Forum 2016. 
Prior to his current position, Gibbs was assigned as COO of SAP Asia Pacific Japan, and also previously served as President of SAP North Asia and as member of SAP Asia Pacific Japan’s Senior Executive Leadership Team. Before joining SAP, Gibbs held executive positions at Oracle and started his career as financial controller at Unilever. Gibbs holds a Degree in Cost and Management Accounting from the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 15.00h: Panel A: New customers?! The rise of the new Chinese middle class (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

O. Gössler was born in 1976 in Hamburg, Germany. He has more than 15 years of experience in the luxury sector.

After his studies at the University of Hamburg, he joined Montblanc in 2000 and started in finance.

After four years Mr. Gössler took over the responsibility for Middle East and African markets.

From 2012 to 2014 he was based in Amsterdam as Managing director for BeNeLux and Scandinavian markets. In 2015, back in Germany, Mr. Gössler took over the responsibility for the Montblanc home market Germany, Austria, and the central Eastern European countries.

Since 2012 he is a member of the Management Committee of Montblanc International.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 13.30h: Panel: Made in China 2025 - industrial transformation in a digital world

Born in July 1965, Mr. Song Hailiang is a professor-level senior engineer with a PhD. He received honors including `Most Popular Entrepreneurs in 2008´, `Top 10 Modern-management Entrepreneurs in Engineering Survey and Design´, etc.

Upon graduation in 1987 from Wuhan University, he served successively as engineer, Director, Dean, Chairman and General Manager of the Water Transport Planning and Design Institute of CCCC (China Communications Construction Company Ltd.).

In August 2012, he was appointed Assistant to President of CCCC, Chairman & Party Secretary of Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. He became VP of CCCC in January 2014. He also holds other positions like Vice Chairman of Water Transportation and Construction Industry Association, President of the Council of Water Transport Engineering, and Independent Director of Rizhao Port and Ningbo Port.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel B: Innovation through cooperation? R & D partnerships between China and Europe (Plenarsaal)

Dr. Wei Huacheng is Vice Chairman of the Board at Beijing Automotive Group Co. Ltd., Executive Director of BAICINTL and Chairman of the Board at Beijing Xingdongfang Industrial Co. Ltd. He received MBA at Tsinghua University and PhD at China Huazhong University of Science & Technology. He was Vice Chairman of the Board at Beijing General Aviation Co. Ltd., Vice President of CR Pharmaceutical LLC, Chairman of the Board at both Beijing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. and Beijing Double-Crane Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., two leading pharmaceutical manufacturers and marketers in China, and Chairman of Medical & Pharmaceutical Commercial Association of China Federation of Industry & Commerce.

As one of China’s pharmaceutical industry leaders, Dr. Wei has been dedicated to the study and practice on “Theory of Longevity Enterprise”. In his book “Alive Enterprise-The Study of Longevity Enterprise”, Dr. Wei presents the model of the long-life corporation including the model of the living corporation.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 8.30h: Panel: EU-China investment cooperation – a European era of Chinese capital?

Mikko Huotari heads the programme on China’s foreign relations. His own research focuses on China’s foreign policy, China-Europe relations as well as regional order in East Asia. He has published extensively on China’s global investment strategy and economic relations with Europe as well as on geopolitical issues such as tensions in the South China Sea. 
Before joining MERICS, he taught International Political Economy and Chinese Foreign Policy at the University of Freiburg. During his studies of International Politics and International Law in Freiburg, Nanjing and Shanghai he gained experience in policy-oriented China research at the German-Chinese Law Institute in Nanjing, the German Embassy in Beijing and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) in Berlin.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 8.30h: Panel: EU – China investment cooperation – a European era of Chinese capital? (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

Qian Jiannong studied and worked in Germany for ten years and held senior management positions in two German companies. He then joined China Nepstar (listed in U.S.) as CEO in 2006 and led the company’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) successfully on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2007. In 2010, Mr. Qian started to manage commercial investments for Fosun and accomplished a few famous investment cases. He successfully completed the investments of Club Med Holding, Folli Follie, Vigor, Atlantis, Secret Recipe, Osborne, China CITS, Thomas Cook, etc. Recently, Fosun completed the privatisation of Club Med and investment of Thomas cook under Mr. Qian’s leadership, which attracted worldwide attention. He is the first practitioner of Fosun’s philosophy “Combining China’s Growth Momentum with Global Resources”.

Mr. Qian used to be the director of the board of China Nepstar, Yuyuan Tourist Mart and Osborne (Spain).

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 16.30h: Panel: Better connecting China with Europe – Xi Jinping’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

Zhang Jianwei was born in 1957. He graduated from the Foreign Trade English Department of University of International Business and Economics, and obtained MBA diploma of shipping business management from State University of New York Maritime College, EMBA diploma from Euro-China International Business College, and DBA diploma from Huazhong University of Science and Technology Administration College.

From 1988 to 1997, he held management positions at China National Chartering Corporation and China National Foreign Trade Transportation Corporation. From 1997 to 2006, he was appointed Vice President of China National Foreign Trade Transportation (Group) Corporation (Sinotrans) and President of Sinotrans Limited. From 2006 to 2014, he was Director of Sinotrans and President of Sinotrans Limited. In February 2014, while sitting as Director of Sinotrans, he was appointed Vice Chairman of Sinotrans and later Deputy General Manager of Sinotrans & CSC Holdings Co. Ltd. He is now Vice Chairman of Sinotrans & CSC Holdings Co. Ltd.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 08.30h: Panel: EU – China investment cooperation – a European era of Chinese capital? (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

Ms. Jie Guo (Amy) is Chief Financial Officer of Chengdu Zhongde Techcent Investment Co. Ltd, which is an investment platform of Chengdu Techcent Environment Group (“Techcent”). In early 2016, Techcent had successfully completed the acquisition of Water Technologies division of Bilfinger. Recently, Techcent had partnered with the Alba Group in order to develop the recycling and environmental services in China. Ms. Guo has been deeply involved in above investments made by Techcent since she joined Techcent. Before joining Techcent, Ms. Guo worked with Siemens Ltd. China. She led financial functions and post-acquisition integration function. Ms. Guo received her Master of Business Administration in Vlerick Leuvent-Gent Management School and Beijing University, China.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel A: Green economy – China’s and Europe’s way to sustainable growth

Wang Jiwei holds a bachelor degree from the Central South University in Mining Engineering Major in Resource Development and Engineering. He is vice president and secretary general of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, Recycling Metal Branch, (CMRA) and vice president of China Association of Electronics Equipment for Technology Development. 
China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, Recycling Metal Branch, is the only association in the nonferrous metals industry in China. CMRA is an important consultant and assistant to the governmental decision-making on nonferrous metals renewing, recycling and utilisation. It is also a bridge between enterprises engaged in the recycling nonferrous metals sector as well as other sectors of related production, teaching, research and application.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 15.00h: Panel A: New customers?! – the rise of the new Chinese middle class

Jixian ‘Jason’ Liang holds a bachelor degree of the Beijing Foreign Studies University and an EMBA degree of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. He has more than 20 years of work experience in the internet and communications industry. In 2015, Mr. Liang joined DHgate.com as director of business development. 
DHgate.com is China’s oldest e-commerce trading platform and was founded in 2004. It is also China's leading and most traded cross-border e-commerce trading platform DHgate is the first commission-on-successful-transaction operation platform in China, providing low barrier business opportunities to SMEs. 
Over the years, a large variety of convenient payment options, logistic solutions, built-in escrow protection for buyers, internet financing and many other value-added services have been established on the DHgate.com marketplace to support buyers and sellers.  

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel A: Green economy - China's and Europe's way to sustainable growth (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

Mr. Han Jun was born in September, 1963. He is a Senior Economist and Executive Vice President of State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC).

Mr. Han has worked as Vice President of SGCC, Chief Economist of SGCC, President of North China Electric Power Company, Chairman of State Grid Yingda Group, and President of State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company, Anhui Electric Power Company and Qinghai Electric Power Company.

Jyrki Katainen is currently Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness. He joined the college in July 2014 as Vice President for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the euro.

Before that he served as Prime Minister of Finland, 2011 - 2014 and Minister of Finance, 2007 - 2011. He was member of the Finnish Parliament 1999 - 2014 for the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus).

He was member of the Finnish Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly 2003 - 2007, member of the Administrative Council of the Finnish Broadcasting Company 2003 - 2005, member of the Finnish Delegation to the Western European Union Parliamentary Assembly 2004 - 2005 and the Deputy member of the Finnish Delegation to the Nordic Council 2001 - 2003.

Jyrki Katainen has MSc in Political Science from the University of Tampere, Finland (1998) and he did an Erasmus exchange year at the University of Leicester, UK.

His hobbies are running, cycling and tennis.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 08.30h: Panel: EU – China investment cooperation – a European era of Chinese capital? (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

Vassilis Korkidis was born in Piraeus. He is President of PCCI since 2013 and President of ESEE since 2009. He is Vice President of the European Association of SMEs (UEAPME), National Member in the Board of EuroCommerce, Member of the Board of Administration of Enterprise Greece, President of the Mediterranean Committee for Industry of ASCAME and member in Piraeus Port Authority Board.

He graduated from Southampton University, with BSc (Honours) in Naval Architecture & Ship Science and acquired LL.M. in Maritime Law and M.Sc. in International Commerce & Sea Transport. In 2016 the Technical University of Piraeus awarded him with the Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration.

He expands the family business established in 1961. In 1986 he set up “Spyros Korkidis Bros”, a ship supplying company in Marine Electric & Electronics equipment and in 1990 "K-Group Shipping Inc". Since 2008, he is President and Managing Director of the commercial and maritime company "Korkidis S.V.E. SA.”

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 15.00h: Panel B: MERICS Think - Tank Panel: China’s Economic Policy - what can we expect? (Plenarsaal)

James Kynge is emerging markets editor and associate editor at the Financial Times. He is also chairman of FT Confidential Research, a premium research service on China, South East Asia and Latin America that he founded in 2009.

A recipient of several journalism awards, Kynge has been a correspondent based in Japan, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, former Soviet Central Asia and Hong Kong over the past 28 years. He was China Bureau Chief for seven years until 2005 and later headed up the Pearson Group of companies' business operations in China. He was also President of FTChinese.com, the FT's Chinese language website.

His prize-winning book "China Shakes the World" was an international bestseller, translated into 19 languages. Outside the office, he encourages young people in the UK to engage with China as a British Council “leading light” and as President of the Chinese Speakers Association, an NGO.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 15.00h: Panel B: MERICS Think - Tank Panel: China’s Economic Policy - what can we expect? (Plenarsaal)

Rolf J. Langhammer is a professor of economics at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. From 1997 to 2012 he was Vice-President of the Kiel Institute. He is an expert on development and trade issues, particularly in Asia. Langhammer has served as consultant to a number of international institutions (EU, World Bank, OECD, UNIDO, ADB), as well as to the German ministries of economic affairs and economic co-operation. He received his doctorate in economics in 1977 after joining the Kiel Institute in 1972.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel A: Green economy – China’s and Europe’s way to sustainable growth

Ursula Mathar started her professional career in 1989 working on strategic health policy topics at Bayer HealthCare in Leverkusen, Germany. With an educational background in business and pharmacology, she subsequently held several strategic marketing positions for prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals at Bayer HealthCare and headed the self-care and consumer products business at Bayer Switzerland. In 2002, Ms. Mathar joined the „Environment & Sustainability“ department of Bayer AG in Germany and headed the „Sustainability and External Reporting“ division. There she was responsible for sustainability strategy, sustainability reporting, sustainability ratings and rankings, and, together with the investor relations department, for sustainability communications for the financial markets. On 1 April 2012, she joined the BMW Group as Vice President of „Sustainability & Environmental Protection“. In this function, she reports to the head of Corporate Planning and Product Strategy and is responsible for the companies’ sustainability strategy and the management of environmental issues.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 16.30h: Panel: Better connecting China with Europe - Xi Jinping’s „One Belt, One Road“ initiative

Jens Meier (49), born in Hamburg and father of 3 children, graduated in computer sciences and economics at the University of Hamburg and started his professional career at Software Design & Management AG, becoming a board member in 1997.
In 2000, he was appointed divisional manager of Systematics AG (later EDS). His responsibilities included consulting and software development.
From July 2002 onwards, Jens Meier was CEO of tts Holding GmbH & Co. KG and has been appointed to the board of directors after tts group was sold to Fiege Holding Stiftung & Co. KG in 2006. 
In 2008 Jens Meier joined the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) as CEO.
Mr. Meier is a founding member of the Hamburger Informatics Forum Association which promotes the co-operation between the University of Hamburg and companies. Furthermore, he is senator of the Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade and has been assigned by the government of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg to the board of trustees of the Logistics Initiative Hamburg in 2006. Since 2015 he is also president of the local football club, Hamburger SV.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 14.30h: „Made in China 2025 – objectives, instruments and impact on European industries” (Merkur-Zimmer) - Presentation of MERICS study

Mirjam Meissner’s research focuses on industrial and innovation policy, infrastructure policy and renewable energy in China. She previously worked as a research associate with the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), where she was responsible for establishing and overseeing Stiftung Mercator’s dialogue program for Chinese-German young professionals. Meissner studied Sinology, Politics and Economics in Berlin and Wuhan.

Fritz Horst Melsheimer was born in 1950. He has more than 30 years of experience working in the insurance sector. After his studies at the universities of Bochum, Würzburg and Hamburg he joined the Albingia Versicherung AG in 1978 and became member of the board in 1991. In 1993 Mr. Melsheimer joined the Hamburg-Mannheimer Versicherungs-AG as board member. In addition, he became board member of ERGO Versicherungsgruppe AG. Mr. Melsheimer was Chairman of the board of management of HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe until 2014. Currently, Mr. Melsheimer is chairman of the supervisory board of HanseMerkur Insurance Group.

Furthermore he is President of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, joint founder of Gesundheitsmetropole Hamburg e.V. (Health Metropolis Hamburg), Member of the advisory board of Deutsche Bundesbank – Hamburg headquarters, Member of the economic advisory council of HSH Nordbank AG and Vice-President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK).

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 13.30h: Panel: Made in China 2025 – industrial transformation in a digital world

Neumann’s strategically-integrated role supports two important SAP objectives: Enabling the FGM team to directly tap the innovations by more than 8,000 FGM Labs developers worldwide, and driving the SAP Labs Network to focus on growth in BRIC countries.

Part of SAP’s Senior Executive Team, Mr. Neumann’s experience includes a 20-year SAP career in the fast growth markets, with more than 15 years in India and China. He was instrumental in establishing this largest research & development Hub of SAP outside of Germany in Bangalore by growing it constantly to its current strength of 4000 engineers, responsible for various products and solutions of SAP.

Mr. Neumann is recognized for his business achievements in Asia. At present, he serves as a spokesperson in the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), a board member in the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV) and a member of the Indo-German advisory council of the Prime Minister of India and the German Chancellor. Furthermore he co-authored several books and articles on innovation and business practice in emerging markets.

Mr. Neumann holds a Diploma of the University of Applied Science in Ludwigshafen and a MBA degree from INSEAD, Fontainbleau and Singapore.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 09.30h: Panel: A new global trade order shaped by regional trade agreements – what’s in it for China and the EU?

Mauro Petriccione was born in Taranto, in 1957. He graduated in Law from the University of Bari in 1982 and after a brief spell doing research at the same University, moved to London in 1984, first as a Visiting Research Scholar at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and then as postgraduate student at the London School of Economics.

He obtained an LL.M. from the University of London in 1986 and joined the European Commission in September 1987.

He has worked in trade policy since then, covering a wide range of activities and negotiations: from trade defence to standards, investment, competition, WTO, dispute settlement, relations with Member States and European Institutions.

As from 2004, he was Director in DG Trade, and as from September 2014, he is Deputy-Director General, dealing with Services and Investment, Intellectual Property, Public Procurement, Asia and Latin America, Sustainable Development, Economic Partnership Agreements, Agri-food and Fisheries.

Kevin Rudd joined the Asia Society Policy Institute as its inaugural President in January 2015. He served as Australia’s 26th Prime Minister (2007-2010, 2013) and as Foreign Minister (2010-2012). He led Australia’s response during the global financial crisis—the only major developed economy not to go into recession—and helped found the G20. As Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mr. Rudd was a driving force in expanding the East Asia Summit (EAS) to include both the U.S. and Russia in 2010. He also initiated the concept of transforming the EAS into a wider Asia-Pacific community. In 2014, Mr. Rudd was a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School where he completed a major policy paper U.S.-China 21: The Future of U.S.-China Relations Under Xi Jinping. He is a Distinguished Fellow at Chatham House in London, a Distinguished Statesman with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, and a Distinguished Fellow at the Paulson Institute in Chicago. He is proficient in Mandarin Chinese and serves as a Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, and he co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s China Council.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel: Green economy – China’s and Europe’s way to sustainable growth

Jens-Peter Saul was born 1 July 1966 in Rheinhausen, Germany. He spent most of his childhood, youth and military service (Wehrdienst) in Hamburg.

After graduating in 1995 with a degree in energy and process technology engineering at the University of Hannover, Mr. Saul began his career at Siemens Power Generation in Offenbach. In 2002, he was appointed Director of Sales, New Plants and Services, Middle East.

In October 2005, he transferred to the UK to become Managing Director, Siemens Power Generation. In 2008, he was appointed Managing Director, Siemens Energy Sector UK and North West Europe. He became President and CEO of Siemens Global Wind Power Business Unit in 2010.

Jens-Peter Saul joined Rambøll Group as President and Group CEO in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2012. He is active as Chairman of the Danish-German Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Confederation of Danish Industry's Committee on Business Policy as well as a member of the Supervisory Board of Danske Commodities, a leading energy trading company with a strong presence in the German renewables market.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel A: Green economy – China’s and Europe’s way to sustainable growth

Jürgen Schachler was born 1954 in Hannover. He has more than 30 years experience in the chemical, steel and metals industry. After his studies of economics and business administration in Hannover he joined the chemical industry and moved on to the steel industry with ArcelorMittal in 1993. 
As of the year 2000 Mr. Schachler became CEO of the Techalloy Company in the US and subsequently CEO of several ArcelorMittal companies in Mexico, Thailand, Germany and Canada. Between 2013 and 2015 he was responsible for the ArcelorMittal flat products division in South-West Europe. 
Today, Mr. Schachler is Chief Executive Officer of the Aurubis Group. Aurubis is the leading integrated copper group and the largest copper recycler worldwide. It produces more than 1 million t of copper cathodes annually and from them a variety of copper products. Aurubis has about 6,300 employees, production sites in Europe and the USA and a service and sales system for copper products in Europe, Asia and North America.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 15.00h: Panel A: New customers?! – the rise of the new Chinese middle class3

Hanjo Schneider followed up his management studies degree in Germany with an executive MBA at the California State University. His career kicked-off at Dun & Bradstreet where he held various management positions in Europe. Among these, he headed the successful turnaround of the Dun & Bradstreet organisation in Austria. In 1997, Hanjo Schneider was appointed to the executive board at Danzas and headed Danzas Euronet GmbH. In addition to this, in the same year he took on the position of chairman of the executive board at Danzas Deutschland Holding. Hanjo Schneider joined Hermes in 2002, becoming chairman of the executive board of the Hermes Logistics Group. He held this position until 1 July 2008 when he was appointed to the executive board of the Otto Group - a post he officially took up on 1 February 2009. In addition to his activities on the Otto board, Hanjo Schneider was responsible for the development of European joint service provider Hermes Europe where he held the position of CEO. Since April 30th 2015, Hanjo Schneider has been the chairman of the supervisory board of Hermes Europe GmbH.

Olaf Scholz was born in Osnabrück in 1958 and graduated from the Hamburg University with a degree in law. In 1975 he joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) where he has held several senior positions including Deputy Chairman of the party’s youth organization and Secretary General of the party (2002-2004). Currently he is Vice Chairman of the German SPD and Chairman of the Hamburg SPD. He was Member of the German Bundestag (1998-2001, 2002-2011) holding senior positions in the SPD parliamentary group and Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs (2007-2009). In 2001 he served as Hamburg’s Minister of the Interior. Since 2011 Olaf Scholz is the First Mayor and President of the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel B: Innovation through cooperation? R & D partnerships between China and Europe (Plenarsaal)

Henner Schöneborn started his carrier in 1989 as Applications and Consultant Engineer for laser marking and cutting systems, robotics and milling centers, followed by an assignment as Product Manager for rapid prototyping technologies at MCP-HEK Tooling Technologies. From 2000-2003, Mr. Schöneborn was Group Manager in the USA, United Kingdom and Germany for tooling and applications within MCP. From 2002 onwards, he was Board Member and responsible for the introduction of the SLM Technology world-wide. In 2007 he was assigned as Head of the SLM Technology Group within MTT (MCP Tooling) Technologies. From 2011-2013, he was Shareholder and CTO/COO of SLM Solutions GmbH, Germany, and SLM Solutions NA, Inc., USA. In 2014 he was assigned as Executive Vice President Sales and Head of Product Marketing for the SLM technology within the SLM Solutions GmbH and SLM Solutions N.A., Inc. Since 2014, Mr. Schöneborn is Member or the Management Board of Directors for corporate development and innovations at the SLM Solutions Group AG.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel: Innovation through cooperation? - R&D partnerships between China and Europe

Dr. Margot Schüller is Senior Research Fellow at the German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA) and China expert at the GIGA Institute of Asian Studies. She is a regular lecturer on Chinese and East Asian economics at universities in Germany and abroad and frequently consults governmental and private institutions. Her current research focuses on China’s economic development, especially the transition of the banking sector, China’s economic relations with neighbouring countries in Asia, China’s innovation system, and the globalization of Chinese companies. She is also a member of the Sino-German Innovation Platform, an Initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. 
www.giga-hamburg.de/en/team/schüller

Born in 1956 in Detmold, Germany, Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier obtained a law degree in 1986 and embarked upon a career in politics in the Federal Republic of Germany. After serving as Head of the Office of the Minister President of Lower Saxony from 1993-1994, he took charge of the department in the Lower Saxon State Chancellery responsible for policy guidelines and interministerial coordination and planning, where he remained until 1996. From 1996-1998 he held the position of State Secretary and Head of the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony, becoming State Secretary in the Federal Chancellery and Commissioner for the Federal Intelligence Services in 1998. In 1999 he became the Head of the Federal Chancellery, a position he held for the next six years. From 2005-2009, Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier served as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and from 2007 until 2009 additionally as Deputy Chancellor. Afterwards he became Head of the parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Party which he chaired until end of 2013. Since December 2013, Dr. Steinmeier is serving for the second time as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 13.30h: Panel: Made in China 2025 – industrial transformation in a digital world

Dr. Sabine Stricker-Kellerer is advising on legal aspects of doing business in China, based on her 25 years of experience on China business matters and monitoring speed and shape of recent developments. She was the first lawyer to set up a presence for a continental European law firm in China back in 1985. As Senior China Counsel of the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, she divides her time between Germany and China. She is a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), and a member of the German-Chinese Dialogue Forum. She studied law in Munich, Geneva and Harvard.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 13.30h: Panel: Made in China 2025 – industrial transformation in a digital world

After graduating in Industrial Engineering and Management, Mr. Stroh started his career at Siemens AG, and then joined Infineon Technologies AG, where he was involved in the company’s IPO as Senior Vice President and General Manager of its network and computer storage, data communication and consumer business. Mr. Stroh then served as CEO for various start-up companies before moving to Agere System Inc. to manage its data storage division. Before joining NXP in 2009, he was in charge of the data storage peripherals business at LSI. Ruediger Stroh is spokesman for the Republic of Korea at the Asia-Pacific-Committee of German Business (APA), Chairman of the South Korean Committee at the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV), and prime mover of the strategic development of NXP’s business in Asia.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel B: Innovation through cooperation? R & D partnerships between China and Europe (Plenarsaal)

Dr. Ulrike Tagscherer has nearly 30 years of experience with China. She studied geography, political sciences and modern Chinese at Heidelberg University, receiving her Ph.D. in 1999. She joined Fraunhofer in 2000 and became Director International Business Development Asia in 2004. In 2008 she joined the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research in Karlsruhe and soon worked at the Institute of Policy and Management of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as an Integrated Expert. From 2013 to 2015 Dr. Tagscherer worked in the ‘Joint Center for Innovation Research’ in Beijing. Since September 2015 she works at the Fraunhofer Headquarter in Munich. In addition, Dr. Tagscherer founded a consulting company "China Innovation Consulting" in 2016, focussing on innovation strategies for companies. Her research focus lies on national systems of innovation, industry-science linkages, R & D activities of multinational companies in China as well as policies and developments regarding electric mobility in China.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 16.30h: Panel: Better connecting China with Europe - Xi Jinping’s „One Belt, One Road“ initiative

Jonathan Taylor has been a Vice President of the European Investment Bank since January 2013. He is a member of the EIB’s Management Committee which draws up the Bank's financial and lending policies, oversees its day-to-day business, and takes collective responsibility for the Bank’s performance.

Mr. Taylor has particular responsibility for the Bank’s activities in Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom and Asia. He also leads on the Bank’s work in energy, climate action and in other environmental lending policies. Internally, he is responsible for a range of control functions, such as audit, compliance and related matters.

Mr. Taylor was previously Director General of Financial Services and Stability at HM Treasury (the UK Finance Ministry). He has held a range of posts in both the private and public sectors. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford, in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 09.30h: Panel: A new global trade order shaped by regional trade agreements – what’s in it for China and the EU?

Dr. Richard Weber, born 1944 in Germany, is the president of EUROCHAMBRES, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry since 2014. 
An entrepreneur himself, he has been the executive associate of the “Karlsberg Brauerei KG Weber” brewery in Homburg/Saar since 1983. He is also the president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Saarland and a former president of the Brewers of Europe (1992-1996). After completing his studies in economics at the University of Innsbruck, he started his career at BSN (today Danone) in Paris. Since 2004, Dr. Richard Weber is a member of the French order of merit (Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur) and since 2005 he holds the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 11.15h: Panel: China's economic transition - a challenge for a fragile global economy? (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

Yu Weiping is in charge of the international business of CRRC, which is the world's largest supplier of rail transit equipment with the most complete product lines and leading technologies. Yu led the design and manufacture of the fastest high-speed rail train in the world with average speed of 350 kilometers per hour. CRH380BL model reached to a record test speed 487.3 km per hour in the world on operation railway between Beijing and Shanghai on January 9, 2011. This record has not been broken so far.During his work as Vice President of CNR, CNR won the 232 units of diesel-electric locomotives business in South Africa in March 2014, which is the largest order in history of Chinese diesel locomotive exports. In October 2014, CNR won 284 subway vehicles order of Boston Red Line and Orange Line, the first time Chinese rail transit equipment won business in the United States.Yu Weiping is also an advocate of Chinese companies’ “respectful” investment overseas, which consists of high technology, good quality and reliable after sales service.

Wednesday, November 23, 15.00h: Panel A: New customers?! The rise of the new Chinese middle class

Christoph Winterer joined METRO GROUP Wholesale & Food Specialist Company in 2015 as Operating Partner and as member of the METRO Cash & Carry board. As Operating Partner, he is in charge of METRO Cash & Carry’s wholesale business in China and Japan and supports the local management in realizing growth opportunities. Before joining METRO, Mr. Winterer was Managing Director of EX3NET, Singapore. In parallel he founded with two others Eastar Capital Inc., Kuala Lumpur, a boutique investment and asset trading firm in South East Asia and China. Before that, Mr. Winterer has spent 22 years at Bain & Company. As a Bain partner he served multinational clients in the consumer goods and retail space, with a strong focus on corporate strategy, customer value creation, sales and marketing, performance improvement and organization design. He has many years of experience in the food service space, including many target segments of METRO Cash & Carry.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 14.30h: „Made in China 2025 – objectives, instruments and impact on European industries” (Merkur-Zimmer) - Presentation of MERICS study

Jost Wübbeke focuses on China’s innovation policy, digital economy as well as its policy on energy and natural resources and product safety. He published on industrial policy, smart manufacturing and the internet of things in China. Wübbeke wrote his PhD thesis on the Chinese raw materials and rare earth industry at the Environmental Policy Centre of the Free University Berlin. During his studies of International Relations and East Asian Studies, he interned at the German Embassy in Beijing and the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. He was a visiting researcher at Tsinghua University and the Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Norway.

Thursday, November 24, 15.00h: Panel A: New customers?! The rise of the new Chinese middle class

Deng Xiaofeng is a senior engineer and the Chief Executive Officer of China Telecom Global Ltd. He graduated from the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications with a bachelor degree in radio telecommunications engineering and received an MBA from South China University of Technology.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Deng served as Chief Executive Officer of China Telecom International Ltd. (Hong Kong Branch), as Deputy General Manager of China Telecom Corporation Ltd. (Guangdong Branch), as General Manager of China Telecom Company Ltd. (Shenzhen and Foshan Branch) and as President of the Guangzhou Research Institute of China Telecom Corporation Ltd.

Mr. Deng has more than 30 years of operational and extensive management experience in the telecommunications industry in China.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 10.45h: Special Session: The internationalisation of China´s Renminbi: Becoming a global currency

Dr. Zhang is the Chief Representative of the Frankfurt Representative Office of the People’s Bank of China (PBC). Her work focuses on issues related to economic, financial and fiscal system in the Euro area, as well as the RMB internationalisation, macroeconomics and financial reform in China.
She joined the PBC in 2007 and has been the Deputy Director General of the Research Institute of PBC, which focuses on research projects in macroeconomics, monetary policy, international finance, international trade and rural finance. She has also been in charge of Financial Research, the top economic journal in China, for four years. 
She has published extensively in China. Her paper “The rates of informal lending and the future of private capital: the case of Wenzhou” has won the first Sun Yefang Financial Award in 2015, the highest academic award for research in finance and economics in China.
Prior to joining the PBC, she held various positions in the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Federal Reserve Board. She received her Ph.D. in economics in 1997.

Liu Yandong, female, born in Nov 1945, is a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, vice-premier of the State Council, and a member of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the State Council.

Liu entered the workforce in March 1970 and joined the CPC in July 1964. She studied political theory at the School of Administration at Jilin University, and holds the degree of Doctor of Laws.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 08.30h: Panel: EU-China investment cooperation – a European era of Chinese capital?

Sun Yi, born in Shanghai, learned German at an elite boarding school in Shanghai. After her first degree in German literature she obtained a master’s degree in Economics and Business Studies (Diplom-Kauffrau) in Germany. In 2006, Sun Yi joined EY (formerly Ernst & Young) and in 2011 she became the first Chinese native speaker to work as a partner in a Big Four audit firm in Germany and the youngest partner at EY. Alongside her role as partner in Transaction Advisory Services, Sun also leads EY’s China Business Services in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. She has more than 12 years of experience in cross-border business with China and, with her team, has acted as an advisor to most landmark transactions by Chinese investors in Europe during the last six years.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 09.30h: Panel: A new global trade order shaped by regional trade agreements – what’s in it for China and the EU?

Wu Yijian was member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference for the 9th, 10th and 11th session, vice chairman of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce for the 10th session and member of the Standing Committee of All-China Youth Federation for the 8th, 9th and 10th session. He currently serves as secretary general of Augmented Reality Alliance China, presidium member of the China Federation of Industrial Economics (CFIE) and vice president of the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 16.30h: Panel: Better connecting China with Europe - Xi Jinping’s „One Belt, One Road“ initiative

Wang Yiwei is Professor of School of International Studies, Director of Institute of International Affairs, Director of Center for European Studies and Senior Fellow of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY) at Renmin University of China. He was formerly diplomat at Chinese Mission to the European Union (2008-2011) and professor of Center for American Studies at Fudan University (2001-2008). His recent books include The World Is Connected: Logic of The Belt and Road Initiative; The Belt & Road Initiative: What China Will Offer the World in Its Rise (both in Chinese and English), Haishang: Revelations of European Civilization (both in Chinese and English) and China NATO Studies Series

Born in March 1945, Mr. Li Yizhong, a professorate senior engineer, was once Vice Chairman & Party Secretary of SASAC, Chairman and Secretary of Leading Party Group of State Administration of Work Safety as well as Minister and Secretary of Leading Party Group of the MIIT. He is now Vice Chairman of the Economic Committee & standing member of the 12th CPPCC National Committee and Chairman of CFIE. He was also the alternate member of the 14th and 15th CPC Central Committee and member of the 16th and 17th CPC Central Committee.

He graduated from Beijing Petroleum College in 1966 and has worked successively as Executive Deputy General Manager of China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, General Manager & Secretary of Leading Party Group of Sinopec Group and Chairman and Secretary of Leading Party Group of China Sinopec Corporation, Ltd. He sits as Chairman and Executive President of the Presidium of CFIE since April 2011.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 15.00h: Panel B: MERICS Think - Tank Panel: China’s Economic Policy - what can we expect? (Plenarsaal)

Dr. Yueh is Fellow in Economics at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford University, Adjunct Professor of Economics at London Business School, and Visiting Professor of Economics at Peking University. She is a TV and radio presenter, including for BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service. She was Chief Business Correspondent for BBC News, and host of Talking Business with Linda Yueh on BBC World News and BBC News Channel based in Singapore. She previously also worked as an Economics Editor and anchor at Bloomberg TV in London.

Professor Yueh has advised the World Bank, the European Commission, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Economic Forum in Davos, among others. She was Non-Executive Director of the FTSE-listed companies JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust and Baillie Gifford's Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust; board member of London & Partners, the official promotion body of London and former adviser to the British Chambers of Commerce.

Thursday, November 24, 2016 11.00h: Panel B: Innovation through cooperation? R & D partnerships between China and Europe (Plenarsaal)

Zhengxin `Charlie’ Cai, born in 1972, has been Managing Director at Preh GmbH in Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale since July 2011. He is in charge of purchasing and supply chain management and of the HMI commercial vehicles division. Charlie Cai has helped shape both Preh’s dynamic growth over the past five years and the integration of the long-established German company into the globally active Joyson Group of Ningbo, China. Prior to joining the Preh management, Cai was Managing Director of what is now Preh’s parent company, Joyson Holding, Ningbo. In his native city Shanghai he had previously served as Sales Director at Gentex (Shanghai) Electronics Technology Co. Ltd.

Charlie Cai studied engineering at the University of Shanghai and also holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the Shanghai Jiaotong University. In addition to his function at Preh, he is also President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CHKD) in Germany. Cai is married with one child. His hobbies include mountaineering and motorcycling.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 11.15h: Panel: China's economic transition - a challenge for a fragile global economy? (Albert-Schäfer-Saal)

Thursday, November 24, 2016 09.30h: Panel: A new global trade order shaped by regional trade agreements – what’s in it for China and the EU?

Mao Zhenhua is founder and Chairman of China Chengxin Credit Management Co. Ltd. He successively did economic research in Hubei Provincial Bureau of Statistics, Hainan Provincial Government Research Center and Research Office of the State Council. He founded China Chengxin Credit Management Co. Ltd. in 1992. China Chengxin Credit Management Co. Ltd. is the leading agency of Chinese credit industry. The subcompany China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co. Ltd. is the world’s fourth largest and China’s biggest credit rating agency. Graduated from Wuhan University, Mr. Mao received a Ph.D. degree in Economics and a Postdoctoral Fellowship from CASS. His other titles are Executive Director of CFIE, Director of China Entrepreneurs Forum, Director-General of Dong FuReng Foundation, Director and Ph.D. Supervisor of Institute of Economic Research of RUC, Director and Ph.D. Supervisor of Dong FuReng Research College of Economics and Social Development of Wuhan University, Adjunct Professor of the Graduate School of CASS as well as Director of Shenzhen Innovation and Development Institute.

Mr. Zhao graduated from Jilin University. From 1984, he worked in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Ministry of Commerce as deputy division director and division director. For many years, he has been working in the multilateral and bilateral development cooperation affairs which involve international organisations and countries, such as United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, United Nations Volunteers, European Union, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands, etc. He acted as Deputy Director General of China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) since 2006 and concurrently acted as Executive Vice President of China Association of Trade in Services (CATIS) from 2007.