March 18, 2021. Shanghai – “There’ll be a new era for the economic cooperation between China and the EU.”

This was one of the promising messages delivered by Mr. Eddie Chen, Managing Director and Head of China & Asia at the French PE firm EURAZEO, to an eager audience at a CEIBS Executive Forum this evening.

The EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) is the result of over seven years and 35 rounds of negotiations between the EU and China. Amongst all the agreements China has signed with other countries, the CAI is the first one to include rules preventing the forced transfer of technology, obligations for SOEs’ behavior, comprehensive transparency rules for subsidies and commitments related to sustainable development.

“In short, CAI means more opportunities. It allows market access mainly for European companies in China,” Mr. Chen said.

Despite the impact of COVID-19, Mr. Chen explained, China-EU trade has been on the rise. In 2020, China was crowned the EU’s biggest trading partner (overtaking the US) and China is now the biggest market in the world for French cosmetics. These are just some of the trends creating new opportunities for China-EU cross-border investment.

“China-EU trade and investment in 2020 reached another historic high. [With] momentum between China and the EU and with the final signing of CAI hopefully by the end of this year, it’ll be a very encouraging environment for those working in Sino-EU businesses,” Mr. Chen added.

Nevertheless, Mr. Chen acknowledged that, for European companies, accessing China can sometimes be challenging due to local market dynamics.

“Traditional ways for foreign companies to set up local presence in China, such as buy and build, strategic alliances and joint ventures could be challenged by a complicated local regulatory atmosphere, relationship-driven business environment and culture, and increased localisation furthered by the COVID-19 health crisis,” Mr. Chen explained.

He also shared some successful cases and EURAZEO’s vision for cross-border investment and China value creation with the CEIBS audience.

“Strategy, experience, opportunity – you have to integrate them together. If you do so, as an investor, you’ll definitely be able to get a good return from the companies you invest in,” Mr. Chen concluded.

Watch the recorded livestream of the entire event here.

Experience CEIBS' "She Power"

Dear CEIBS Alumni,

As beautiful green scenery greets the eye and sweet scent of blossoms fill the air, the 111th International Women’s Day has brought to us the promise of spring. On this happy occasion, on behalf of CEIBS, I would like to extend my sincere greetings to all our female alumni!

It gives me great honour to be the first female president in CEIBS’ history, and I am glad to share with you my thoughts on women’s development here. My 30-year teaching career and 10-year period as a local government official have instilled in me the belief that women and men both have their advantages, and that women can exert the same influence as men as long as they lean in to realise their potential. Nowadays, an increasing number of women no longer play a role only as housewives. Instead, they have carved out a niche of their own in areas once dominated by men. With wisdom, diligence and dedication, women have shown us how valuable, diversified and unique one’s life can be, and they have made substantial contributions to social progress.

I feel proud to work with CEIBS, a business school which has risen to the world’s top tier in just over 25 years, is committed to advancing social progress, and has worked to cultivate more female managers and steer more women to a larger stage. From 1994 to 2020, the proportion of full-time female faculty at CEIBS increased roughly 29%. Over the years, female faculty, such as Prof. Katherine Xin, Prof. Jean Lee and Prof. Han Jian, have delved into their respective areas of research and invested enormous effort in management education. To our delight, more female faculty, including Prof. Zhang Shuang, Prof. Michelle Zheng and Prof. Bai Guo, have come on board in recent years, and have injected vitality into our teaching and research. At the same time, the proportion of female alumni has also grown, and women accounted for more than 40% of both CEIBS MBA and Global EMBA students enrolled in 2020. CEIBS has hosted seven Chinese Women Leadership Forums and delivers a broad range of female leadership courses.  We are keenly aware that only when women have a bigger voice in society can we promote gender equality more effectively and make the world a better place.

CEIBS faculty have been relentless in researching and exploring women’s self-worth and leadership. For example, Prof. Chen Shimin’s research has revealed that female leaders play a significant role in boosting companies’ financial performances and governance; Prof. Katherine Xin encourages female leaders to stay action-oriented and deliver a better performance to win more respect; Prof. Xu Dingbo has noted that female managers should not tie themselves down to outdated social norms and expectations; and, in Prof. Jean Lee’s view, grit and grace can lead women to success and enable them to pursue greater meaning and value in life. While focusing on how women can achieve greater success, CEIBS hopes they will draw inspiration from their female identity and follow their heart in seeking self-fulfilment.

Two weeks ago, fourteen CEIBS alumni made it into the 2021 Forbes list of China's top business women. Behind them are numerous companies focused on people’s well-being and China’s development. Thanks to their outstanding leadership, these companies have contributed greatly to economic and social progress. Aside from this list, nearly 6,000 female CEIBS alumni have made their mark across a range of sectors. Some of them have led their companies in achieving remarkable growth, some have become highly respected in their professional fields, some have stood out as budding entrepreneurs against all odds, and some have been bold enough to attempt something new for a higher life goal. The self-confidence, wisdom, courage and tenacity they have displayed, epitomizes the great calibre of women today.

International Women’s Day makes a big difference to women. Over the past century, generations of women have struggled for female rights and the global push for gender equality has led to a remarkable elevation of women’s status. Nowadays, women are playing an increasingly significant role in political, economic, social and cultural affairs. Globally, however, many women still suffer from the inequality brought on by gender bias, and the proportion of women in the C-suite is still low due to traditional stereotypes of women as the weaker and more dependent sex. There is still a long way to go to realise gender equality.

Women’s self-fulfilment has everything to do with their inner awakening. Women should think independently and break away from their restraints to pursue the life they want. They should remember that they are not just a wife, a mother or a daughter, but themselves as well. They may love the excitement of the spotlight or enjoy more tranquil times in the moonlight; they may want to stand on top of mountains or stroll along a small creek; they may yearn for adventure or seek peace of mind. No matter who they are, as long as they follow their heart and chase their dreams with confidence and courage, they will become the best possible version of themselves. 

At the end of Faust, Goethe wrote, “Women, eternally, show us the way.” As women bring us life, love and warmth, their development has a direct bearing on all mankind. Dear alumni, I hope that women will continue to maintain their faith and forge ahead to pursue a meaningful life with wisdom and tenacity, and I hope that men will empathise and side with women, and do more for gender equality. It is my expectation that through the concerted efforts of people from all walks of life, more women will move onto a bigger stage and realise even greater dreams!

Finally, I wish all women a happy International Women’s Day!

Wang Hong
CEIBS President

March 2, 2021. Shanghai – The official giving and naming ceremony for the new CEIBS’ Hospitality EMBA (HEMBA) Lecture Hall was held today on the Shanghai campus. The HEMBA classroom project was initiated by the CEIBS Education Foundation together with students and alumni from the HEMBA 2018 and 2019 cohorts. As an on-going initiative, the project will collect the class gifts from future HEMBA cohorts so as to serve to strengthen the bond between HEMBA alumni and the school.

CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Zhang Weijiong and CEIBS Associate Dean (Europe), HEMBA Programme Director and Bayer Chair in Leadership Professor of Management Katherine Xin joined more than 20 HEMBA students and alumni and numerous faculty and staff members in participating in the ceremony.

In opening the ceremony, Prof. Xin first expressed her gratitude to HEMBA students and alumni for their support to the school and HEMBA programme. She added that, since the launch of the programme in 2017, the school and its students have worked closely to advance HEMBA’s development. HEMBA 2018 alumni, she said, have not only contributed to the optimisation and development of the programme, but have also laid the foundation for a culture of gratitude which can be passed on to future cohorts. Although HEMBA 2019 students have not yet graduated, they also offered a class gift to support the school’s development.

Next, Shandong H&C Property Management Chairman Wang Hongjie (HEMBA 2018) and Carl Zeiss Optics Marketing VP/General Manager and Zeiss Elite Academy President Yang Xiaoguang (HEMBA 2019) presented a joint gift to Prof. Zhang Weijiong, who accepted it on behalf of the school and the CEIBS Education Foundation. Prof. Zhang also offered commemorative gifts as a symbol of appreciation for the contributions of the HEMBA community. In total, the HEMBA 2018 and 2019 cohorts donated more than 1.6 million RMB for the development of the school.

Wang Hongjie (HEMBA 2018) then gave a speech to mark the class gift in which he stated that, in light of the disruption caused in 2020, the experience of studying at CEIBS helped everyone find certainty amongst uncertainty. He added that HEMBA 2018 alumni are very honoured to be able to continue to learn and grow at CEIBS. He said that the idea of naming the HEMBA classroom through a class gift stems from their gratitude for being about to learn and grow together over the course of the 18-month programme. Finally, he said that he hopes that the HEMBA Lecture Hall will serve as a reminder of their time at the school, so that everyone who enters it can feel the warmth of the HEMBA community.

Next, Yang Xiaoguang gave a speech on behalf of HEMBA 2019 students. He said that he believes that, as the service industry continues to evolve, his experience in the programme has enabled him and his classmates to gain a lot of valuable experience by helping them to apply the concept of service excellence to their professional roles and providing a great opportunity for transformation and improvement. In addition, he noted that the opening of the HEMBA Lecture Hall also means that HEMBA alumni now have a platform for lifelong learning and communication. Lastly, he said he hopes that the HEMBA Lecture Hall can grow with generations of HEMBA students and pass on the spirit and philosophy of service excellence.

Prof. Zhang also delivered a thank you speech on behalf of the school and the CEIBS Education Foundation. He said that the class gifts have both moved and motivated the school. CEIBS, he continued, will continue to strive for perfection and make the HEMBA programme even better in the future. Furthermore, he said that he believes that the service industry is an important part of China’s competitive strength. Moreover, he said that he believes the HEMBA programme can boost the development of the service industry and will have a positive impact on the country’s economic development. He added that he hopes HEMBA 2018 and 2019 cohorts will serve as role models for future cohorts. He also concluded that he hopes that the HEMBA community will have more opportunities to share their experiences with others and that more alumni will participate in providing support for CEIBS.