Event Details

What challenges lie ahead for business in 2025, and where do C-suite executives see the most significant opportunities for growth?


Join us on 18 February for an exclusive unveiling of the EICN Asia Business Outlook Survey results, offering a firsthand look at how C-suite executives in China and across Asia are preparing for a year of heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty.


Compiled each year in November and December, our Business Outlook Survey provides a fresh and original data set that captures executive sentiment on investment priorities, operational risks, and employment strategies across the Asia region. It also provides a comparative lens, offering insights from senior business leaders across the Middle East and Africa, allowing for a broader understanding of how global businesses are positioning themselves in response to these evolving dynamics.

Please note that this event is limited to senior-level executives and per invitation only. If you are not an existing member of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network, but would like to learn how you can attend our events, please contact us.

Agenda

08:30 - 09:00
Arrival, registration, networking and breakfast
09:00 - 09:30
Welcome note, presentation of results of the latest EICN Business Outlook Survey
09:30 - 10:25
Panel discussion and Q&A
10:25 - 10:30
Thanks and closing remarks
10:30 - 11:00
End, coffee and networking

Speakers

  • Shirley Wu (Senior Vice President & GC Chairman at Dell Technologies)

    Shirley Wu

    Senior Vice President & GC Chairman at Dell Technologies

    As a veteran of over 20 years of experience in the high-tech sector, Shirley has an outstanding industry insight and business management track record. Before joining Dell Technologies, she served at Schneider Electric in China as Vice President of Sales and General Manager for Small and Medium Data Center (SMDC) Solutions, responsible for the company's data center business. Earlier in her career, she held other leadership positions at well-known companies such as Tellabs, Nortel, UTStarcom, and China Telecom.

    Shirley holds an M.S. degree in Electronics Engineering from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada, and a B.S. degree in Computer Communication Electronics Engineering from Beijing University of Post & Telecommunications. She also took module courses of Strategic Leader and Competitive Advantage at INSEAD.

    Ms. Shirley Wu is a Canadian passport holder. She is one of the Higher-Level Talents of Xiamen's "All Rivers run in the Sea" talent program. She is also a Member of WEC(Women's Empowerment Council) of China-US Chamber of Commerce, Honorary Advisor of the International Advisory Board of Chengdu Municipal People’s Government๏ผŒ Guest Professor of Practice and Member of the Global EMBA Project Management Advisory Committee at EMLYON Business School. She is named to Forbes China's 100 Most Powerful Women in Business 2023 list. She lives in Beijing with her family.

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  • Lars Eckerlein (General Manager, Country Holding Officer at ABB China)

    Lars Eckerlein

    General Manager, Country Holding Officer at ABB China

    Lars Eckerlein is General Manager, ABB (China) Limited, and Country Holding Officer, ABB in China. In these roles, Lars is responsible for ensuring ABB’s local compliance and serves as a spokesperson for ABB in China. Lars joined ABB China as Chief Financial Officer in 2015 from EY where he was a partner for Fraud Investigation and Dispute Services and previously for Assurance and Advisory Business Services. Lars has worked in Germany, USA and China, and has been based in Beijing since 2004. He is an active member of the local business community, having served as Treasurer of the European Chamber of Commerce and currently serving as Vice President of the Swiss Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Lars has passed professional qualifications as US Certified Public Accountant, German Certified Public Accountant and German Tax Advisor. He holds a degree of European Master of Management from EAP European School of Management (now ESCP Europe).

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  • Anke Schrader (China Director of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network)

    Anke Schrader

    China Director of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

    Anke Schrader is the China director of the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network. Utilizing over two decades of living and working in China, Anke works closely with network members to help inform their business strategies through political, economic, and operational insight and to connect them with their senior leadership peers.

    Anke is also a recognized sustainability expert. She is the author of numerous publications on ESG, citizenship, and sustainable development issues in China and served six years as Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in China’s Business Sustainability Committee.

    Before joining The Economist Group, Anke was the Asia Research Director at The Conference Board, where she led strategic planning and execution of thought leadership research for China and the Asia region, leading a team of economists and researchers covering macroeconomics, human capital, and sustainability research. She also previously worked as a strategy consultant at PwC in Beijing advising multinational clients on macroeconomic, policy, market entry strategy, and operational issues.
    Anke has led multi-year China research partnerships with Cornell University and Indiana University (funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and the Ford Foundation), was a guest lecturer at Cornell’s Employment and Disability Institute, and a mentor for the Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University.

    Anke received scholarships for Chinese language studies at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing and Shanghai Jiaotong University’s international MBA program. She holds an M.A. in politics and management from University of Konstanz.

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  • Dr Robert Xiao (Director, Beijing of The Economist Intelligence Corporate  Network)

    Dr Robert Xiao

    Director, Beijing of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

    Robert Xiao is the Director of the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network (EICN) in Beijing. He is responsible for engaging in high-level dialogues with business and political leaders, providing insights on global macroeconomic trends and policy directions for Fortune 500 decision-makers to support their macro layout and business development in domestic and international markets.

    Prior to joining EICN, Mr Xiao held positions as a lecturer, senior lecturer, PhD supervisor, and Deputy Director of the Impact Finance Hub at Monash University and Deakin Business School in Australia. His research mainly focused on the fields of corporate social responsibility, corporate governance, and economic and financial policy analysis related to the Chinese and US markets. He has authored multiple publications in Financial Times Top 50 Journals and been awarded major research grants jointly by the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and Chinese Academy of Social Science.

    An educator at heart, Mr Xiao has always maintained a passion for tertiary teaching. He has more than a decade of experience teaching business courses, including Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Finance, and Bachelor of Commerce programmes at leading universities.

    Mr Xiao obtained his Ph.D. in Finance from Monash University and graduated with honours (B.Com. Hons) from Monash Business School in 2008 as the highest-achieving student in his cohort. He has won multiple awards from Australian universities, including the Australian Postgraduate Awards granted by the Australian Federal Government.

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Venue

Hotel Eclat Beijing

Speaker's Corner, 10F
Parkview Green, Tower D
No. 9, DongDaQiao Road, Chaoyang Dist.,
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T: (86)10 8561 2888

Beijing, China

If you have any questions please contact The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

Contact Organizer

+86 18611217869

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