Zanny Minton Beddoes is the Editor-in-Chief of The Economist. For over 25 years at the newspaper she has written special reports on the world economy, Germany, Latin American finance, global finance and Central Asia. Zanny is a renowned global economics expert, sought-after for her authoritative perspectives on the world economy. She previously worked at the IMF, and as an adviser to the Minister of Finance in Poland

Tom is a seasoned analyst who delivers high impact global research and insight. He identifies the economic and geopolitical themes that will shape the global business landscape and leads the development of powerful, data-driven forecasts that make a difference for clients. A sought after presenter of the EIU’s global outlook at keynote events, Tom enjoys sharing his views in boardroom settings and appears regularly in media.

Tom draws on more than a decade of experience as an analyst at EIU, much of it spent working in China. He is a published expert on China’s political economy and has conducted in-depth research on issues such as supply chains and geopolitical risk across Asia. Prior to EIU, Tom held research and policy roles in organisations including the UK Parliament and Oxford Analytica. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Oxford.

Kai Guo, is the Executive President of China Finance 40 Institute. Before joining CF40, Dr. Guo was an economist at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC and then worked at the People’s Bank of China in various capacities, including in the monetary policy department and the international department. Dr. Guo holds a Ph.D. degree in economics from Harvard University. His main research areas include the Chinese economy and its macroeconomic policies as well as international finance. Dr. Guo is the author of three popular Chinese economics books and multiple academic papers in various English and Chinese journals.

Marc Horn took the helm as President of Merck China on January 1st, 2024, with the mandate to drive growth and innovation across the company's three vital sectors: Life Science, Healthcare, and Electronics. China holds immense strategic importance for Merck, ranking as its second-largest market worldwide. Marc's leadership will be instrumental in building upon Merck’s strong foundation and legacy of more than 355 years, shaping the future of Merck in this dynamic region.

He joined Merck in 2014 as China CFO and was promoted to CFO of Eastern Asia then Managing Director of Merck’s Healthcare business in China. He became Merck Life Science Executive Leadership member in 2017 first as CFO then Chief Transformation Officer. He worked across regions including China, Germany, United States and Singapore with exceptional globalized business vision and cross-cultural skills.

Marc's vision and extensive experience place him in an ideal position to lead Merck China to new heights. His focus on innovation, collaboration, and cultural sensitivity will be key to unlocking the immense potential of this dynamic market.

A leading global expert on China’s economy and financial system, Ning has advised numerous government agencies, including the China Central Bank, China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the People's Republic of China.

As Head of China, Ning serves as a bridge between Brunswick’s team in China and the international stage, driving the firm’s strategic direction, leading client engagement, and managing critical issues with purpose and resolve.

With over 12 years’ experience in Mainland China, Ning combines on-the-ground know-how with prodigious academic expertise to support clients seeking to expand overseas, enter markets, or evolve their global image. A trained economist, he brings a quantitative and analysis-driven approach to problem-solving, and he has been invited to speak to the boards of many Fortune 500 companies.

An educator at heart, Ning joined Brunswick from the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, where he was Professor of Finance and Deputy Dean, and Yale University, where he was Faculty Fellow for the International Center for Finance. He is the award-winning author of China’s Guaranteed Bubble and The Investor’s Enemy, and he frequently speaks at the Davos World Economic Forum. He has previously served as a Professor of Finance and Deputy Director at the National Institute of Financial Research at Tsinghua University and is a tenured Professor of Finance at the University of California. He has a PhD in Finance from Yale University, a Master’s in Management from Cornell University, and a Bachelor of Economics in International Finance from Peking University.

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.