Simon Baptist is Editorial Director and Chief Economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit. Prior to his current role, he has held a number of other senior management and editorial positions in the business, including Managing Director for Asia, Regional Director of our Asia editorial team, Director of Global Forecasting, and Consulting Director in both Europe and Asia

Simon’s focus is on the global economy, national and international political developments, and public policy. He engages with business, government and international organisations, helping them to understand the operational and strategic implications of the EIU’s forecasts.

He has a doctorate in economics from and was a lecturer at Oxford University, along with degrees in economics and science from the University of Tasmania. His academic research investigated technology and the determinants of productivity in manufacturing firms.

Christine Lam is Chief Executive Officer of Citi in the People’s Republic of China. She is responsible for all of Citi’s businesses and franchise operations in China and is based in Shanghai. Ms. Lam is also President of Citibank (China) Co., Ltd. (“Citi China”), Citi's locally incorporated entity in China.

Previously, Ms. Lam was Head of Operations and Technology for Citi in Asia Pacific responsible for Operations, Technology and Shared Services functions that support Citi's businesses across 16 markets in Asia. She also provided oversight for the Global Citi Service Centers in China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. During her career with Citi, Ms. Lam has held a wide range of management positions in Hong Kong, Canada and Asia Pacific regional roles. In the 1990s, she spearheaded Citi's securities services business ventures in B-Shares, an early innovation in the opening up of Chinese financial markets, before moving on to run the Citi Transaction Services business in Hong Kong. She then spent 10 years in the regional management office running CitiService and Quality for the Corporate and Investment Bank in Asia Pacific. She subsequently became the Chief of Staff to the regional CEO of the Corporate and Investment Bank and was Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific Corporate Banking and Commercial Banking for five years. Ms. Lam went on to head Citi’s consumer banking business in Hong Kong and Macau. She was responsible for the growth and development of that business covering retail banking, wealth management, mortgage, insurance, credit cards and consumer lending. In 2019, Fortune China named Ms. Lam one of the 25 most influential female business leaders in China, while Forbes China listed her as one of the most outstanding women in business in China in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Ms. Lam holds an LL.B. (Hons) degree from the University of Leeds.

Mattie Bekink is responsible for the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network’s China strategy, including programme development and client servicing across China. She also provides support to all Economist Intelligence Corporate Network programmes worldwide with a China component.

Ms Bekink has extensive experience in the public, private and policy sectors. Prior to joining The Economist Group, she was the Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in the Netherlands. She also ran an eponymous consulting business, advising senior executives from businesses, universities and non-profit organisations on China policy, strategy, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility. Ms Bekink practiced law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, has worked with the US-Asia Law Initiative at NYU Law School and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative China Program, and served in the legal department at General Motors China.

Ms Bekink has a BA in International Relations from Stanford University and a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center.

With 23 years of China corporate development and investment banking experience, Eduardo is Managing Partner of ICP (InterChina Partners). ICP ranks among China’s top 5 mid-market Investment banks with more than 200 M&A and Divestment transactions successfully closed. The company employs 60 people and has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and London. InterChina is member of Clearwater International, one of Europe’s leading investment banking firms. Eduardo is a member of several board of directors in China and APAC, a member of YPO and an associate professor in Cheung Kong Business School and IE for MBA executive education.

Prior work experience with Credit Suisse Asset Management (Madrid) and Sinclair Roche & Temperley (London).

Ian Shih, the first ethnic Chinese president of Rockwell Automation Greater China, joined the company in 2008 and has then worked across the markets of China, North America, South America and Europe. After being appointed as the president of Rockwell Automation Greater China, Ian Shih has been actively leading the development of industrial automation and digital transformation in China, empowering smart manufacturing and carbon neutrality.

Ian Shih holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in manufacturing business management from Pennsylvania State University. He is also appointed as the National Advisor of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Alliance (FIRA) by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Vice Chairman of Shanghai Intelligent Manufacturing Industry Promotion Center for Yangtze River Delta， and Vice President of Shanghai Intelligent Manufacturing Industry Association.

Kenneth Jarrett is a Senior Advisor with the Albright Stonebridge Group, a strategic advisory firm based in Washington, DC. He previously served as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai from September 2013 to December 2018. Prior to that he was the Greater China Chairman for APCO Worldwide, a Washington-based public affairs consultancy from 2008 to 2013, and before that a U.S. diplomat from 1982 to 2008. During his 26-year diplomatic career, his postings included Consul General in Shanghai, Deputy Consul General in Hong Kong, and Director of Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council. He also served in Beijing, Chengdu, Singapore, and had several assignments in Washington, DC. Mr. Jarrett has degrees from Cornell University, Yale University and the National War College. He is a frequent commentator on the business environment in China, and has been quoted in outlets including Bloomberg, the Economist, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among others. He is the recipient of the Magnolia Award (Silver) from the Shanghai government and is a member of the National Committee for US-China Relations.