Block
THE MINDFOOD CLUB
People

Mr. Javier Torá

Founder and President of ES Grupo

ES Grupo is a conglomerate that employs 1300 people in 4 countries, manufacturing and supplying to the main fashion brands in the world. He is OPM, Owner President Management Program, at Harvard Business School; Member of the Board and Advisor of Benessene Capital; Club Member of the Life Changing School; Co-founder of CEEC, Spanish businessmen in Canton and Founder of Juntos business incubator and co-working space. In March 2021, he was awarded the Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his contribution to the Spanish community in China.

Dr. Harley Seyedin

President of Allelon Energy Systems

Together with Elon Musk, he won the 2017 Oslo Business for Peace Award. Awarded «Peace through Commerce medal» by the U.S. government. President of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China. World renowned China expert, international businessman, humanitarian and philanthropist.

Mr. Jeremy Sargent OBE

Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Guangdong

Member of the Beachhead Advisory Board of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise; Honorary Legal Advisor to the British Ambassador Beijing; Managing Partner of JSA Legal Consultancy; and Founder of The Happy Monk. In 2011 awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for legal services and services to British business in China. Graduated in Chinese from Leeds University and recently completed a joint Executive MBA at Columbia University, London Business School and HKU.

Mr. Klaus Zenkel

General Manager of Imedco Technology Shenzhen and Vice President of the European Chamber of Commerce in China

From 1993 to 2006 he was based in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany and China for several executive management positions within the Siemens Healthcare organization. In 2006, he developed from scratch the Shenzhen subsidiary of the Swiss Company Imedco AG, a global player of the healthcare Industry, manufacturing MRI shielding solutions for hospitals and research institutions. He supports members as the Chair of European Chamber of Commerce South China. He graduated in Industrial Engineering in Germany.

Mr. Norbert Marx

CEO of GAMECO

CEO of GAMECO, Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co., a Joint Venture of China Southern Airlines and CK Hutchison W. He manages a workforce of 6300 people and has been a CEO for 20 years in the US, Europe and China. Lecturer at a prestigious Business School in Oxford.

Mr. Eduardo Aznar

Consul General of Spain in Canton

Previously, he was the Consul General of Spain in Mexico, Ambassador of Spain in Croatia, Ambassador for the Year of Spain in Japan, apart from other diplomatic positions in Colombia, Magreb, Canada, Hungary and Venezuela, among others. Graduated in Law by the University of Zaragoza and MA by the Institute of Oriental Asia Studies in Taipei.

Mr. Aitor Mate

Chief Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Spain in Canton

Previously, he had several positions in the Ministry of Economy and Economic Office of the President of Government. He was Chief Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Spain in Belgrade and Member of the Board of Directors of ICEX and Invest in Spain. The office supports the internationalization of companies, promotes exports and facilitates foreign companies investing in Spain.

Ms. Maite Irizar

General Manager of TIBA China

TIBA, founded in 1975, is a leading Spanish multinational in the logistics sector with presence in 20 countries and a network of 7 locations in the Asian giant. Supply Chain professional for more than 14 years, previously, she has held management positions in Spain and Hong Kong for the logistics and pharmaceutical sectors. Degree in Business Administration and Management in Germany and Master in International Management.

Ms. Miu Miu

Chairman of HK Mingsheng Industrial ltd

Chairman of HK Mingsheng Industrial ltd, Founder of Si He De International Freight, Executive secretary of the ZH Island GBA and Founding Member of Sichuan Azalea Charity Foundation. She has been doing business with Africa for 18 years. She is EMBA, a philanthropist and a mother.

Mr. David Albert

Global Head of Sourcing and General Manager of Camper Sourcing

Camper Sourcing is a shoes company founded in 1975 in Mallorca, with more than 140 years of family inheritance in the industry. David has 30 years of experience at Camper, first in IT department and later in Operations. He is an engineer at the University of Barcelona and IESE Business School.

Mr. Elías Botet

General Manager at Kaiping Sedal

Kaiping Sedal is a manufacturer of sanitary valves in Guangdong. He has experience in technical positions and in quality control in industrial companies in the automobile sector, equipment and sanitary water. His career started in Spain, then followed by the United States and now in China, where he lives since 2008. Industrial engineering by the Polytechnic University of Madrid and Master in Business Administration and production management.

Mr. David Edwards

Founding Head of School at ISA Science City and Vice-President Project Development of ISA International Education Group

With experience leading more than US$800 million of start-up schools, as well as leading organisations more than 150 years of age. Founder, Board Member, Leader, David was recognised in 2017 as one of Asia’s top 100 CEOs.

Mr. Jesús Gracia

Former Consul General of Spain in Canton

He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1985. Counsellor for development cooperation in Central America, based in Costa Rica, 1989-1992. Consul General in Córdoba Argentina, 1992-1996. Ambassador of Spain to Cuba, 2001-2004. Secretary of State for Latin American and development cooperation, 2012-2016. Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Italy, 2017. He is Knight of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and holds the Grand Cross of the Order of May of the Argentine Republic. Degree in Law and in Hispanic Philology from the University of Zaragoza.

Ms. Ana Maria Lafuente

Counsellor of the Tourism Office of the Consulate General of Spain in Guangzhou

She worked at the Berlin Office of the Spanish National Tourism Administration. She holds a Master in Creative Intelligence and a Master in Communication. Fluent in English, German, Italian, Spanish & Chinese.

Mr. Iñaki Vargues

General Manager of LUCTA in Asia

General Manager of LUCTA in Asia, a Spanish multinational that produces fragrances for food, founded more than 70 years ago in Barcelona in 1949. He has been in management and executive positions for more than 20 years in diverse industries such as Pharmaceuticals, Household appliances, Construction and Chemistry, all of which are Spanish multinationals. He developed more than half of his career in China. Graduated in Economics and Business Administration.

Mr. Alejandro Morales

Project leader at Airbus China Innovation Centre in Shenzhen

After 14 years of experience in Airbus in Seville, Toulouse and Hamburg, he moves to China to manage the development of new products for Commercial and VIP aircrafts and helicopters. Airbus is the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe and the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer. He is a Industrial Engineer by the Polytechnical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, and holds a Computer Science Diploma by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Switzerland.

Mr. Joseph Smith

Founder and CEO of True AI Systems, Former Vice-president of Global Business Transformation at Huawei (1999 – 2015)

He was the first foreigner from IBM to live and work with Huawei in 1999 to lead its global transformation, receiving a recognition award from the founder, Mr. Ren Zhengfei. Former Senior Vice President of Organization, Systems & Effectiveness at Galaxy Entertainment Group. Joseph is a mechanical engineer with 25 years of experience in the technology industry. He is soon to publish a book called «Huawei: Inside Out»

Dr. Esther González Almela

Researcher and Associate Professor at GRMH-GDL

Researcher and Associate Professor at the Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), an international research institute founded by the Guangdong government with more than 1200 scientists. Her work in Molecular Virology has taken her to the University of Oxford, UK, and the University of Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany. Her research focuses on the study of the mechanisms of viral infection and their effects on human cells. PhD in Molecular Biosciences from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Mr. Zheng Tai Jun

Traveller in the world of art.

Renowned artist with solo exhibitions in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Australia, France, Ukraine, Czech Republic, among others. His works are displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, National Gallery of Shevchenko, Ukraine, Fo Guan Yuan Art Gallery in Melbourne, Australia, among others. He participated on the national channel CCTV3, Beijing and in Star TV, Hubei. His works displayed at the solo exhibition «Lights, here and now» in Melbourne were acquired by the National Museum of Victoria.

Mr. Thomas Jung

Consul at the Consulate General of U.S.A. in Guangzhou

He has been a diplomat for 23 years with experience in China, Korea, Afghanistan, and sub-Saharan Africa. Trained in hotel management and public policy.

Mr. Rubén Lleo Nicolás

General Manager of Esmalglass-Itaca Group in China and Area Manager of the South East Asian market

It belongs to Altadia Group, world leader in the production of frits, glazes, colors and inks for the ceramics industry. The group has presence in 19 countries, 32 production plants and 19 distribution centers and after-sales service. Altadia employs more than 3,600 people in the world.

Ms. Agnes Bao

Founder and CEO of Zhi Xuan International

More than 15 years of experience in large-scale projects management. «Creative Management» at Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford, double Masters at the University of Hong Kong and Polimoda, one of the best fashion institutes in Italy, and top ten in the world. She is renowned as an international Eco-sustainable Creative Art Exhibition Design curator. She is the President of the Italian Association of Oriental Culture and Arts, an Italian well-known fashion brand designer.

Mr. Chris Yap

CEO of LubriTech

CEO of LubriTech, a Joint Venture of 2 multi-billion dollar conglomerates of Malaysia and HK. Supplier of Repsol. He came to China in 2009 and built the business from zero. 27 years of experience in the military and corporate. Graduate and scholarship recipient of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis and holds an MBA by the National University of Singapore.

Mr. Will Sung

FinTech startups and NGO’s

A certified leadership and business coach, working across industries and levels of individual & professional maturity. Partnering top Universities for MBA programs and career crafting for postgraduates for start-ups, Finance and FinTech. 20+ years in corporate, early stage start-ups and NGO roles. He worked in 9 countries, focusing on upscaling organisational communication, conflict, big picture rethinking and personal brand. Founder of Wilosophy, a registered brand in HK and China, is the exclusive China program partner to DISC MAPS, a cartographic metaphorical behavioural analysis tool used for organisations psychology.

Mr. Anthony Chen

Senior Partner at Global Talent Group LLC

Senior Partner at Global Talent Group LLC, a US professional talent management firm. Early career in KPMG and Goldman Sachs, he now helps future leaders realize their full potential in their careers.

Mr. Peter Helis

Chief Advisor of the Guangzhou Huangpu District and Founder of Helis & Associates Consulting Firm

A Sino – Europe exchange facilitator for businesses and governments, with clients like the German Bavaria State Government. He is a China business and government affairs expert with 18 years of experience in Asia. He was the GM of the German Industry and Commerce in Guangzhou and Vice Chair of the European Chamber in South China. Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, English and German.

Mr. Zac Wang

Director of  Search & Selection at Randstad, Shenzhen

Randstad is a global leader in the HR services industry and the largest recruitment agency in the world. 10 years’ experience in Australia in Banking and Financial Services. His knowledge in international business and cultural awareness in both Asia and the West have been the key to his success in the recruitment industry in Greater Bay Area, combining a strong network of local and expat talents. Graduated in E-Commerce and Business Management at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

Mr. Dan Cham

PR Manager at Roborock

Dan is a two-times winner of the Future 50 Awards, an annual celebration recognizing the 50 most influential individuals in technology across key categories, including PR and Communications. He oversaw the formation of Roborock’s public relations program and is now leading the brand’s US efforts. Prior to joining this team, he had the privilege to contribute to China’s first international high-speed rail project in Jakarta, Indonesia. A Kuala-Lumpur native, Dan Cham dedicated these past six years to international brand-building efforts.

Mr. Franco Io

General Manager of Guangzhou Garden Hotel since 2013 and Lingnan No. 5 Boutique Hotel

Chinese American born in Macao, he has more than 4 decades of professional hotel management experience, both domestic and international. 40 years ago, as a doorman in Hyatt, Mr. Franco Io began to set foot in the hotel industry. Since then, he has successively served as the GM of Renaissance Hotel Kota Baru in Malaysia, GM of JW Marriott Hotel in Shanghai, GM of JW Marriott Hotel in Beijing, and the Vice President of Marriott International Group in North China.

Dr. Álvaro Castells

Researcher and Associate Professor at GRMH-GDL

The Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL) is an international research institute founded by the Guangdong provincial government and the National Chinese Government. He has been involved in multidisciplinary projects with teams from the University of Pennsylvania, the Institute for Photonic and Optical Sciences and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His work specializes in the structure of the human DNA and how its alterations are related to cell function, stemness and disease. PhD in Biomedicine by the University Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona.

Mr. Igor Burgos

General Manager at Zahonero China

Before these 17 years at Zahonero China, he was the GM in Zahonero Italy for 7 years. It is an international company that designs, engineers and provides advanced polymer foam solutions for footwear, foot care and sporting goods. Founded in Spain in 1965, the group owns 7 industrial plants in Europe, America and Asia. He holds a Master´s degree in Stock Exchange and Finance, and graduated in Economic Sciences at the University of Alicante, Spain.

Mr. Christian Gassner

Director of Operations at Limoss (GmbH&Co.KG)

He has been leading a team of 600 people at Limoss for the past 13 years. With over 20 years’ experience in the manufacturing industry, he has a profound knowledge of mechanical engineering production technologies and management of intercultural teams. In his role as the Chair of Manufacturing Board at the European Chamber South China, he is in charge of factories, producing electronic consumer goods in high volumes and quality under the Japanese Kaizen principles.

Ms. Lucia Pasqualini

Consul General of Italy in Guangzhou.

Previously Head of Scholarships program and promotion of Italian Language at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She was Deputy Consul in New York, Chief of Staff to the Ambassador in Beijing and Second Secretary at the Foreign Affairs Desk for European Affairs, Russia and the former USSR countries. Graduated Summa cum Laude in Political Science from «La Sapienza» University – Rome.

Ms. Margot Song

Chairman & CEO of EnviroVest Group

Co-chairman of Steering Committee, European Green Economy Confederation Vice chairman of China Chamber of International Commerce (Guangzhou); and Vice chairman of Guangdong Venture Capital & Private Equity Association. Winner of the 2021 “Excellence of Environment Protection” by European Chamber of Commerce in China.

Ms. Zhang Yao

Founder and CEO of Carbon Pulse and Robo Terra

Recognized as «2016 Young Global Leader» by the Davos World Economic Forum, and «25 Women in Robotics» in 2015 by RoboHub. A Columbia University alumna. Named annual «Star Company» at the 2014 World Learning Technology Summit, and «Top 30 Innovations Company» at Silicon Valley Innovations. Yao’s work was widely reported by Forbes, CNBC, and Business Insider. She is recognized as «14 Women in AI» by tech media.

Dr Li Wang

Principal Investigator at Agricultural Genomics Institute Shenzhen

PhD. from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Member of Homeward Bound Global Leadership Initiative, which sets against Antarctica backdrop, aims to heighten women’s impact in making decisions that shape our planet.

Assistant General Manager at TENCENT

Consultant at the World Bank, BD manager at Pinto, Co-founder of The Mindfood Club

Leading Data Science of Tencent Games. Before, leadership roles in the US at Dropbox, Facebook, Amazon, Capital One, etc. Accredited professional statistician of the American Statistical Association, Master’s in Statistics, and Business Administration from the University of Florida, awarded ’40 under 40′ in 2020. Special Class of Gifted Young of the University of Science and Technology of China.

Mr. Hank Stokbroekx

Vice President at HUAWEI Enterprise Services.

Born in the Netherlands. Technology professional since 1990; worked for CISCO and HUAWEI in Europe, US and China. Expert in Marketing and Strategy. KOL and spokesperson. Proud father of 2 daughters, amorous partner, bass player, exercise enthusiast, news addict, frequent traveller, realist, humanist and optimist.

Mr. Joey Hsiang-Yi Chen

Industry Manager of GOOGLE China Large Customer Sales Retail Department

Expertise in Digital ads, Cross border E-Commerce consultation and Consumers electronic industry. Before, he used to work at Microsoft Taiwan and Asus South East Asia to operate the laptop and smartphone business in the local market.

Mr. Sebastian Hardt

Commercial Director at BOSCH Shenzhen

Shenzhen Plant produces 55% of the worldwide sold wiper blades of the group with more than 1300 employees. The Robert Bosch Group has 440 subsidiaries and 402,600 associates worldwide. Sebastian has gained rich experience from working in Finance, Controlling and HR in 4 locations and in 3 continents over the last 13 years.

Ms. Raissa Mendes

Senior Marketing Manager at DJI

The world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology. She focuses on marketing initiatives in the US and Europe across a wide range of industries, including industrial inspection, public safety, and the energy sector. She graduated from The George Washington University.

Ms. Susie Liu

Brand Director at ROBLOX China

An online game platform and game creation system. Founder of Chapter 24, branding, design, and marketing; and contributing writer at Hacker Noon. She is a former investment banker in London. Susie graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in Economics.

Dr. Jan Kędzierski

Founder of EMYS

Innovator Under 35 Europe by MIT Technology Review in 2017. Before launching EMYS, he spent years building and perfecting social robots at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology. He is a visionary leader with a mission to bring the best of social robotics, while skillfully blending the digital with the reality of the child to the world of early years education and to homes worldwide.

Mr. Chenin Pan

Co-founder of the band Mid-Night All Good

A different artist, he independently operated the art program S0D0N+W4VE️(2018). Chenin’s creative language has been always crossing the art boundary. His ‘BuskingMob’ happens anywhere at any time with extraordinary instruments, such as Handpan, Didgeridoo, Asalato and etc. Sampling the sound material from ‘Right Now’, the creation can be any form like words, poetry, music, vision, behaviour, installation and incredible vibes.

Mr. Paul Peñaherrera

Commercial Counsellor of the Trade Office (ProEcuador) of the Consulate General of Ecuador in Guangzhou

Part of the 30 trade offices of the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries of Ecuador

Mr. Mário Ferreira

Vice Consul of Portugal for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Consulate General of Portugal in Guangzhou, China and Director of Aicep Portugal Global – Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency.

Mr Santiago Lecaros

Trade Commissioner for Chile in Guangzhou.

Previously, Head of Government Affairs at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in London, advisor for the Commercial Office of the Embassy of Chile in London.

Mr Tony Xu

General Manager of IBERCHEM China

A leading company in the fragrance and flavour industry, funded in Spain in 1985, with 25 facilities, a presence in 120 countries, and a team of over 1000 people from 35 different nationalities. Croda International is listed on the London Stock Exchange, £1,889 million in revenue.

Ms Laura Silva

BD Manager at Operasia Forwarding LTD.

South American Trade Line. Headquartered in HK, Operasia has 6 offices, it belongs to Grupo Alonso, Spain, a multi-sector group with more than 60 years in logistics, infrastructure & services.

Mr Juan Felipe Sandoval

Director of Corona Global Sourcing office in China

A Colombian multinational with 140 years of history in manufacturing and distribution of products and solutions for the home, construction, agriculture, and energy industries.

Mr John

GM of Luvata Superconductors Zhongshan

With headquarters in Finland, and acquired by Mitsubishi. He leads a team of 100+ people. Born in Vietnam, grew up in Australia, moved to Sweden in 1999, and arrived in China in 2012. Mechatronics engineering from the University of Western Sydney and EMBA from the Univ. of Minnesota. In May 2023, he finished a 121 km race in the Gobi Desert.

Mr Eros

Operation Director in international banking

More than 20 years of experience in strategy, technological innovation, digital fintech and enterprise operation. Majoring in EMBA and a Master’s in Computer Science. Leading and gearing up tech centre transformation; driving initiatives to empower a team of hundreds of talents.

Mr Andrew

Vice-President of Sigo-Foreign Free Trade Association

CEO of QILIQ New materials; Executive Dean and Professor at a prestigious Business School; and Strategy Consultant at VIDE Technology, «National High-tech Enterprise» with 2000+ people, 60,000 sq, and a regis. capital of 62 Million RMB supplying to Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, BYD, Chang’an, DJI, Hitachi, etc.

Ms Jiayang

Regional Director Greater China of IE University

One of the world’s leading higher education institutions and a top international university in Spain. She has over 10 years of experience in the education industry, and studied at Chinese University of HK, Harvard extension school, Guanghua School of Management Peking University and Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Ms. Faustyna Gawryluk

Consultant at the World Bank, BD manager at Pinto, Co-founder of The Mindfood Club

Working on a decarbonization project and developing Carbon Pricing Assessment Tool. BD Manager at Pinto with 6 years of experience in the F&B industry in the GBA Her previous work experience includes KPMG, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Mexican Embassy in Poland. She is a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow. M.A. degree in Economics, educated in Poland, the U.S., the Netherlands, and China.

Mr. Owen Wang

Director of Cole & Wright Advisors, Co-founder of The Mindfood Club.

He is a Spanish-Chinese business professional with a decade of experience helping international companies in China. Appointed Business Advisor to local governments in May 2023, and got his Coaching Certificate in 2022. Former Director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in South China. He holds an MBA from UIE Business School; and graduated from the University of Manchester, Zhejiang University, and University of Vigo.

Mr. Javier Torá

Founder and President of ES Grupo

ES Grupo is a conglomerate that employs 1300 people in 4 countries, manufacturing and supplying to the main fashion brands in the world. He is OPM, Owner President Management Program, at Harvard Business School; Member of the Board and Advisor of Benessene Capital; Club Member of the Life Changing School; Co-founder of CEEC, Spanish businessmen in Canton and Founder of Juntos business incubator and co-working space. In March 2021, he was awarded the Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his contribution to the Spanish community in China.

Dr. Harley Seyedin

President of Allelon Energy Systems

Together with Elon Musk, he won the 2017 Oslo Business for Peace Award. Awarded «Peace through Commerce medal» by the U.S. government. President of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China. World renowned China expert, international businessman, humanitarian and philanthropist.

Mr. Jeremy Sargent OBE

Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Guangdong

Member of the Beachhead Advisory Board of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise; Honorary Legal Advisor to the British Ambassador Beijing; Managing Partner of JSA Legal Consultancy; and Founder of The Happy Monk. In 2011 awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for legal services and services to British business in China. Graduated in Chinese from Leeds University and recently completed a joint Executive MBA at Columbia University, London Business School and HKU.

Mr. Klaus Zenkel

General Manager of Imedco Technology Shenzhen and Vice President of the European Chamber of Commerce in China

From 1993 to 2006 he was based in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany and China for several executive management positions within the Siemens Healthcare organization. In 2006, he developed from scratch the Shenzhen subsidiary of the Swiss Company Imedco AG, a global player of the healthcare Industry, manufacturing MRI shielding solutions for hospitals and research institutions. He supports members as the Chair of European Chamber of Commerce South China. He graduated in Industrial Engineering in Germany.

Mr. Norbert Marx

CEO of GAMECO

CEO of GAMECO, Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co., a Joint Venture of China Southern Airlines and CK Hutchison W. He manages a workforce of 6300 people and has been a CEO for 20 years in the US, Europe and China. Lecturer at a prestigious Business School in Oxford.

Mr. Eduardo Aznar

Consul General of Spain in Canton

Previously, he was the Consul General of Spain in Mexico, Ambassador of Spain in Croatia, Ambassador for the Year of Spain in Japan, apart from other diplomatic positions in Colombia, Magreb, Canada, Hungary and Venezuela, among others. Graduated in Law by the University of Zaragoza and MA by the Institute of Oriental Asia Studies in Taipei.

Mr. Aitor Mate

Chief Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Spain in Canton

Previously, he had several positions in the Ministry of Economy and Economic Office of the President of Government. He was Chief Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Spain in Belgrade and Member of the Board of Directors of ICEX and Invest in Spain. The office supports the internationalization of companies, promotes exports and facilitates foreign companies investing in Spain.

Ms. Maite Irizar

General Manager of TIBA China

TIBA, founded in 1975, is a leading Spanish multinational in the logistics sector with presence in 20 countries and a network of 7 locations in the Asian giant. Supply Chain professional for more than 14 years, previously, she has held management positions in Spain and Hong Kong for the logistics and pharmaceutical sectors. Degree in Business Administration and Management in Germany and Master in International Management.

Ms. Miu Miu

Chairman of HK Mingsheng Industrial ltd

Chairman of HK Mingsheng Industrial ltd, Founder of Si He De International Freight, Executive secretary of the ZH Island GBA and Founding Member of Sichuan Azalea Charity Foundation. She has been doing business with Africa for 18 years. She is EMBA, a philanthropist and a mother.

Mr. David Albert

Global Head of Sourcing and General Manager of Camper Sourcing

Camper Sourcing is a shoes company founded in 1975 in Mallorca, with more than 140 years of family inheritance in the industry. David has 30 years of experience at Camper, first in IT department and later in Operations. He is an engineer at the University of Barcelona and IESE Business School.

Mr. Elías Botet

General Manager at Kaiping Sedal

Kaiping Sedal is a manufacturer of sanitary valves in Guangdong. He has experience in technical positions and in quality control in industrial companies in the automobile sector, equipment and sanitary water. His career started in Spain, then followed by the United States and now in China, where he lives since 2008. Industrial engineering by the Polytechnic University of Madrid and Master in Business Administration and production management.

Mr. David Edwards

Founding Head of School at ISA Science City and Vice-President Project Development of ISA International Education Group

With experience leading more than US$800 million of start-up schools, as well as leading organisations more than 150 years of age. Founder, Board Member, Leader, David was recognised in 2017 as one of Asia’s top 100 CEOs.

Mr. Jesús Gracia

Former Consul General of Spain in Canton

He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1985. Counsellor for development cooperation in Central America, based in Costa Rica, 1989-1992. Consul General in Córdoba Argentina, 1992-1996. Ambassador of Spain to Cuba, 2001-2004. Secretary of State for Latin American and development cooperation, 2012-2016. Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Italy, 2017. He is Knight of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and holds the Grand Cross of the Order of May of the Argentine Republic. Degree in Law and in Hispanic Philology from the University of Zaragoza.

Ms. Ana Maria Lafuente

Counsellor of the Tourism Office of the Consulate General of Spain in Guangzhou

She worked at the Berlin Office of the Spanish National Tourism Administration. She holds a Master in Creative Intelligence and a Master in Communication. Fluent in English, German, Italian, Spanish & Chinese.

Mr. Iñaki Vargues

General Manager of LUCTA in Asia

General Manager of LUCTA in Asia, a Spanish multinational that produces fragrances for food, founded more than 70 years ago in Barcelona in 1949. He has been in management and executive positions for more than 20 years in diverse industries such as Pharmaceuticals, Household appliances, Construction and Chemistry, all of which are Spanish multinationals. He developed more than half of his career in China. Graduated in Economics and Business Administration.

Mr. Alejandro Morales

Project leader at Airbus China Innovation Centre in Shenzhen

After 14 years of experience in Airbus in Seville, Toulouse and Hamburg, he moves to China to manage the development of new products for Commercial and VIP aircrafts and helicopters. Airbus is the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe and the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer. He is a Industrial Engineer by the Polytechnical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, and holds a Computer Science Diploma by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Switzerland.

Mr. Joseph Smith

Founder and CEO of True AI Systems, Former Vice-president of Global Business Transformation at Huawei (1999 – 2015)

He was the first foreigner from IBM to live and work with Huawei in 1999 to lead its global transformation, receiving a recognition award from the founder, Mr. Ren Zhengfei. Former Senior Vice President of Organization, Systems & Effectiveness at Galaxy Entertainment Group. Joseph is a mechanical engineer with 25 years of experience in the technology industry. He is soon to publish a book called «Huawei: Inside Out»

Dr. Esther González Almela

Researcher and Associate Professor at GRMH-GDL

Researcher and Associate Professor at the Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), an international research institute founded by the Guangdong government with more than 1200 scientists. Her work in Molecular Virology has taken her to the University of Oxford, UK, and the University of Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany. Her research focuses on the study of the mechanisms of viral infection and their effects on human cells. PhD in Molecular Biosciences from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Mr. Zheng Tai Jun

Traveller in the world of art.

Renowned artist with solo exhibitions in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Australia, France, Ukraine, Czech Republic, among others. His works are displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, National Gallery of Shevchenko, Ukraine, Fo Guan Yuan Art Gallery in Melbourne, Australia, among others. He participated on the national channel CCTV3, Beijing and in Star TV, Hubei. His works displayed at the solo exhibition «Lights, here and now» in Melbourne were acquired by the National Museum of Victoria.

Mr. Thomas Jung

Consul at the Consulate General of U.S.A. in Guangzhou

He has been a diplomat for 23 years with experience in China, Korea, Afghanistan, and sub-Saharan Africa. Trained in hotel management and public policy.

Mr. Rubén Lleo Nicolás

General Manager of Esmalglass-Itaca Group in China and Area Manager of the South East Asian market

It belongs to Altadia Group, world leader in the production of frits, glazes, colors and inks for the ceramics industry. The group has presence in 19 countries, 32 production plants and 19 distribution centers and after-sales service. Altadia employs more than 3,600 people in the world.

Ms. Agnes Bao

Founder and CEO of Zhi Xuan International

More than 15 years of experience in large-scale projects management. «Creative Management» at Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford, double Masters at the University of Hong Kong and Polimoda, one of the best fashion institutes in Italy, and top ten in the world. She is renowned as an international Eco-sustainable Creative Art Exhibition Design curator. She is the President of the Italian Association of Oriental Culture and Arts, an Italian well-known fashion brand designer.

Mr. Chris Yap

CEO of LubriTech

CEO of LubriTech, a Joint Venture of 2 multi-billion dollar conglomerates of Malaysia and HK. Supplier of Repsol. He came to China in 2009 and built the business from zero. 27 years of experience in the military and corporate. Graduate and scholarship recipient of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis and holds an MBA by the National University of Singapore.

Mr. Will Sung

FinTech startups and NGO’s

A certified leadership and business coach, working across industries and levels of individual & professional maturity. Partnering top Universities for MBA programs and career crafting for postgraduates for start-ups, Finance and FinTech. 20+ years in corporate, early stage start-ups and NGO roles. He worked in 9 countries, focusing on upscaling organisational communication, conflict, big picture rethinking and personal brand. Founder of Wilosophy, a registered brand in HK and China, is the exclusive China program partner to DISC MAPS, a cartographic metaphorical behavioural analysis tool used for organisations psychology.

Mr. Anthony Chen

Senior Partner at Global Talent Group LLC

Senior Partner at Global Talent Group LLC, a US professional talent management firm. Early career in KPMG and Goldman Sachs, he now helps future leaders realize their full potential in their careers.

Mr. Peter Helis

Chief Advisor of the Guangzhou Huangpu District and Founder of Helis & Associates Consulting Firm

A Sino – Europe exchange facilitator for businesses and governments, with clients like the German Bavaria State Government. He is a China business and government affairs expert with 18 years of experience in Asia. He was the GM of the German Industry and Commerce in Guangzhou and Vice Chair of the European Chamber in South China. Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, English and German.

Mr. Zac Wang

Director of Search & Selection at Randstad, Shenzhen

Randstad is a global leader in the HR services industry and the largest recruitment agency in the world. 10 years’ experience in Australia in Banking and Financial Services. His knowledge in international business and cultural awareness in both Asia and the West have been the key to his success in the recruitment industry in Greater Bay Area, combining a strong network of local and expat talents. Graduated in E-Commerce and Business Management at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

Mr. Dan Cham

PR Manager at Roborock

Dan is a two-times winner of the Future 50 Awards, an annual celebration recognizing the 50 most influential individuals in technology across key categories, including PR and Communications. He oversaw the formation of Roborock’s public relations program and is now leading the brand’s US efforts. Prior to joining this team, he had the privilege to contribute to China’s first international high-speed rail project in Jakarta, Indonesia. A Kuala-Lumpur native, Dan Cham dedicated these past six years to international brand-building efforts.

Mr. Alex Paltos

School Principal at KINGOLD group at Meisha Academy by Haileybury

School Principal at KINGOLD group at Meisha Academy by Haileybury, one of the most prestigious IB international kindergartens in Guangzhou. He comes from Melbourne, Australia, and has been a lifelong educator for over 20 years, working in the UK, China and the Middle East. Former member of the Board of Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in South China. He has a Bachelor of Arts (History and Politics); Post Graduate Diploma in Education from Monash University; Masters in Education Management and Leadership; a MBA from the University of Sydney and is currently pursuing a PhD.

Dr. Álvaro Castells

Researcher and Associate Professor at GRMH-GDL

The Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL) is an international research institute founded by the Guangdong provincial government and the National Chinese Government. He has been involved in multidisciplinary projects with teams from the University of Pennsylvania, the Institute for Photonic and Optical Sciences and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His work specializes in the structure of the human DNA and how its alterations are related to cell function, stemness and disease. PhD in Biomedicine by the University Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona.

Mr. Igor Burgos

General Manager at Zahonero China

Before these 17 years at Zahonero China, he was the GM in Zahonero Italy for 7 years. It is an international company that designs, engineers and provides advanced polymer foam solutions for footwear, foot care and sporting goods. Founded in Spain in 1965, the group owns 7 industrial plants in Europe, America and Asia. He holds a Master´s degree in Stock Exchange and Finance, and graduated in Economic Sciences at the University of Alicante, Spain.

Mr. Christian Gassner

Director of Operations at Limoss (GmbH&Co.KG)

He has been leading a team of 600 people at Limoss for the past 13 years. With over 20 years’ experience in the manufacturing industry, he has a profound knowledge of mechanical engineering production technologies and management of intercultural teams. In his role as the Chair of Manufacturing Board at the European Chamber South China, he is in charge of factories, producing electronic consumer goods in high volumes and quality under the Japanese Kaizen principles.

Ms. Faustyna Gawryluk

Consultant at the World Bank, Climate Change Group, and Member of the Committee of Advisors of The Mindfood Club

She is currently working on the decarbonization project and developing Carbon Pricing Assessment Tool. Business Development Manager at Pinto with five years of experience in the Food and Beverage industry in the Greater Bay Area. Her previous work experience includes KPMG, the Chinese Academy of Science, and the Mexican Embassy in Poland. She is a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow. She holds an M.A. degree in Economics and was educated in Poland, the U.S., the Netherlands, and China.

Mr. Owen Wang

Director of Cole & Wright consulting firm, Advisor at CW firm and Founder of The Mindfood Club

He is a Spanish-Chinese business professional who helps companies enter the Asian market and assists Chinese companies invest abroad. A guest speaker at several universities in China, at media in Spain and Latin America, and external consultant in public and private companies. He holds a MBA by IESIDE Business School, graduate of the University of Manchester (UK), Zhejiang University (China) and University of Vigo (Spain).