Welcome In Wuxi: CEIBS’ First Alumni Chapter



By Audrey Wu

       
            Zhang Jian                                  Zhao Zhenghong                                  Han Xiaofeng 



“We had a very simple idea in mind when we established this alumni chapter,” says Zhang Jian (EMBA 1999) Chairman of the Wuxi Alumni Chapter for CEIBS. “Studying at CEIBS is a memorable time for every participant - CEIBS is the place where we learned management knowledge systematically and improved our business skills in HR, strategy, finance. What’s more, our time at CEIBS lead us to expand our friendships and build a network with classmates and alumni from all different backgrounds. A group of us alumni wanted to providing a networking platform for CEIBS students after graduation. There are many CEIBS alumni in Wuxi. That  became the basis for establishing an alumni chapter.” 

That “simple idea” lead to the establishment of CEIBS’ first Alumni Chapter, in Wuxi, in November 2003. Initially, the chapter consisted of 25 CEIBS alumni, including Zhang, who is president of Wuxi Industrial Electronic Instrument Corp. Five years later, the chapter has expanded to 45 members, mostly top executives in companies and government officials.  

From the launching date, the chapter succeeded in its mission of fostering networking between alumni through organizing regular activities and by supporting CEIBS forums held in the Wuxi area. One of the most important activities hosted by the chapter is the Taiku Lake Gathering, a full-day forum co-hosted with Wuxi’s Binhu District in September 2007. At the event, CEIBS senior Economics Professor Wu Jinglian discussed the economic development of Binhu District and alumni were encouraged to share their business experience and management solutions. About 150 alumni attended the forum, including attendees who flew in from other Chinese provinces.

What is in the works for the Wuxi Alumni Chapter in 2008? Chapter Committee Secretary Zhao Zhenghong, says this year’s working plan, set through a detailed planning process, focuses on two goals: to further build CEIBS’ brand, and to increase alumni outreach and expand interaction between alumni chapters. “The Wuxi Alumni Chapter is a big, open family. Any CEIBS alumni can join in,” Zhao stresses. She sums up the central mission of the CEIBS Wuxi Alumni Chapter in this way: “In addition to organizing activities designed to enrich the lives of alumni life and build their social and professional networks, we would more like to help them achieve higher success in their careers.” One final initiative for this year, she says, will be to link entrepreneurial alumni with potential venture capital. “What we will do in 2008 is to create more cooperative opportunities between alumni with capital and those with resources, helping them grow together.”