Join us for an upcoming CEIBS Executive Forum on September 24, 2024, with industry leaders coming together for a thoughtful discussion on the theme of Reinvigorating the UN Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Business in China.

About this event

This forum seeks to promote awareness and commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in September 2015. Both China and the international business community have big roles to play in the success of these goals; however, nine years since their adoption, much remains to be done, prompting the UN to organise an urgent Summit for the Future.

With these developments as a backdrop, this event will feature a set of speakers sharing their experiences at the interface of business and social impact and engaging in an open discussion with the audience.

Host

Prof. Shameen Prashantham
Professor of International Business and Strategy,
Associate Dean,
MBA Director, CEIBS

Prof. Shameen Prashantham is Professor of International Business and Strategy and Associate Dean (MBA) at CEIBS. Prior to joining CEIBS, he taught at Nottingham University Business School (NUBS) China and the University of Glasgow. He pursued doctoral and post-doctoral research at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland.

Prof. Prashantham is best known for his work on partnering between large corporations and startups, which he refers to as ”dancing with gorillas.” This focus evolved from his extensive research on new venture internationalization. He is also interested in strategy-as-practice and is currently focused on partnerships that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

His latest book, Gorillas Can Dance: Lessons from Microsoft and Other Corporations on Partnering with Startups, offers managers in large corporations a proven guide to partnering and collaborating with startups to improve innovation by delivering the “where”, ”why”, and “how” of corporate-startup partnerships. His academic research has also been published in journals such as Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management Studies and Organization Studies.

Panelists

Jan Clysner
VP Sustainability & Procurement APAC, AB InBev

Mr. Jan Clysner has a wealth of experience with almost two decades of experience in the beer industry. He joined AB InBev in December 2002 and held several roles in Sourcing and Procurement until December 2007. In January 2008, Mr. Clysner was appointed Procurement Project Director of AB InBev. He successively served at several roles in AB InBev, including Procurement Director of Indirects of Western Europe, Head of Procurement of Zone Western Europe and Vice President of Global Logistics Sourcing from January 2010 to December 2016. In January 2017, he was appointed Vice President of Procurement and Sustainability of APAC South. In January 2019, he was appointed Vice President of Sustainability and Procurement of Budweiser APAC. He orchestrated strategies to achieve 2025 Sustainability Goals in the Asia Pacific, with a laser focus on talent cultivation and a sustainability mindset intertwined in the day-to-day business. Mr. Clysner obtained a Degree in Applied Economical Sciences from Hasselt University in Diepenbeek, Belgium in 1994.

Brandy Yu
Former Managing Director, Allbirds China

Ms. Brandy Yu, a seasoned business leader with two decades of experience, is a prominent figure in introducing and nurturing international brands within the Chinese market. An alumna of the Global EMBA programme at CEIBS, her expertise spans international business administration, strategy planning, digital transformation, and aligning local consumer trends with global product development and operational strategies.

Throughout her illustrious career, Ms. Yu has been instrumental in building the market demand and expansion of renowned brands such as Absolut Vodka, Ray-Ban, and Dyson. Her tenure at Adidas was marked by significant innovation, where she spearheaded transformative changes in organisational structure, marketing, and operations, ushering in a new era of digitalisation.

In her most recent role as Managing Director of Allbirds China, a sustainability focused shoe company from Silicon Valley and a global pioneer in sustainable business practices, Ms. Yu capitalised on the momentum of China's commitment to carbon neutrality, aiming to share and the company’s international expertise in sustainable sectors and carbon footprint traceability. In her commitment to the brand's philosophy of "making better products in a better way," she dedicated herself to crafting a consumer-centric business model and brand experience that resonates with the contemporary Chinese ethos. Under her leadership, Allbirds continued to establish itself as a trusted partner for Chinese consumers as they explore a sustainable lifestyle.

Angelina Ye
Official, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

Angelina Ye currently works at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), focusing on impact investment, carbon neutrality initiatives, and sustainable technology transfer. Previously, she served as CEO of Visual Finance and as Manager of the Asia-Pacific Model E-Port Network. Her expertise in trade facilitation and supply chain connectivity has led her to deliver capacity-building lectures to 115 government officials from 32 countries. She was selected as one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 in 2022.

As a public influencer committed to driving positive social change, Angelina holds several influential roles, including Senior Researcher at Pujiang Think Tank, is the author of the book International Digital City published by China Publishing Group, acts as Fundraising Ambassador for the NYU Alumni Network, and won the championship of the National Champion of Sand Table Sustainable Business Competition.

Angelina earned her MBA from CEIBS and holds dual degrees in Business and Finance & Interactive Media Arts from New York University. Her academic journey spans the United States, Italy, France, and China. During her time in Italy, she also dedicated her time to volunteering as a tour guide at the Florence Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral.

Closing Remark

Prof. Frank Bournois
Vice President and Dean,
Professor of General Management and Leadership, CEIBS

Professor Frank Bournois is Vice President and Dean of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). He joined CEIBS in April 2023. Previously, Professor Bournois had served as Executive President and Dean of ESCP Business School since 2014, the oldest and one of the most international business schools in the world with campuses in Berlin (Germany), London (UK), Madrid (Spain), Paris (France), Turin (Italy) and Warsaw (Poland). He was a full Professor of General Management and Cross-Cultural Leadership at Paris Panthéon-Assas University from 1997 to 2014, and he has supervised more than 70 doctoral students. He also served as Chairman of the National Committee for the Evaluation and Accreditation of Business Schools at the Ministries of Industry and Higher Education from 2009 to 2013.

Professor Bournois is an FRSA-Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (UK), and holds a Ph.D. in Business Strategy from the University of Lyon (France), an MBA from Aston University (UK), a Master in Management from EM Lyon (France) and a DSc from City University of London (UK).

Professor Bournois specialises in corporate governance and the study of how large European firms identify, manage, and develop their future leaders. He has provided consulting services for companies such as Airbus, Bouygues, EDF, L’Oréal and Safran. Since 2019, he has served as a Member of the Global Supervisory Board of Mazars, a leading audit and advisory firm where he also chairs the Audit Committee.

Professor Bournois is the author or co-author of 20 books, including The Handbook of Top Management Teams (Palgrave, 2010). He is an Officer in the Legion of Honour and a Commander in the Order of Merit (France) and has been awarded the Gold Medal for Education (Lebanon).

Event details

Date & Time: Sept 24, 2024 @ 18:00-20:00
Venue: AC2-104, CEIBS Shanghai Campus, 699 Hongfeng Road, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Language: English
Event Format: Offline

Agenda:
18:00-18:15   Opening Address & Introduction
18:15-18:35   Brief sharing by guest speakers
18:35-19:20   Discussion moderated by Prof. Shameen Prashantham
19:20-19:30   Closing Remarks by Prof. Frank Bournois
19:30-20:00   Refreshments and networking

Contact/Registration: To register, click the link below, contact Ms. Frieda Wang at execforum@ceibs.edu, or call +86-21-28905310 for more information.

Click Here To Register