May 17, 2025. Shanghai – From education and technology to art and business, eight inspirational leaders from various fields shared cutting-edge ideas at TEDxCEIBS 2025 on our Shanghai campus today, together exploring the theme “Refine”. Organised by current CEIBS MBA participants, this year’s event was a celebration of craftsmanship, depth, and the art of living with intention.

CEIBS President Wang Hong, Vice President and Dean Frank Bournois, and Associate Dean and MBA Programme Director Zhang Lingling were joined in the packed CEIBS Conference Centre by over 800 audience members and over two million online viewers.

Professor Zheng Shutang, founding Dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a pioneer in the development of China’s English college textbooks, opened the forum with reflections from his lifelong journey in textbook writing.

Focusing on “Devoting a Lifetime to One Cause”, he shared his 36-year journey of unwavering dedication to textbook writing - from unexpectedly entering the liberal arts and working on the front line of teaching to serving as Chief Editor of four editions of the New Horizon College English textbook. To him, language is not just a tool, but a carrier of culture and spirit, with moral education at its core. “A textbook,” he said, “is not just ink on paper - it’s a lighthouse, a guide.” Now, at the age of 80, he is still working on the fifth edition of the textbook and determined to illuminate a path for students once more. He believes, he added, that passion fuels perseverance, and that step by step, progress always comes; this is the educational legacy he hopes he has written with his life.

Chinese documentary filmmaker Li Chengcai, in his talk “Interacting with Life Through Nature,” then walked the audience through the majestic world of Chinese flora. Through stories of ginkgo, dove trees, rheum nobile, and tropical taro, he explained how he communicates with nature through his camera lens and conveys respect for life. “Plants,” he said, “are Earth’s earliest inhabitants, the womb of all life.” From rainforest struggles to alpine solitude, he revealed the beauty of nature and the smallness of humankind. “Use the timescale of plants,” he urged, “to reflect on your own life.” For him, nature is both a mirror and masterclass, a space for learning, reverence, and wonder.

Chinese actress and producer Eva Huang next delivered a heartfelt talk entitled “The Smallest Unit of Craftsmanship is Refining Oneself.” She shared her journey from an unexpected entry into the entertainment industry to returning to school to pursue personal growth. She believes that every detour and shift in identity is part of sculpting a more complete version of oneself. She emphasised, “craftsmanship isn’t about perfection, but about moving forward through continuous refinement.” Even if the progress is slow or has not yet taken shape, as long as the craft continues, there’s no giving up, she added. Her talk was a touching ode to personal growth and an inspiring call to all those still exploring their path.

Cathy Fang, CFO of The Walt Disney Company (China), followed this with a talk entitled “What Kind of Life Do You Want to Live?” In it, she shared a personal awakening at age 30 and how she reignited her passion by challenging herself every year - from skiing off cliffs to windsurfing on the sea and shifting careers into consulting. “After 30,” she said, “no one pushes you forward - you must chart your own path.” Through a commitment to ”doing one new thing for the first time every year,” she constantly redefines a better self, believing that only by pushing past life’s steep slopes and uncertain winds can we truly find balance and become who we’re meant to be.

CEIBS Professor Emeritus Juan Antonio Fernández then delivered a speech entitled “The Treasure”, guiding the audience through three distinct chapters of his own life: from a senior executive to an academic researcher, and later a global travel photographer. Through three “future visualisation” exercises, he invited the audience to reflect on this truth: genuine happiness comes from inner passion and conscious choices. He emphasised that “every moment in life is a starting point of decision - you can live multiple versions of yourself one after another or integrate them into one.” 

Limei Tang, China’s first female scientist to conduct deep-sea diving, then shared her reluctant initial entry into geology and subsequent transformation through deep-sea and polar expeditions in her talk “The Journey of a Niche Discipline”. From descending into the Pacific Ocean aboard the Jiaolong manned submersible to trekking across Antarctica and inspiring youth through science education, she “turned cold rocks into sparks of wonder”. “It wasn’t me who chose fate,” she said, “but fate that chose me.” By mastering a field that she once disliked, she found her passion, and now believes that even a niche subject can shine and that persistence is the path to a wider, richer life.

Founder of EVEPRINE Capital Lou Gang then delivered a talk entitled “Armored with Craftsmanship, Crossing the Glacial Cycles,” reflecting on how the finance industry’s obsession with perpetual growth has driven businesses into a vicious cycle of unhealthy expansion. He argued that the fluctuations of economic cycles will inevitably consume most enterprises, and only those that focus on inner resilience and continuously refine their core strengths can endure. “Growth is not value,” he stated. “Unsustainable expansion is merely the buildup of risks.” Through the real cases of a coffee master who redefined brewing and an optical sensor founder who revolutionised cost and durability, he illustrated how true craftsmanship lies in mastering the smallest details. In conclusion, he called for greater tolerance of failure, reminding us that it is entrepreneurs and creators who “dare to traverse the ice and lead us forward.”

Baima Duoji, founder of Songtsam Hotels, next shared his life journey from documentary filmmaker to rural hotel entrepreneur under the theme “The Hidden Door and the Path of Symbiosis”. Over the past 25 years, he and his team have celebrated Tibetan culture and craftsmanship while creating sustainable business practices. He said, “the highest form of business is sentiment, a pursuit of the greatest value of being human,” and that he believes that love in action can merge commerce and compassion. With the mission of “opening the hidden door and seeking the sources of joy”, he has transformed his hotels into gateways that “connect people with land, culture, and inner peace.”

The event was hosted by financial news presenter Danfeng Cai, who set the tone for the evening and guided the audience into the evening’s exploration of its theme.

Wrapping up the event, president of this year’s curation team and CEIBS MBA 2026 candidate Even Zhang extended heartfelt thanks to all participants, saying: “Today's talks spanned four precious hours. In the limited lifespan of an individual, these four hours represent about one 160-thousandth of your lifetime. Thank you for dedicating this precious piece of your life to joining us in exploring how the theme “Refine” can ignite intellectual wisdom across diverse disciplines."

The event concluded with a group photo featuring all speakers, partners, school leaders, curation team members and volunteers, marking a moving finale to a remarkable meeting of diverse minds.

About TEDxCEIBS 
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a programme of local, independently-organised events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection among a small group. These events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organised TED event, following requirements outlined by TED.

CEIBS MBA students have hosted TEDxCEIBS annually since 2013, sharing thought-provoking ideas with members of the CEIBS community and the wider public.