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Karen Guo
VP, Public Affairs, Novelis China and Co-Chair of Business Sustainability Committee at AmCham ChinaMs. GUO, Economist, with excellent successful experience in public policy, communication and sustainability, has more than 15 years outstanding working experience as a senior executive for MNCs. Prior to joining Novelis China, Ms. Guo served as a global leader in the top Fortune 500 companies, such as General Motors and Dow Chemical. Nowadays, dedicated to the fields of public policy and business sustainability, Ms. Guo is actively promoting dialogues between Chinese and international companies & institutions, for the sharing and learning of the best practice. As a woman leader, Ms GUO is actively promoting women entrepreneurship both domestically in China as well as globally.
Michael Hart
President at AmCham ChinaMichael Hart is President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China based in Beijing. He has over twenty-five years of business experience in Asia, including nineteen years in mainland China.
As President, Michael oversees all advocacy, programs, partnerships, and insights provided by the Chamber to support the business growth of nearly 900 foreign corporations operating in China, including most of the U.S. Fortune 500. The chamber’s advocacy includes the impressive American Business in China White Paper and Business Climate Survey each published annually as well as numerous interactions with both the US and Chinese governments on behalf of our members.
Prior to joining AmCham China, Michael spent most of his career in commercial real estate in Taipei, Shanghai, and Tianjin including almost 20 years for a NYSE listed property services firm. He started in the research division briefing real estate owners, occupiers, and investors on transactions and macro trends, he then opened, built, and led a branch office for the company in one of China’s largest Tier 1.5 cities for over a decade. Following this, Michael opened a private consulting and investment firm that among other projects invested in quick service restaurants.
In addition to this work, Michael was a long-term AmCham member and served on the Tianjin chapter’s Executive Committee for nearly 15 years including several terms as the local Chairman.
Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on finance and banking from the University of Missouri-Columbia in the U.S. He is a fluent speaker of Mandarin Chinese. Michael was born and raised near Kansas City, Missouri.
Rong Shang
Vice President of Communications & Government Affairs at Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group (ARD)Rong Shang is Vice President of Communications & Government Affairs, Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group (ARD). In this role, she is responsible for driving Microsoft’s overall communications strategy and efforts in the Asia-Pacific region from the R&D perspectives, orchestrating internal and external integrated communications, media relations, and government affairs. Rong Shang is a veteran of Corporate Communications and marketing scene for over 20 years. She brings a wealth of knowledge with a unique combination of journalistic, agency and in-house experience. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2006, Rong Shang was the head of Corporate Communications of Cisco in China.
Steven Shi
Director of Government Relations at CargillMr. Steven Shi is currently the Director of Government Affairs of Cargill, responsible for central governmental and association relation building and communication. He joined Cargill in April 2018, previous he worked in a large central grain and oil enterprise for a long time, engaged in the purchase and sale plan management and import & export business.
Mr. Steven Shi has a deep understanding of the global commodity supply chain, risk management and sustainability, as well as unique insights into policies, regulations of agri-food industry.He has represented Cargill at many industry conferences and forums organized by the government and associations to share his insights. He also serves as vice managing director of the Sustainable Agriculture Committee of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native produce and animal by-products (CFNA), and director of China Grain Trade Association.
Mr. Steven Shi graduated from Renmin University of China with a master's degree in Regional Economics.
James Harris Spear Jr
Founder of The Schoolhouse/ The Brickyard Hotel, Chairman of Board at China Bound Ltd ABC Design StudioJim Spear, fluent in Chinese and educated at the University of California, Berkeley, spent nearly 20 years doing business in China prior to moving full-time to his vacation house at Mutianyu Great Wall in 2005. He expanded and upgraded the home, turning it into a year round retreat.
Spear’s passion for designing and building country houses became a business and today he has completed over 30 homes for clients from around the world. He has designed many commercial projects including hotels, resorts, and so on. Spear also provides consulting and planning services for sustainable development projects around China to companies and government organizations.
His projects have been featured in many Chinese and international publications, including Architectural Digest and World Architecture.
When the mayor of his village asked him to help the local community, Spear and his wife Liang Tang founded The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu Great Wall, a for-profit sustainable tourism enterprise which has grown to include three restaurants, a gallery, a unique resort comprised of rental homes dispersed across two villages, and an eco-retreat created from a repurposed glazed tile factory, all designed by Spear.
The Schoolhouse earned recognition for best responsible tourism practices in China in 2012 from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and was previously selected best tourism enterprise in Beijing’s scenic Huairou District in 2010 and won the HICAP Sustainable Communities Award in 2009.
Spear’s contributions to China were recognized with the Great Wall Friendship Award in 2014 from the Beijing government. Spear & Tang were named China Countryside Tourism Persons of the Year in 2015 at the Hangzhou Forum.
In 2018 Spear earned recognition in the prestigious international Architizer A+ Design Award in the hotels & resorts category.
The Brickyard Retreat was recognized as the first official China Countryside Heritage Hotel in 2019.
In 2020 Beijing Tourism Administration recognized Spear as a Great Wall Hero.
Daisy Zhao
VP at NBA Sports and Culture Development (Beijing) Co., Ltd.Daisy Zhao is NBA China’s vice president overseeing government engagement, public policy, and social responsibility programs/initiatives to promote people-to-people exchange through the power of basketball and to support communities in need by addressing important social issues in society. Prior to joining the NBA in 2020, Daisy has been working in the public and government affairs domain for over 20 years in leading multinational companies, including GE, Siemens, Apple, UTC, and Dolby.
Julia Zhu
Vice President of Social Impact, Starbucks (China) Company Limited/Secretary General at the Beijing Starbucks FoundationAs Vice President of Social Impact at Starbucks China, Secretary General of the Beijing Starbucks Foundation, and a member of the China Leadership Team, Julia takes charge of the company’s social
impact strategy in China. She leads Starbucks China to make profound social impact in creating opportunities, rural revitalization, community service, and sustainability through efficient program design and partnership with charitable organizations. Julia also plays an advisory role to the Chairman and CEO of Starbucks China for government affairs. She led programs in partnership with governments with particular focus on the negotiation for significant investment projects, oversaw public policy and actively conducted advocacy within the sector, making significant contribution to Starbucks’ business growth in China as well as protection and elevation of the Starbucks brand.
Prior to joining Starbucks, Julia served at United States Information Technology Office (USITO) as the Manager, Director and the Vice President for 12 years. She took the overall responsibility of business development and member services to grow the organization’s influence in China through the build-up of connections with government agencies, trade associations, think-tanks in ICT sector. Prior to USITO Julia was the Public Relation Manager at Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation Co. Ltd. (now as Voith Hydro Co. Ltd.) for 5 years where she took charge of government and external affairs.
Julia sits on the current Council of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation. She is Secretary General of the Social Responsibility Working Committee of China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment, and Chairman of the Sustainable Consumption Roundtable of China Chain Store & Franchise Association.
Julia holds a master degree of business administration from City University of Seattle.