Prof. Jielin Dong is a part-time research fellow of the China Institute for Science and Technology Policy at Tsinghua University. Her current research focus is on innovation and entreprenurship. She also serves as a board member for multiple technological companies in China, and a columnist for a few international journals.

Prof. Dong was a distinguished professor of Soochow University, and the director of the Center for Enterprise Innovation and Development of Dongwu Business School of Soochow University. Through her career, she has worked in various management positions in Fortune 500 companies such as Lucent and Cisco, as well as successful startup companies such as AsiaInfo Inc., which has built the Internet infrastructure in China.

Dr. Dong was educated in both China and the US. She finished her Ph.D. degree in physics in Carnegie Mellon University in 1988.

Joanna Mao joined the United States Information Technology Office (USITO) in September 2015 serving as its Deputy Managing Director. Prior to that, Joanna was employed with Lenovo, Intel, A.P. Muller. Maersk, Microsoft and Ogilvy & Mather. She has 17 years of marketing, communication and partner management experience in the information technology sector, and while serving as spokeswoman, oversaw government affairs in North Asia. Joanna was once in investment banking, providing counseling for Chinese companies seeking overseas listings while serving for ING Baring.

Lance Noble is a Senior Analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics where he produces research reports on major developments in China’s industrial policy, political economy and foreign policy of interest to international corporations, investors and governments. Previously he was Manager for Policy and Communications at The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China where he was the lead analyst for major publications on Chinese industrial policy as well as the Chamber’s media strategy. Prior to that, he was a China-focused analyst for the government of British Columbia, Canada and an independent consultant.

Lance holds a PhD. in political science with a focus on Chinese politics and foreign policy from The George Washington University and a M.A. in political science from The University of British Columbia. He speaks and reads Mandarin Chinese fluently. He also loves swimming, skiing and single malt whiskies from the Scottish Isles of Skye and Islay.