Patrick Powers has 30 years of experience in international commerce, government relations and trade policy, achieved in a career that has spanned Asia but focused primarily on China. He has lived and worked in China for more than 20 years, in addition to assignments in Singapore, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

He was appointed the Director of Government Affairs for Rockwell Automation China in early 2014. Mr. Powers began his career with Bechtel, Inc., and held successive management positions at Island Creek of China Coal Ltd (Occidental Petroleum), SSM Coal BV, SHV Holdings, Tait Asia Ltd. (Vietnam), Mundoro Mining, Cargill, and Applus+.
Mr. Powers held the position of Vice President for China Operations at the US-China Business Council, the primary organization dealing with Sino-American commercial matters from 1999 to 2006. In that role, he was responsible for business advocacy and advisory services on behalf of 250 American MNC’s operating in the PRC. Mr. Powers has extensive experience in government relations and communications in China and Asia as well as a background in business development and operations in natural resources, large scale retailing, consumer goods warehousing and distribution.

He has spoken frequently on China-related topics at international conferences and appeared on numerous occasions in media, including CCTV, CNN, CNBC, and Bloomberg, as well as contributing articles to The China Business Review. He has a BA from San Diego State University and has pursued advanced language and professional development courses At UC Berkeley, National Taiwan Normal University, and Singapore Institute of Management. Mr. Powers is a fluent Mandarin speaker.

As Chair of AmCham China Policy Committee, Les Ross is a longstanding leader of the American business and legal communities in China and in frequent contact with government officials and other stakeholders.

Mr. Ross concentrates his practice on mergers and acquisitions and regulatory matters and has experience in a broad range of industries. He has represented both foreign and local companies and has particular experience advising foreign companies on competition law and regulatory compliance in China.

Mr. Ross represents foreign companies in their strategic expansion in China through direct investments and mergers and acquisitions in industries ranging alphabetically from agriculture to water services. He also has extensive experience representing foreign banks and corporations, including Chinese entities, in their strategic expansion in the United States, particularly focusing on M&A and regulatory clearances and compliance. He has also represented clients in trade, dispute resolution and regulatory matters in China.

The Honorable William Zarit advises U.S. multinationals working in the Chinese commercial market and helps Chinese companies navigate the U.S. investment environment. A Senior Counselor with The Cohen Group, he also serves as Chairman of the Board for the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Until May 2014 Mr. Zarit was Minister for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, in charge of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s trade promotion and trade policy activities in its operations in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang. He retired with the diplomatic rank of Career Minister.

Prior to his posting to Beijing, Mr. Zarit was Deputy Assistant Secretary, International Operations, for the U.S. Commercial Service, overseeing Commercial Sections in U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide. The U.S. Commercial Service is the Federal Government’s front line trade agency, promoting both U.S. exports and foreign investment into the U.S., and protecting U.S. commercial interests overseas. Prior to that Mr. Zarit served as the U.S. Commercial Service’s Regional Director for East Asia/Pacific. He also served as Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Deputy Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and Deputy Senior Commercial Officer at the American Institute in Taiwan.

Before joining the U.S. Commercial Service Mr. Zarit was Economic and Commercial Program Officer for the New York-based National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Prior to that he served as Marketing Manager/China for Pacific Bell’s international operations, preceded by his work as Project Manager for the first IBM PC dealer in China, China Business Associates. Mr. Zarit also served as Mandarin Chinese Interpreter for the U.S. State Department Language Services.

He earned an M.B.A. with Honors from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. with Honors in Political Science from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.