Agenda

UK-China Business Forum 2025

Thank you to all of our guests that joined us on 5th March 2025 for the UK-China Business Forum!

9:30am - Registration & Networking ​

10:00am - Welcoming Remarks & Opening Keynotes

  • Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles KCMG LVO, Chair, China-Britain Business Council; Senior Adviser, HSBC Holdings plc

  • Emma Reynolds MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, HM Treasury

  • Wang Qi, Chargé d'Affaires, Chinese Embassy

10:30am - China's Role in an Evolving Global Economy

With a changing global economy, China's role is becoming ever more important. This panel will look at China's position as a global player in the context of a new world order which presents a host of opportunities and challenges both across bilateral and third country relationships. Our specialist panel will consider the role China plays in innovation, technology systems and investment in a UK-China context as well as in third countries around the world.

This session was sponsored by Standard Chartered.

  • Gordon Orr, Non-Executive Director of Swire Pacific, Meituan, Lenovo, Fidelity China Special Situations Investment Trust, and EQT AB (Host)

  • Fang Wenjian, Chairman of China Chamber of Commerce in the UK, General Manager of Bank of China London Branch

  • Becky Liu, Managing Director, Head, China Macro Strategy, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd

  • Trey McArver, Co-Founder of Trivium/China

  • Dr Carwyn Morris, University Lecturer of Digital China at Leiden University, Netherlands

11:30am - China's Role in the UK - Inward Investment Opportunities

This session will focus on the opportunities for Chinese businesses to invest in the UK, to support the UK government's growth agenda. Partnerships that support the UK's ambitious Net Zero commitments and bring Chinese innovation and new technologies to partners in the UK. We will hear from Chinese investors in the UK and specialist advisers who are supporting these investors to navigate the UK regulatory environment. We will also explore business opportunities, the types of partnerships that currently exist, and how increased Chinese investment in the UK can help accelerate the UK growth agenda.

This session was sponsored by Red Rock Renewables.

  • Huang Shan, Director & Senior Fellow, Caixin Insight​ (Host)

  • Joe Li, Head of China Desk, HSBC UK Commercial Banking

  • Natasha Luther-Jones, Partner, Global Co-Chair, Energy and Natural Resources Sector and International Head, Sustainability & ESG, DLA Piper

  • Yang Ming, CEO of Westwell Holdings (Hong Kong) Ltd

  • John Dykes, Sales Deputy Director for UK, Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Limited

12:30pm - CEO Fireside Chat​

CBBC's recent member survey highlighted the importance of China to some of the UK's leading FTSE 250 companies. Our UK Investment Conference in Shanghai also saw a huge amount of interest from Chinese businesses in the opportunities open to them by investing in the UK. In the first CEO Fireside Chat of the day we will hear from Simon Bisp about his views on the UK as a destination for BYD's international growth.

  • Peter Burnett OBE BBS, Chief Executive, China-Britain Business Council​ (Host)

  • Simon Bisp, Head of Sales, BYD UK

12:50pm - Lunch and Networking​

2:30pm - Breakout Session Panels

  • Building Brand Loyalty and Cultural Relevance in the Chinese Consumer Market

    This session was sponsored by TONG Global.

    As China resets its economic priorities in 2025, consumption will remain key for the country’s sustainable economic growth. Chinese consumers will continue to underpin growth strategies for UK and Chinese companies alike. In this session we explore the space for brand collaborations between UK and Chinese brands and look at key trends that will define the market.

    • Celine Tang, Retail & E-commerce Sector Lead, China-Britain Business Council (Host)

    • David Haigh, Chairman and CEO, Brand Finance Plc

    • Jack Porteous, Commercial Director, TONG Global

    • Kai-Chuan Chao, Commercial and Cultural Partnerships, East Asia Lead, The British Library

    • Antoaneta Becker, Director, Consumer Economy, China-Britain Business Council

      OR ​

  • How Can the UK's Green Transition leverage China's Industrial Might? ​

    In rolling out the world's fastest, most expansive installation of renewable energy assets over the past 10 years, China's leading industrial giants are now looking to opportunities in international markets to accelerate their own energy transitions. The UK's ambitious Net Zero targets will remain out of reach without embracing the economies of scale that Chinese suppliers can offer. This panel will explore what challenges and opportunities exist in realising this significant potential area for collaboration.

    • James Brodie, Regional Director, Scotland, Commercial Director, Industrial, China-Britain Business Council (Host)

    • Chong Ng, Associate Director - Applied Research, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult

    • Marina Valls, Director, Energy Strategy, KPMG

    • David Finnon, CTO, Red Rock Renewables

3:30pm - Tea Break​

4:00pm - Breakout Session Panels

  • Prevent, Optimise, Thrive: Global Health Innovation Across Borders

    With an aging population comes a change in approach to healthcare. 'Healthy China 2030' and the NHS 'social prescribing' programmes mark a change in step: from cure to prevention to optimisation. This panel will explore the innovations across the private sector and academia: addressing global health challenges, leveraging shared expertise in preventative care, digital health, and patient-centred approaches.

    • Elinor Greenhouse, Senior Adviser, Tech and Innovation, China-Britain Business Council (Host)

    • Sarah Nolan, Head of Global Programmes, UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA)

    • Xiaoming Gao (Gavin), CEO, Penlon Limited

    • Vladimir Tsaganov, Head of AI Products and Solutions, Alibaba Cloud International

    • Sharon (Ling Zhi) Heng, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Moorfields Private Eye Hospital

      OR​     

  • Driving UK-China Collaboration in Smart Transport​

    China has developed rapidly in terms of smart transport solutions which present opportunities for UK businesses to work with, as well as benefit from the advances that have been made in the sector. Collaboration in this area offers environmental benefits to the UK, as well as financial benefits to companies, their employees and the country as a whole.

    • James Brodie, Regional Director, Scotland, Commercial Director, Industrial, China-Britain Business Council (Host)

    • Simon Bisp, Head of Sales, BYD UK

    • David Wong, Head of Innovation and Technology, SMMT

    • Professor Xu Hongming, Chair of Energy and Automotive Engineering and Head of the Vehicle Research Centre, University of Birmingham

    • Herbert Lonsdale, International Automotive Consultant and former Global Skills Ambassador for the Institute of the Motor Industry

5:00pm - CEO Fireside Chat​

In the final CEO Fireside Chat of the day, we will hear from Sir David Quarrey, Group Head of Public Affairs, HSBC on the current state of UK-China relations and opportunities for economic growth and business collaboration in today’s geopolitical climate.

  • Peter Burnett OBE BBS, Chief Executive, China-Britain Business Council​ (Host)

  • Sir David Quarrey, Group Head of Public Affairs, HSBC

5:30pm - CBBC Spring Reception

The Spring Reception was sponsored by China Telecom (Europe) Ltd and Alibaba Cloud.