The GBA EU SME Insight Brunch is a closed-door roundtable jointly organised by the EU SME Centre and the European Chamber South China Chapter. for this session, we are inviting European SMEs in the Greater Bay Area to exchange insights on market trends, supply chain resilience, and business priorities for 2025/2026.
The event will present the EU SME Centre’s Phase V (2025–2028) focus areas, as well as the latest findings from the European Chamber’s report Dealing with Supply Chain Dependencies: Challenges and Choices. Participants will discuss opportunities and challenges facing EU SMEs in the Greater Bay Area, with a special spotlight on supply chain restructuring, trade developments, and operational outlooks.
Agenda
Friday 30 January, CST
10:00–10:30
Registration of participants at the venue
10:30–10:35
Words of welcome – Liam Jia, Team Leader, EU SME Centre – Fabian Blake, Vice President of the European Chamber & Chairman of the South China Board; General Manager, AMS Group
10:35–10:55
EU SME Centre Phase V: Priorities & Services (2025–2028) – Overview of the project’s Phase V structure and objectives – Key support areas: market access, compliance, sector insights – Opportunities for collaboration with SMEs based in the Greater Bay Area
Speaker: Liam Jia, Team Leader, EU SME Centre
10:55–11:15
Supply Chain Report – Key Findings for EU SMEs – China’s manufacturing strengths and emerging risks – Impacts of trade investigations and policy shifts – Implications for GBA-based EU SMEs – Key considerations for 2025/2026 planning
Speaker: Fabian Blake, Vice President of the European Chamber & Chairman of the South China Board; General Manager, AMS Group
11:15–11:55
Roundtable Sharing by European SMEs
Each participant will be invited to introduce, in a 3 to 5-minute presentation: – 2025/2026 company outlook – Supply chain adjustments and pressures – Market, compliance, or operational challenges – Expectations for EU SME Centre Phase V and European Chamber services
11:55–12:00
Closing remarks
12:00
Networking Brunch
Eligibility and Registration
This event is free of charge but pre-registration is mandatory. Please note that registration is open to European SMEs and members of the consortium partners of the EU SME Centre Phase V, including member companies of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce. Eligible registrants will receive an invitation letter by email.
Speakers
Liam Jia
Team Lead, EU SME Centre
Liam Jia is a versatile professional with the past 8 years advising European businesses on market access and business strategies to China. He has a solid working experience in project and operations management, financial and risk control in the EU context.
Liam is an experienced speaker and author of publications on a range of topics, including the environmental sector, SME digitalisation and F&B distribution. Great team player, generating positive influence on teammates.
Fabian Blake
Chairman, European Chamber South China Board; General Manager, AMS Group
Fabian Blake is a Belgian national who presently serves as the Managing Director of AMS Assembly Foshan, a Dutch-owned company that has been operating in the Pearl River Delta, providing manufacturing services in South China since 2003.
Having resided and worked in China since 2008, Fabian has accumulated 17 years of experience exclusively in South China. During this time, he has played a pivotal role in the operational development of major corporations like the ETEX Group. Additionally, he has successfully managed smaller Chinese business units specialising in engineering services, offering value-added solutions to European clientele.
AMS Group, under Fabian’s leadership, currently boasts a workforce of 90 employees, with 80 of them based in our facilities located in Foshan and Shenzhen. The company is actively involved in the development, manufacturing, and assembly of hardware devices, primarily serving customers situated in Europe.
Furthermore, Fabian has also served as a Member of the Board of the Benelux Chamber of Commerce from 2013 to 2016. His extensive experience and dedication to the industry make him a valuable asset to both AMS Assembly Foshan and the broader business community.
