How will the Chinese business environment evolve over the coming five years and what will this mean for your business?
European SMEs in China remain confident with long-term growth prospects in the face of China’s economic transition. Still, as labour costs continue to rise unabated and markets become ever more saturated, they are beginning to see their profit margins shrinking.
Especially on the B2B side, many businesses will be impacted by the Chinese economic downturn in the short-term. Consumer-focused SMEs on the other hand, can be excited by the prospect of Chinese domestic consumption growing to make up a larger share of the economy. B2B-oriented SMEs in turn, can look forward to playing an important role as China seeks to upgrades its industrial processes and take its innovation to the next level.
Join us at the 2016 SME Conference to learn about the challenges for European SMEs, and discuss approaches to navigating said landscape with likeminded SME executives, entrepreneurs and experts.
AGENDA
13:30 to 14:00 Registration
14:00 to 14:10 Welcome Remarks by Mr. Gabor Holch, Previous Chair of the SME Forum, European Chamber
14:10 to 14:30 “Understanding the Current SME Landscape and Opportunities” by Mr. Christian Heinis, Principal and Head of Europe international liaison in China, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants
14:30 to 14:50 “Using Free Trade Zones to Sell Online in China” by Mr. Rafael Jimenez, Business Development Advisor, EU SME Centre
14:50 to 15:10 “How SMEs can finance their expansion in China” by Mr. Stefan Buchholz, Senior Relationship Manager, Commerzbank
15:10 to 15:30 “Tapping into China’s Booming E-Commerce Market” by Ms. Karen Wang, Business Development Manager, Vistra China
15:30 to 15:50 “China market at your fingertips – 1688 B2B Import” by Mr. Ling Leung, Senior Manager of 1688 Import B2B platform, Alibaba
15:50 to 16:20 Panel Discussion and Q&A Session
16:20 to 16:40 Coffee Break
16:40 to 17:00 “Managing legal risks in the workplace” by Dr. Iris Duchetsmann, Managing Director, DD Law.HR.Compliance
17:00 to 17:20 “How to avoid IP scams” by Ms. Chris Li, East China Director, Schmitt & Orlov IPR
17:20 to 17:40 “Taxation for Foreign Invested SMEs in China” by Ms. Marta Snaidero, Senior Associate, GWA (Greatway Advisory)
17:40 to 18:10 Panel Discussion and Q&A Session
18:10 to 18:20 Closing Remarks
Registration
Please sign up here at European Chamber’s website.
European SMEs will enjoy free attendance upon written approval after their registration on Chamber’s website. The definition of European SME is a company headquartered in the EU with no more than 250 employees worldwide and an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million.
Payment
You can pay at the day of the event using cash or local debit/credit cards. The European Chamber can give you an official fapiao for amount exceeding 200 RMB, and this will be sent to you via courier a few days after the event.
Terms & Conditions
Events have limited seating so to ensure your attendance we encourage advance online registration and payment for ALL events. We cannot guarantee entry to anyone not registered in advance.
Cancellation Policy
If you cannot attend an event for which you have registered, please cancel your registration no later than one business day prior to the event. If you fail to notify us of your cancellation in a timely fashion, you will be charged for event costs.
To cancel you can: 1) email: ltan@europeanchamber.com.cn, or 2) cancel online if you registered for the event through the website.
About Speakers
Mr. Christian Heinis
Principal Head of Europe international liaison in China, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants
Christian joined Roland Berger Paris office in 2007 after having spent three years with GE in various European countries. In 2014, he transferred to the Roland Berger’s Greater China office, where he now acts as international liaison for European companies operating in China.
During his time with Roland Berger, Christian has led a wide range of international projects across sectors such as financial services, utilities, process industries, oil & gas, defense and infrastructure. His areas of expertise include corporate transformation, operational efficiency, reorganization, restructuration, international expansion and market entry strategy. He served multiple companies in China, from large Multi-national Corporation to SME’s operating in China.
Mr. Rafael Jimenez
Business Development Advisor, EU SME Centre
China expertise: market entry strategy, start-ups, SME business planning, streamlining costs, new business channels and local partners
With more than six years’ hands-on experience in managing business in China, Rafael offers advice for European SMEs in developing practical market entry strategies in the country. Following a career at senior level within the F&B and ICT industry, he arrived in China in 2009 as Director of a Spanish F&B company involved in the restaurant and trade business. He helped the company set up a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in China, ran operations for three years and led a team of more than 100 employees. More recently he was Shanghai Office Director at a Management Consultancy Firm.
Mr. Stefan Buchhol
Senior Relationship Manager, Commerzbank
With effect from 01.06.2015, Stefan Buchholz took over the position of Senior Relationship Manager, Commerzbank European Desk in Shanghai.
He started his career with an apprenticeship at Commerzbank AG in 1997. After that he has worked for different divisions of Commerzbank including Private and Corporate Banking. Within his positions he has had a strong focus on clients with an international background and trade finance business.
Stefan holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Cologne. Commerzbank is the #1 bank for German corporates in the Mittelstand (SME) and large corporates business segment. With over 52,000 employees and activities in more than 50 countries worldwide, Commerzbank is a leading international bank and maintains well-established client relationships to more than 100,000 corporate customers worldwide. Outside of Europe, Commerzbank places a particular focus on Asia.
Ms. Karen Wang
Business Development Manager, Vistra China
Karen is the Manager of Business Development for Vistra’s China operations. She has 10 years of experience in helping overseas companies enter China, gained from multinational organizations and international consultancy firms, where she advised overseas clients on doing business in China in a variety of industries including manufacturing, consumer goods, trading and consulting. Karen is a frequent speaker on China related topics, and recently in particular on E-commerce in China.
Dr. Iris Duchetsmann
Managing Director, DD Law. HR. Compliance
Dr. Iris Duchetsmann is a German lawyer with experience in international business and law for over 15 years. Iris is managing director of DD Law. HR. Compliance where she and her team specialize in international HR management and employment law. A specific focus lies on supporting clients in international assignments and HR projects, working with employment specialists across Asia Pacific and globally.
Iris has worked within multinational corporation and international law firms in Germany and China. Her clients comprise international companies, and executives form various industry sectors including automotive, energy, transportation, chemical, media, textile, consulting, etc.
She has been recognized as leading lawyer for PRC employment law by Chambers Asia. Iris is Vice-Chair of the Legal & Competition Working Group and served as member of the board and Vice Chair of the EUCCC HR WG in Shanghai previously. She is a frequent speaker and author on international and national labour law and HR topics.
Mr. Reinout van Malenstein
IP Expert, China IPR SME Helpdesk
Before joining the China IPR SME Helpdesk, Reinout has gained working experience as an IP lawyer in the Netherlands, working for a Magic Circle law firm and after that as the head of the China desk at a Dutch law firm. He also worked as a delegate of the EU China Co-Reach IPR project and as a researcher and lecturer of Utrecht University in The Netherlands.
Reinout is a Dutch citizen, and speaks English, Chinese, Dutch and German. He holds a Master of Laws in Chinese Law from Peking University and a Master of Dutch Law in Civil Law, specializing in Intellectual Property Law, from Utrecht University. Reinout is also a guest lecturer of various prestigious Chinese and European Universities and Institutions.
Ms. Marta Snaidero
Senior Associate, GWA (Greatway Advisory)
Marta Snaidero is an Italian CPA and Auditor and coordinates GWA’s tax and accounting team. She is a consultant and author of several articles and books in International and Chinese Tax Law. During her studies she attended an exchange program at the Indian Institute of Planning and Management in New Delhi with a focus on MBA courses. She got a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Udine, Italy.
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