The Bilateral is proud to present its first-ever podcast episode in French. We are excited to welcome Vivian Desmonts, a Partner at Gowling WLG, who joins us from Guangzhou to discuss his extensive experience as a lawyer in China spanning over two decades. In this episode, Vivian covers a wide range of topics, starting with an update on the COVID situation in China and briefly compares the response of North American and European businesses to China’s post-pandemic reopening. The conversation also delves into the evolution of data and IP protection laws in China, two hot topics at the mom ..read more

The Bilateral is delighted to welcome Jacob Cooke, Co-Founder and CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, who joins us in Beijing to discuss his nearly 20 years as an entrepreneur in China. WPIC won Gold in the Exceptional SME category. Jacob and his organization have grown from a fledgling tech startup in China to serving major multinationals from around the world with their in-house expertise and native big data analytics for China’s e-commerce landscape. In this wide-ranging talk, he discusses WPIC’s incredible growth story, his views on the Chinese consumer mindset post-COVID, new adaptatio ..read more

Our next episode in the awards miniseries is with Tianpeng WANG, Founder of Trustiics RealTime Global Counsel, Silver winner in the Exceptional SME category. Trustiics, which is kind of like Uber for legal services, helps SMEs affordably navigate legal services. Trustiics works as a one-stop solution for SMEs to get connected with trusted lawyers in China and other overseas markets. It is the world’s first online platform connecting international businesses with pre-vetted English-speaking lawyers in China. It allows SMEs to mitigate their business and legal risk, expand and grow in internatio ..read more

The latest in our awards miniseries is Bright Mega Capital Corporation, Bronze winner in the Outstanding Member category. This episode features Sarah’s conversation with Bright Mega’s president, Toronto-based Bernard HE Jun, who describes the unique role Bright Mega plays in delivering Canadian products into the hands of China’s middle class consumers. Key takeaways from Bernard: There is a big demand for products from Canadian SMEs, and Bright Mega provides “strength in numbers” by combining companies that might not be able to go it alone. Bright Mega has TMall Global specialty stores in th ..read more

China is on a globally unprecedented mission: to green its economy, to broadly increase quality of life for its citizens, and to create a sophisticated, fair and modern market for business. At the macro level, these goals would inspire increased confidence from most foreign executives seeking to trade and invest in this complex landscape – but what are the on-the-ground commercial implications for companies operating in these shifting tides? CCBC and PwC China have co-authored a report which seeks to unravel that question through the lens of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) guidance ..read more

To wrap up our three-part miniseries on the 14th Five-Year Plan, CCBC Managing Director China Noah Fraser interviews his counterparts at the US-China Business Council (USCBC) and China Britain Business Council (CBBC) — Matt Margulies, Senior Vice President, China, USCBC, and Tom Simpson, Managing Director and Chief Representative, CBBC — on the eve of the conclusion of the Two Sessions or “lianghui.” The conversation dives into the parallels and divergences between our three bilateral relationships, and move into practical takeaways from the five-year plan and the Two Sessions, including the r ..read more

Next in our awards miniseries is Viva Naturals, Silver winner in the Outstanding Member category. This episode features Sarah Kutulakos’ conversation with Candice Yin, who handles China e-commerce for Viva Naturals, a Toronto-based provider of vitamins, supplements, and wellness products. Viva was established in 2011 and started exporting to China via cross-border e-commerce in 2017. The company’s growth has been amazing. Key takeaways from Candice: A successful Chinese e-commerce strategy can allow a small Canadian company to compete on a global scale. Viva’s China growth has spurred new co ..read more

Next in our Business Excellence Awards miniseries is Canada Goose, Gold winner in the Outstanding Member category. This episode features a conversation between CCBC Vice Chair Scott Brison and Dani Reiss, President and CEO of Canada Goose, at CCBC’s AGM Business Forum in the fall of 2021. Scott and Dani cover a variety of interesting topics, including: Canada Goose’s Human Nature initiative and its mission to “keep the planet cold and the people on it warm.”   The December 2018 opening of the first Canada Goose store in China, and how the business has grown significantly despite the head ..read more

Radley Mackenzie is the founder of SinoSports Development in Toronto, which received the Bronze Award in the education category at CCBC’s 2020 Business Excellence Awards.  SinoSports combines education and sports, arranging camps, coaching, and recruitment of Chinese athletes to Canadian private schools.   Key takeaways from Radley: Sports help Chinese kids to be more well-rounded, something the traditional Chinese education system lacks. Drivers of sports development in China include top-down factors from government – it has benefits for public health and helps youth build characte ..read more

Cyndi McLeod, CEO, Canada, for Global University Systems, was CCBC’s 5 at 50 winner in the Alumni category. Cyndi is an expert in strategic international partnerships and international education, and she has worked in both public and private education. Cyndi started engaging in China early, leading the way in British Columbia’s international education efforts back in 1999. Highlights from Sarah’s conversation with Cyndi: • Among her favourite exchange programs: training of Chinese respiratory therapists and of front-line customer services service employees for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. • Cy ..read more