2026 Greater China Business Conference

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In 2026, GCBC will celebrate its 20th anniversary under the theme “Beyond Differences: Collaboration and Competition in a Changing World.” We bring together global business leaders, nonprofit executives, and leading scholars, including a Nobel Prize winner, to explore the most pressing questions shaping today’s global landscape. This year’s conference will feature panels spanning China and the global economy, AI and technology, investment, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and consumer goods, creating a platform for cross-industry dialogue and fresh perspectives that go beyond conventional thinking.

Keynote Speakers:

✅Joel Mokyr - Nobel Memorial Prize Laureate in Economic Sciences (2025) | Robert H. Strotz Professor of Arts and Sciences | Northwestern University

✅ Joey Wat ‘00 - Chief Executive Officer | Yum China Holdings, Inc.

✅Bo Li - Deputy Managing Director | International Monetary Fund


See full lineup at the official GCBC website
https://www.gcbckellogg.com/2026speakers



Conference Agenda:

8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Check-In & Breakfast


8:30 – 9:20 a.m.
Opening Remarks by Dean Cornelli

Fireside Chat with Joey Wat ’00 MBA facilitated by Dean Cornelli

Joey Wat, ’00 MBA, CEO, Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Francesca Cornelli, Dean, Kellogg School of Management


9:20 – 10:10 a.m.

Panel 1 | Open, Closed, and Global: Investing Across a Rewired US–China Tech Ecosystem

Panelists:

Thomas Toy, ’79 MBA, Managing Director, Startup Capital Ventures
Jenny Xiao, Partner, Leonis Capital
Yanhong Lin, Founder and Managing Partner, CTIC Capital
Moderator:

Tianhao Wu, Managing Director, Northwestern University Investment Office


10:10 – 10:30 a.m.

Break



10:30 – 11:20 a.m.

Panel 2 | China Biotech Through the Investor Lens: Value Discovery, Strategic Positioning, and Global Expansion

Panelists:

Ed Zhang ’08 MBA, Co-Founder & CEO, Overland Pharmaceuticals
Jason Zhang, Portfolio Manager - Global Healthcare, Hillhouse
Fred Fei ’11 MBA, CEO and Funding Partner, Fortera Capital
Moderator:

Anthony Hsiao, Partner, Zhongmei Capital


11:20 – 12:10 p.m.

Fireside Chat with Pin Ni, facilitated by Hon. Bruce Markell

Pin Ni, Founder & President, Wanxiang America Corporation
Bruce Markell, Professor, Pritzker Law School; Former Federal Judge


12:10 – 1:20 p.m.

Lunch Break



1:20 – 2:10 p.m.

Fireside Chat with Joel Mokyr & Bo Li, facilitated by Dean Cornelli

Joel Mokyr, Robert H. Strotz Professor of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University
Bo Li, Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
Francesca Cornelli, Dean, Kellogg School of Management


2:10 – 3:00 p.m.

Panel 3 | Cross-Border Collaboration Reimagined: Strategic Synergies and Value Creation Between U.S. and Chinese Innovative Pharmaceutical Companies

Panelists:

Tom Spalding, Head of Global Oncology Products and Pipeline Strategy, Takeda
Weiyong Sun, Chief Business Officer, Hansoh Pharma
Qiusong Tang, Global Search and Evaluation Lead, Corporate Business Development, Roche / Genentech


3:00 – 3:20 p.m.

Tea Break



3:20 – 4:10 p.m.

Panel 4 | AI Transformation Across Industries: From Strategy and Investment to Real-World Deployment

Panelists:

Tom Cong, Sr. Director, Corporate Investment, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Gabriel Quek, Senior Director & Head of Partnerships, Legora
Li Wang, Head of Statistical Innovation, AbbVie
Moderator:

Sébastien Martin, Associate Professor, Kellogg School of Management


4:10 – 4:30 p.m.

Featured Spotlight｜AI and E-Commerce for Inclusive Growth: China’s Experience, Rural Opportunity, and Global Lessons

Xubei Luo, Senior Economist, World Bank


4:30 – 5:20 p.m.

Panel 5｜Retail in 2030: Reverse Innovation, the Paradox Consumer, Shopping via AI, and the Battle for Loyalty

Panelists:

Bruce Li, Group Advisory Board & Former VP, JD.com
Jason Goldberg, Chief Commerce Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe
Jie Cheng, Adjunct Professor, Loyola Quinlan; Former Global VP & Head of Digital Commerce, Mondelēz
Yi Wang, Founder and CEO, Yelophant
Moderator:

Ashlee Humphreys, Professor, Medill School of Journalism


5:20 – 5:30 p.m.

Closing Remarks

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