[Webinar] China 2023 Economic Outlook

Sean Stein is a senior advisor in Covington’s Public Policy Practice Group. Prior to joining Covington, Sean served as the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai. He has over twenty years of diplomatic experience in Asia and has served in leadership positions in China, Washington, and the region. His insights informed policy making at the highest levels in Washington and he assisted dozens of U.S., Chinese, and international firms to develop strategies, manage risk, and identify opportunities for growth in response to the changing U.S.-China relationship.

Sean, a non-lawyer, is a key resource to businesses on issues related to political risk, public affairs, problem solving, and communications. He regularly assists companies facing acute or long-term issues to resolve them, often through discussions with U.S. and Chinese government officials. He is well placed to provide strategic advice to U.S. and international clients on issues relating to securing market access and protecting investments in China, assessing risk, navigating trade controls, sanctions, and supply chain restrictions, and resolving disputes and regulatory investigations.

Shuang joined the Bank as Head of Greater China Economic Research in April 2015, and is now Chief Economist for Greater China and North Asia. He has more than 20 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Shuang was previously Senior China Economist at Citigroup, where he had led the China Economic research team since early 2011. He worked at the IMF from 1997-2010, covering countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Prior to the IMF, Shuang was an economist with the People’s Bank of China from 1993-97. He has a Master’s from the Graduate School of the People’s Bank of China, an MBA from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor’s from Fudan University.

Mattie Bekink is responsible for the Economist Corporate Network’s China strategy, including programme development and client servicing across China. She also provides support to all Economist Corporate Network programmes worldwide with a China component.

Ms Bekink has extensive experience in the public, private and policy sectors. Prior to joining The Economist Group, she was the Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in the Netherlands. She also ran an eponymous consulting business, advising senior executives from businesses, universities and non-profit organisations on China policy, strategy, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility. Ms Bekink practised law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, has worked with the US-Asia Law Initiative at NYU Law School and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative China Programme, and served in the legal department at General Motors China.

Ms Bekink has a BA in International Relations from Stanford University and a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Allan Gabor is the President of Merck China and he is responsible for developing and driving growth strategies for Merck business in China. Prior to this role, he was the President of Asia Pacific for the biopharma business of the Merck Group and later held Managing Director for Merck Electronics China. Before joining Merck, he spent 25 years at Pfizer in leadership roles including Chairman and General Manager for China, and Regional President for North Asia, Russia, India, Turkey and Eastern Europe. He holds a BA in Communications from the College of Wooster and pursued further education at the University of Tennessee and Harvard Business School. Mr. Gabor has been awarded the Magnolia (Baiyulan) Award twice by the Shanghai municipal government.

Han Lin is an Assistant Professor of Practice in Finance at the NYU Shanghai. In addition, Han is the China Senior Advisor to The Asia Group (TAG) drawing upon nearly 20 years of in-country experience in China’s financial markets and corporate strategy.

Prior to his current positions, Han was the Deputy General Manager of Wells Fargo Bank, China, where he served as Interim Country Manager and a member of the Management Control Committee, which oversaw the bank’s China governance and risk management. Han also led the China Corporate Banking business, which advised Wells Fargo MNC clients on their U.S.-China cross-border strategic financing and trade needs. Earlier bank roles included Asia Financial Institutions Payments Product Sales Manager; Senior Coverage Banker in the China Financial Institutions Group (FIG); and corporate strategic projects analyst.

Han holds advanced degrees, including an MA in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, an MS in Global Finance from HKUST-NYU Stern, and an LLM in China Civil and Commercial Law from Fudan University Law School. He completed his undergraduate degree in business (BBA) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Han is active in the American Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai, having served on the Board of Governors and as a former Chair of the Chamber’s Financial Services Committee. He previously served in both the U.S. Marine Corps and Peace Corps (RCPV Ukraine). Han lives in Shanghai with his wife and two daughters.

James Macdonald was appointed as Head of Savills Research, China in 2007. He has the overall responsibility to ensure the successful delivery of research across mainland China, advise key clients and stakeholders of the latest market trends and future business opportunities as well as expand the adoption of technology systems and develop thought leadership.

Savills China Research Department is the backbone of Savills’ operations in China. By compiling much needed knowledge and support for our agency departments, Savills Research provides the leading edge needed in China’s increasingly competitive real estate market.

On an ongoing basis, we monitor a multitude of aspects within the various sectors of the property market—office, retail, residential, investment and hospitality. By compiling premium quality data, we enable ourselves and our clients to gain useful insights into China’s market dynamics.

In a career spanning 30 years, Ray has lived & worked in China for 20 of them and before Gleeds worked for ABB, Johnson Matthey and ICI. Ray sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus. Ray was co-author of the inaugural Position Paper on behalf of all four British Chambers in China and was part of the London outreach delegation presenting the Paper to the UK government and other stakeholders.