Platinum Member CEO Breakfast Briefing: Focusing on Complex Environments [Venue updated]

James McGregor is Greater China Chairman for APCO Worldwide, and author of two highly regarded books: No Ancient Wisdom, No Followers: The Challenges of Chinese Authoritarian Capitalism; and One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China. As a journalist, McGregor covered Congress for Knight-Ridder during the Reagan administration, and was bureau chief in Taipei and Beijing for The Wall Street Journal. Switching to business, he was CEO of Dow Jones in China and later founded a China-focused research and advisory firm for hedge funds. McGregor also served as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, National Committee on US-China Relations, Global Council of the Asia Society and is on the board of the US-China Education Trust. He has lived in China for 30 years and now splits his time between Shanghai and Beijing.

Jeff is APCO Worldwide Managing Director in its Shanghai office, and leads on client engagement, business development, business operations and service delivery.

He was previously the Managing Director of China-Britain Business Council in China, where he led teams helping UK business and stakeholders enter and grow in China, and managed relations with the China and UK government across China. Jeff has lived and worked in China for 12 years and worked in the APAC region for 20 years.

His career has spanned international trade development, marketing, communications, finance and corporate strategy roles. He began in the media industry, which culminated in being the launch marketing director for a UK national broadcast network and then strategic advisor to UK and European broadcasters. He later moved into consultancy, strategic advisory, advocacy and partnership development in Asia for various trade bodies, businesses and government institutions across the region.

He has postgraduate degrees in marketing (UWE Bristol Business School) and global business (Oxford University, Said Business School), and he is a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and Chartered Marketer (MCIM).

James W. Robinson, global lead for Geo-Commerce, is based in New York and brings more than 20 years of diverse international experience in corporate and public affairs, communications, sustainability, trade and policy issues. He is an advisor to some of the world’s most respected organizations, helping to develop strategy, engage dynamic stakeholders, communicate purpose and manage complex societal and public affairs issues and crises.

Previously, Mr. Robinson served as managing director of APCO’s Shanghai business, where he led a team of approximately 30 staff and oversaw APCO’s Hong Kong presence.  While in China, he helped clients in the technology, healthcare, consumer goods and financial services sectors as they entered, expanded in, and navigated the China market.

Before returning to China, Mr. Robinson was based in New York for more than a decade, where he led APCO’s trailblazing global sustainability and ESG practice. In New York, he was also client leader for several of APCO’s most significant global assignments, supporting public affairs campaigns, stakeholder and issues management efforts, communications initiatives and sustainability reporting programs. He has led several award-wining client campaigns and in 2016 was named to PR Week’s “40 Under 40” list of leaders in the communications industry. Between 2008 and 2016, he led the firm’s work for the Clinton Global Initiative. He also served on the firm’s North America leadership team.

Between 1999 and 2005, Mr. Robinson served within the investment and government relations practice of APCO’s Beijing office, where he advised multinationals looking to enter and expand in the China market. Mr. Robinson also spent a year in APCO’s office in Indonesia, where he focused on clients within the extractive industries.

Mr. Robinson graduated with both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in China studies from the University of Cambridge and speaks Mandarin proficiently. He is frequently asked to speak about the evolving role of business in society as well as the challenges faced by multinationals in China and is often cited by leading international media.

John Edwards took up his position as British Consul-General Shanghai in June 2015. He leads the British Government’s engagement in East China: Shanghai, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu.

John has been with the Foreign and Commonwealth since 1996. In that year John was the Desk officer for Nuclear Weapons having graduated in 1995 from the University of Oxford with a Bachelor’s Degree in Ancient and Modern History.

Following a period of Mandarin language training at the University of Westminster and Beijing Normal University, he worked as Consul Political, Economic and Press at the British Consulate General Shanghai from 2000 to 2003.

John then spent four years in London – between 2003 and 2004 as the Head of Human Rights Policy and Projects, between 2004 and 2005 as the Head of Consular Policy, and between 2005 and 2007 as the Foreign Secretary’s Speechwriter. During that time he was also involved in the handling of several crises including the Asian Tsunami in 2004 and the Burma Crisis of 2007.

John was Deputy Consul General at the British Consulate General Jerusalem from 2008 to 2012. He returned to China in 2012, and worked at the British Embassy for four years as Minister Counselor (Prosperity) with the overall responsibility for UK-China policy collaboration on climate change, urbanisation, energy and healthcare, along with strategic oversight of the science and innovation network.

John is in China with his wife, Kate, who has degrees in Theology and Philosophy and teaches at an international school. Kate and John adopted their son, Leo, from Guangzhou in 2013. John is a keen runner and tries to run to and from work whenever possible.

Martin has built a significant network within the international business community within Shanghai and this brings insight that can support the leadership of the Chamber to be a voice for British business and identifying opportunities to develop within the China market.