What Leaders Do to Evolve & Thrive!

Annabelle Qian is the Founder and Chairperson of KnowYourself, a startup committed to advancing mental health awareness in Chinese society for the past seven years. KnowYourself’s mission is to research and deliver innovative digital mental health products and services. Itscurrent offerings include text-based counseling with data-driven tools for counselors, thematic online support groups, and online self-help training programs based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness practices. With over 20 million followers on social media, KnowYourself has a substantial user base. In 2023, KnowYourself partnered with a leading AI company in China to train a ChatGPT model using data from its text-based counseling services.

Nicky is a brand strategist with two decades of success in both multinational and independent agency environments across Asia, advising leading global brands on their marketing and communications strategies.

She was a co-owner of the China-based communications agency Red Bridge with offices in Shanghai and Beijing. Built from the ground-up over 12 years to a 120-people award-winning business, the agency was fully acquired by WE Worldwide in 2021, with Nicky appointed as CEO to continue leading its China operation.

Nicky embodies the qualities of a next-generation leader – she leads by example, encourages cross-discipline collaboration, and advocates client consultancy over client servicing. The agency follows a non-traditional approach, inverting the top-down ways of working in China and championing diversity and inclusion across gender, nationality, and regional representation.

Under her leadership, her teams led the successful launch of many brands in China, fostering long-lasting client partnerships across a diverse range of sectors. WE Red Bridge has been consistently recognized by global and regional awards including Cannes Lions, Sabre and PRWeek Awards. Nicky herself was named a Woman to Watch in 2020, and Young Business Leader of the Year in 2019 by Campaign Asia.

A highly sought-after expert on China’s marketing landscape, Nicky is frequently invited to sit on regional award juries, including PRWeek Asia Pacific, Sabre Awards Asia Pacific, The Drum Global PR Awards and Greater China Digital Media Awards.

Patricia has been in the profession for over 25 years. Prior to joining Ernst & Young Shanghai in 2006, she had worked with other Big Four firms in China and Australia.
As EY China Central Managing Partner, Patricia is in charge of business development of EY’s priority offices located in 11 cities in China Central, including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, Hefei, etc.

Patricia has extensive experience in tax and investment consultation for multi-national companies, including cross-border tax structure planning, M&A tax due diligence and planning, support in joint venture negotiation, tax controversy support and application for tax incentives, etc. Over the years she has assisted a large number of domestic businesses in making outbound investment overseas and foreign investors in investing in China.

In her role as EY Asia-Pacific Tax Innovation Leader, Patricia has also led a number of tax technology projects to assist clients in establishing automated tax compliance and management platforms, enhancing tax process operation and providing tax strategy consulting services.

Theresa Hudzinski is the current International Professional Women’s Society President (IPWS) and a leader in multi-national company for almost 30 years.

IPWS is a platform for everyone supporting professional female empowerment.  Through events and community of individuals with diverse backgrounds, they build networks, foster personal growth, and develop professionally.

Her passion is creating an environment where people can find their voice and let them face their fears so they find the courage to accomplish their goals.