BritCham Shanghai 2024 Annual General Meeting Held

This is an annual occasion for members to review the Chamber’s works and achievements in the past year under our three key pillars Advocacy, Knowledge and Community. In attendance were Chamber members, Executive Committee members as well as British Consul-General in Shanghai Matt Burney, and British Deputy Trade Commissioner for China Sohail Shaikh.

The Chair’s and Vice Chair’s Reports highlighted the following:

• Executive Director succession and onboarding;
• Membership levels have continued to increase, including our platinum members;
• Pilot programme of advocacy roundtables with CBBC & DBT;
• Enhancing advocacy and local government outreach;
• Initiatives in East China outreach and signed Zhejiang Office agreement;
• Bringing back the Global Visionary Series;
• Strong focus on ESG and Sustainability;
• Launching the Great British Day and the Corporate Sports Day events;
• Increased exposure to social media.

For more details about the Chamber’s 2023 activities in review, please download the Annual Review here, which shows everything that has been built and all that those connected with the Chamber can be proud of.

The AGM also shared with members the Chamber’s key focuses in 2024 and the new initiatives and activities. In the Executive Director’s Report, Stuart Dunn emphasised that the Chamber’s main purpose is to support the membership and to uphold the values and heritage of our proud and important institution. With this in mind, in 2024 the Chamber team is working hard to increase membership value and support, expand the organisation’s regional footprint and impact; and broaden the membership network.

Some initiatives include: 

• Increase the secretariat size and structure;
• Increase the number of member-exclusive and member-free events;
• Enhance member-to-member incentive & promotional programme;
• Expand regional activities and collaborations, including the launch of a Zhejiang Office, a Zhejiang committee and a related events programme;
• Pilot “Associate Membership”;
• Quarterly Economic Outlooks;
• Addressing the negative UK-China Media environment;
• Industry white papers & surveys;

Other key 2024 activities are:

• The British Business Awards 2024
• British Day & Corporate Sports Day
• Formula 1 & Formula E series
• ESG & Sustainability 

This year, due to the number of valid applications received being below the number of opening positions, therefore as per the Chamber’s constitution, there was no need for a canvassing period or voting. The newly elected committee at-large members are:

• Daniel Aylmer (Managing Director, Greater China, IHG)
• Kirsten Johnston (Founder & CEO, JWDK)
• Steven Parker (Partner, KPMG Shanghai)
• Garry Russell (Head of College, Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong)
• Richard Shore (Transformation Director China, Jaguar Land Rover)
• Ted Wan (President, Greater China, Smiths Group)

Subsequently, at the January Executive Committee (ExCo) on the 26th, in compliance with the Constitution and led by ExCo’s Consultant Director Alex Robert, the new BritCham Shanghai Chair, Vice Chairs and Treasurer (Y2024 to Y2026) were approved unanimously by the ExCo members. 

The ExCo Members are:

[Chair]

Kirsten Johnston, Founder & CEO, JWDK

[Vice-Chairs]

Grace Guan, Regional Director, China and East Asia, Edinburgh Global, University of Edinburgh

Ted Wan, President, Greater China, Smiths Group

[Treasurer]

Steven Parker, Partner, KPMG Shanghai

[Consultant Director]

Alex Roberts, Counsel, Linklaters LLP

[At-Large Members]

Daniel Aylmer, Managing Director, Greater China, IHG

Dr Terry Creissen OBE, Regional Managing Director, Nord Anglia Education

Gayle Lacey, Chief Risk Officer, HSBC China

Vicky Li, FCMA, CGMA, Regional VP, North Asia, the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA&CIMA)

Garry Russell, Head of College, Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong

Richard Shore, Transformation Director China, Jaguar Land Rover China

[Ex-Officio Members]

Matt Burney, CMG, British Consul-General Shanghai

Cat Sinclair-Jones, Director East China, British Council; Consul (Culture and Education), British Consulate General Shanghai

Stuart Dunn, Executive Director, BritCham Shanghai

*The new ExCo is reviewing the co-opted members and will share the updates after the Chinese New Year.

The Chamber would like to send our heartfelt thanks to Ray Chisnall and Linian Li, who both joined the Executive Committee in 2019, for their outstanding contributions to the Chamber and the membership during their tenures. Although stepping down from the ExCo, both of them will continue their engagement with the Chamber and contribute their expertise.