About the Forum
The Sir Gordon Wu Distinguished Speaker Forum at Columbia Business School promotes the academic study and professional understanding of China's economy and business practices. By bringing recognized business leaders and policymakers to New York to share their perspectives on this vital region, the Sir Gordon Wu Speaker Forum informs and engages Columbia Business School faculty, students and alumni through an active dialogue about China and its prospects in the 21st century. The lecture takes place twice a year, in the fall and spring. Chazen signature events are open to Columbia Business School alumni, current students and their guests.
The Sir Gordon Wu Distinguished Speaker Forum at Columbia Business School was made possible by the generosity of Sir Gordon Wu and the Wu family.
Past speakers
Fall 2023 “Value Investing in China” with Kevin Qi '00, founder, CEO, and CIO of Merger China Group (MCG), and Lulu Chow Wang '83, Founder and CEO Tupelo Capital Management, LLC
Spring 2023 “An Evening with Aireen Omar, President, Capital A (AirAsia)"
Fall 2022 “An Evening with Alice Chen ’05, CEO, 99 Ranch Market"
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Spring 2022 “The Five Words that Changed My Career” with Deb Liu, CEO, Ancestry
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Spring 2021 “Leading the Charge into China" with Wan Ling Martello, Co-founder and Partner, BayPine
Fall 2021 “My Career Journey: Turning Adversity into Opportunity” with Steven Pan ’88, Executive Chairman, Silks Hotel Group, and FIH Corporation, Taiwan
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Fall 2020 “Leading the Charge into China” with Wei Sun Christianson, Co-CEO of Asia Pacific and CEO of China, Morgan Stanley
Spring 2019: Fireside Chat with Julie Yang of Mastercard
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Fall 2018: "The Now and the Future of Innovation and R&D: The Baidu Way" featuring Ya Qin Zhang, President of Baidu
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Spring 2018: “Building a Global Family Business: A Fireside Chat with CEOs Walter & Shirley Wang ‘93” featuring Walter Wang, CEO of JM Eagle, and Shirley Wang '93, CEO of Plastpro Inc.
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Watch video: How to Grow a Global Business in China
Watch video: Shirley Wang '93 on Global Networking Skills
Fall 2017: “A New Era: China's Economy After the 19th Party Congress" featuring Jin-Yong Cai, partner at TPG Capital and former CEO of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
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Spring 2017: “The Business of Global Travel” featuring Jane Sun, CEO, Ctrip
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Fall 2016: Pioneering Digital and Fintech: The Story from a Market Practitioner featuring George Tan, Senior VP at MetLife Inc. and CEO and Board Director at MetLife China.
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Spring 2016: How We Did It: Sustainable Manufacturing at Esquel featuring Marjorie Yang, Chairman, Esquel Group
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Fall 2015: The “New Normal" in China's Economy and Financial Industry featuring Weihua Ma, former president and chief executive officer of China Merchants Bank and currently Chairman of National Fund for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (NFTTC).
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Read coverage of the event in China Daily
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Spring 2015: China-US Relations — An Unsustainable Codependency featuring Stephen Roach, Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute of Global Affairs and a Senior Lecturer at Yale’s School of Management.
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Fall 2014: Rediscovering the Art of Digital Marketing in China’s Digital Age featuring Tom Doctoroff, CEO, JWT Asia Pacific.
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Spring 2014: Hong Kong at a Crossroad: What Strategic Choices Does It Have Amid China's Internationalization? featuring Charles Li, chief executive, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited.
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Spring 2013: Can China Remain a Breakout Nation? featuring Ruchir Sharma, Head of Emerging Market Equities and Global Macro, Morgan Stanley Investment Management and author of Breakout Nations: In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles.
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Spring 2012: Clean Energy: What Makes a Good Investment? featuring Pin Ni, President, Wanxiang America Corp.
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Fall 2011: China: An Insider's View on Investing and Private Equity featuring Shujun Li, Founder and Managing Partner, Trustbridge Partners. Read the event recap
Spring 2011: Effective Leadership in a Multicultural Work Environment featuring Linda Tsao Yang '48, Chair, Asian Corporate Governance Association; former Ambassador and U.S. Executive Director, Asian Development Bank.
Fall 2010: Moving Toward a New Business Paradigm, featuring Jack Ma, Founder and Chairman, Alibaba Group.
Spring 2010: Economic Implications of the Property Market Boom in China and Hong Kong featuring Ronnie Chan, Chairman, Hang Lung Group Limited and Hang Lung Properties Limited; Chairman of the Executive Committee, Better Hong Kong Foundation.
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Fall 2009: Hong Kong Exchange: A Small Player in China's Great Economic Reform featuring Lawrence Fok '76, Executive Vice President, Head of Issuer Marketing Division, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
Spring 2009: Client Centricity in the Age of Emerging Chinese Global Influence featuring Wei Christianson, CEO, Morgan Stanley China
Spring 2008: Wisdom of Choice, featuring Kai Fu Lee, President, Google, Greater China.
Fall 2007: Real Estate and Policy in China: A Two Way Street, featuring Jun Tang, President, Beijing Land Capital Ltd.
Spring 2007: Investing in China: A New Era Has Arrived, featuring Frank Tang, President, Temasek Holdings (HK) Limited.
Fall 2006: Brand Revolution in the Age of Consumerism: An Olympic Feat for China, featuring Steven Yung, Chairman of the Board, Clear Media Limited.
Spring 2006: Doing Business in China: Outsourcing and Supply Chain Management, featuring Dr. Victor K. Fung, Chairman of Li & Fung.
2005: Perspectives on Investing in China, featuring Sir Gordon Wu and Dean Glenn Hubbard.