CCBC 2023 Women in E-Commerce Virtual China Mission
Connecting Canadian products with the China consumer market
March 2023
Thinking about expanding your online sales to China? China is Canada’s second-largest trade partner — the world’s largest and most dynamic consumer market, with a strong appreciation of high-quality Canadian consumer products.
Join the CCBC 2023 Women in E-Commerce Virtual China Mission to learn about the process, opportunities, and risks to manage when it comes to selling your product to the China market via e-commerce and digital channels.
- 8 hours of specialized China market training, March 6-9, 2023
- 5-hour Virtual Mission program, March 28-29, 2023
Walk away able to determine if China e-commerce is a viable next step for your product sales, and equipped with the tools to sell your product in China within the next year.
Program Highlights:
- Virtual mission program (5 hours over 2 days), providing interaction between delegates and senior executives with in-depth Chinese e-commerce and cross-border business experience, as well as in-market Trade Commissioners.
- Comprehensive pre-Mission China-ready training including modules on: Chinese Business Culture, Chinese E-Commerce Platforms, Digital Marketing for the Chinese Consumer Market, IP and Trademark Protection, Funding Business Expansion, and Perfecting Your Business Pitch for China Market Entry.
- Build and/or update your China-facing pitch with dedicated CCBC support.
- Produce a short introduction video with Chinese subtitles that can act as a digital business card for B2B introductions.
- Participate in a Pitch Presentation before an audience of Trade Commissioners and potential business contacts.
- B2B Matchmaking and Curated Networking, minimum 2 introductions/participant.
- Access to full CCBC member programming for the duration of the program.
This March, CCBC will lead up to 20 business leaders in the CCBC 2023 Women in E-Commerce China Mission* with the objective of connecting women-led businesses with the tools, resources, and connections they need to bring their products to the Chinese consumer market via e-commerce and digital sales channels.
The March 28-29 Mission will feature a virtual business exhibition and pitch presentation, as well as an interactive virtual program including roundtable discussions with distinguished speakers, industry breakouts, and B2B networking opportunities. Leading up to the Mission, delegates will undergo eight hours of specialized pre-mission training focused on Chinese business culture, e-commerce platforms, digital marketing for the Chinese consumer market, IP and trademark protection, funding business expansion, and perfecting your business pitch for China market-entry. Subsequent to the Mission, all delegates will be granted a minimum of two B2B introductions to help further their China-facing business plans.
This Mission is designed to serve women-led businesses with consumer goods products for export.
*Inclusive of those who self-identify as women.
For more information,
please contact your regional Chapter Director or events@ccbc.com:
• Atlantic Chapter: Edward Dai
• Quebec Chapter: David Perez-Des Rosiers
• Ontario Chapter: Jeff Zhang
• Prairies Chapter and Territories: Lotta Ygartua
• British Columbia Chapter: Lotta Ygartua
PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE
March 6, 2023
| 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm ET | Workshop 1:
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March 7, 2023
| 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET | Workshop 2:
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March 8, 2023
| 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET | Workshop 3:
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March 9, 2023
| 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET | Workshop 4:
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March 9 – 17, 2023
Pitch Video Preparation takes place during this time. |
March 28, 2023
| 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm ET | Virtual Mission Day 1
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March 29, 2023
| 11:00 am – 1:30 pm ET | Virtual Mission Day 2
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*Program content and timing is subject to change.
SPEAKERS
Monica Chang
Director of Customer Success
WPIC Marketing + Technologies
Biography
Monica Chang is Director of Customer Success at WPIC. She holds an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Management, and has over 16 years of experience in international marketing and go-to-market strategy. Prior to joining WPIC, she worked at L’Oréal USA, Benefit Cosmetics (LVMH Group), and TRX Training.
Merlyn D’cruz
Product Manager
Trade Finance
Global Business Payments
Scotiabank
Biography
Trade Finance Professional with extensive experience in Trade Finance namely in Operations, Sales and Product in United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Canada.
Yue FEI
Associate, Intellectual Property
McMillan LLP
Biography
Yue is a member of the firm’s Business Law group. Yue is a registered trademark agent and a Certified Information Privacy Professional in Canada (CIPP/c). She has worked with a broad range of clients, including those in the life sciences, technology, food and beverage, fashion, real estate, health care and consumer products sectors in connection with intellectual property, privacy and data protection and management, and general commercial matters.
With respect to intellectual property matters, Yue regularly advises both domestic and international clients on contractual considerations associated with the development, commercialization, licensing and transfer of intellectual property and technology assets. As a trademark agent, she advises clients on all aspects of trademark prosecution, protection and enforcement, including assisting clients in securing trademark protection domestically and internationally, advising on exploitation and infringement of trademarks, and collaborating with local counsel in foreign jurisdictions to secure and protect clients’ rights abroad.
As a Certified Information Privacy Professional, Yue assists clients with a wide range of privacy and data protection and management matters. This includes drafting privacy policies and procedures; assessing privacy implications of clients’ business decisions; drafting and negotiating privacy specific provisions in complex commercial agreements; and advising on information management and governance practices.
With respect to corporate and commercial matters, Yue advises clients on intellectual property, privacy and data protection issues arising out of commercial and M&A transactions, assists with intellectual property clearance and due diligence searches, and advises on, drafts and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements involving intellectual property and technology assets.
Yue is fluent in written and spoken Mandarin Chinese and has regularly delivered legal services in Chinese.
Echithran Fernando
Senior Product Manager
Trade & Supply Chain Finance Products
Global Business Payments
Scotiabank
Biography
Pablo Tseng is an experienced intellectual property (IP) lawyer assisting companies at various stages of maturity in the acquisition, commercialization and enforcement of IP rights. With expertise in all aspects of patent and trademark prosecution and portfolio management, he assists clients in a range of industries, including the chemical, technology, energy, and food, beverage and agribusiness sectors.
Working with clients on commercial and licensing agreements relating to IP and technological assets, Pablo translates complex legal issues into plain language and delivers legal solutions that advance business goals.
As a trademark agent, Pablo provides counsel on issues related to trademark registrability, prepares and prosecutes trademark applications, and handles all aspects of trademark opposition proceedings and expungement proceedings.
As a patent agent, Pablo drafts and prosecutes patent applications, and advises clients on patentability, validity, infringement and freedom-to-operate issues. His background in chemistry gives him valuable insight into a variety of industries, including cleantech and natural health products.
Pablo is published in peer-reviewed scientific and legal literature, and his legal work has been referenced by the Parliament of Canada.
He is recognized by numerous ranking authorities including Best Lawyers, Lexpert, Lexology, IAM Patent 1000, and WTR 1000.
Bin HE
Chief Consumer Officer
Tim Hortons China
Biography
Bin is Chief Consumer Officer of Tim Hortons China and has participated in bringing Tim Hortons to China from day one. Prior to joining Tims, Bin worked at New York private equity fund Cartesian Capital Group covering consumer and retail investment for Asia. She has more than 15 years of cross-border experience in private equity investment and multinational company management.
Prior to joining Cartesian, Bin worked at Bacardi Asia Pacific where she was responsible for commercial planning, strategy planning and business development including acquisition of local brands in the region. Bin was previously with ChinaVest, a mid-market merchant bank in China where she worked on cross-border mergers & acquisitions advisory and private placement.
Bin holds a dual-degree BM from Douglas College in Canada and Shanghai University of International Business and Economics as well as an MBA from Columbia Business School Columbia University.
Sarah Kutulakos
Executive Director & COO
Canada China Business Council
Biography
Sarah joined the CCBC in 2007 and has since revitalized CCBC’s role as Canada’s premier bilateral trade and investment organization. Sarah has re-centered the Council’s activities around providing business services, catalyzing business growth and activity, and advocating for stronger Sino-Canadian bilateral trade and investment. This has resulted in extensive public outreach activities, internal infrastructure improvements, the launch of new programs such as the Business Incubation Centre, and thriving member relations.
Prior to joining CCBC, Sarah worked for 11 years in marketing, product development, and management with a major multinational corporation, where she had multiple assignments involving China. Sarah managed worldwide product businesses that marketed to China and used China-based sources of supply. She was also involved in several projects requiring cooperation with the Chinese government. Sarah has led both established and start-up businesses within the context of a global corporation and has broad emerging market business experience, and has been involved in the Greater China region since the late 1980’s when she lived and worked in Taiwan. There, she was the first non-Chinese employee of a local high-tech start-up firm, where she gained a deep understanding of Chinese business practices.
A fluent Mandarin speaker, Sarah’s interest in China began at the University of Wisconsin, where she studied Chinese, marketing, and international business. She holds an MBA in finance and operations from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. She frequently speaks on China issues, including marketing, trade, investment, and Canada-China relations.
Charles Lavoie
Vice President, Creative
WPIC Marketing + Technologies
Biography
At WPIC, Charles is responsible for developing and executing the vision of the WPIC Creative Labs, which provides world-class content, advertising, design, and brand strategy services for clients. Under his leadership, the team has grown from 10 individuals to more than 25.
As an experienced brand and marketing strategist, Charles has been building and growing brands in China and the APAC region since 2012. Over the last decade, his leadership and cross-cultural communication abilities have helped him to become a trusted operator with the ability to organize and grow marketing teams effectively.
Prior to joining WPIC, Charles was the Director of Strategy and Corporate Development at PBB Creative, where he helped to create one of China’s leading design and branding agencies. He also co-founded Infina Vodka, a Beijing-based alcohol brand, and was responsible for the growth of the company from its conception to expansion into more than 10 cities in Greater China as well as the brand’s expansion into Africa.
Charles’ career has seen him developing brands, building strategies and executing campaigns for organizations like Acura, Uber, Daimler, DiDi, Tencent, the World Bank, as well as the Quebec and Canadian Governments.
Pablo Tseng*
Partner, Intellectual Property
McMillan LLP
*Wayan Law Corporation
Biography
Pablo Tseng is an experienced intellectual property (IP) lawyer assisting companies at various stages of maturity in the acquisition, commercialization and enforcement of IP rights. With expertise in all aspects of patent and trademark prosecution and portfolio management, he assists clients in a range of industries, including the chemical, technology, energy, and food, beverage and agribusiness sectors.
Working with clients on commercial and licensing agreements relating to IP and technological assets, Pablo translates complex legal issues into plain language and delivers legal solutions that advance business goals.
As a trademark agent, Pablo provides counsel on issues related to trademark registrability, prepares and prosecutes trademark applications, and handles all aspects of trademark opposition proceedings and expungement proceedings.
As a patent agent, Pablo drafts and prosecutes patent applications, and advises clients on patentability, validity, infringement and freedom-to-operate issues. His background in chemistry gives him valuable insight into a variety of industries, including cleantech and natural health products.
Pablo is published in peer-reviewed scientific and legal literature, and his legal work has been referenced by the Parliament of Canada.
He is recognized by numerous ranking authorities including Best Lawyers, Lexpert, Lexology, IAM Patent 1000, and WTR 1000.
Lory Wang
CEO
Arctica Food Group Canada Inc.
Biography
Lory Wang is a foodie and second-generation entrepreneur. After her studies in finance and accounting, and several years auditing SMEs, she decided to take the plunge. With the awakening of the Chinese market for imported goods and her love of food, she co-founded Arctica Food Group Canada in 2012. The group’s mission has always been to offer natural, healthy and delicious food, with a certain cachet, in which west meets east. Arctica Food became the pioneer and leading brand in Canadian wild sea cucumbers and established Quebec’s sea cucumber industry. Since the Chinese middle class clientele is open-minded but exposed to too many options, Arctica Food focuses on food education to build product recognition and brand loyalty. With her team, Lory continues to develop new food products that are nutritious and customized to the eating behaviours of the Chinese consumer, such as honey, soybeans, cooking oil, health supplements, etc. As a board member of Groupe Export Agroalimentaire, she wants to promote Quebec’s high-quality food products, sometimes even unknown locally, and encourage more people to export overseas and to build international relationships. Food brings us closer; let’s share it together!
Allen Yang
Associate Director
Commercial Trade Finance Global Business Payments
Scotiabank
Biography
Graduated from Wuhan University, China and MBA from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto with over 22 years of Trade Finance banking experience in both China and Canada.
Candice Yin
Business Development Manager (China)
Viva Naturals
Biography
Candice Yin is the Business Development Manager (China) at Viva Naturals, a top provider of premium-quality vitamins, supplements, and wellness products on Amazon Canada and the US with many products ranking as #1 Bestsellers.
Candice spearheaded Viva Naturals’ expansion into the Chinese market in April 2017, in past few years having achieved steady sales growth and established a strong presence on major e-commerce platforms such as Tmall, JD, and Douyin. The company achieved remarkable sales figures during 2022 Double 11 with sales doubling their performance.
Currently, Candice and her team continue to expand their market presence in China and also actively explore adjacent Asian markets, to unlock new growth opportunities and ensure Viva Naturals remains at the forefront of the wellness products industry.
Jeff Zhang
Regional Director, Central Canada
Canada China Business Council
Biography
Jeff has over 20 years of international experience in private, public and non-profit organizations in a variety of sectors including E-commerce, oil and gas, retail, commercial real estate, education and financial services. Prior to joining CCBC, Jeff worked in establishment and operation management at a Sino-Foreign joint venture company and in strategic partnership management at a Fortune 500 multinational company. He also led and assisted a number of Canadian companies and educational institutions into China where he was responsible for strategic partnerships and branding establishment.
Jeff has an MBA in marketing and international business from Concordia University in Montreal and is fluent in Mandarin and English. He has also been a guest speaker at professional business associations in China and Canada.
FROM OUR PAST MISSION DELEGATES
CCBC thanks CanExport Associations for partial funding support for this program.