On October 27, 2022, CCBC members and guests reconnected at CCBC’s BC Chapter briefing and networking reception, featuring a presentation from Sarah Kutulakos, Executive Director & COO, CCBC. How does the outcome of the just-concluded 20^th Party Congress affect Canadian businesses that operate in or with China? Sarah provided an overview of China’s economic development landscape, addressed post-congress opportunities and challenges, and shared insights on what happens next for companies doing business with China. YANG Shu, Consul General, Chinese Consulate General in Vancouver, was our honoured guest speaker, addressing the Canada-China business relationship with emphasis on British Columbia. This was a great learning opportunity for companies to stay on top of the latest political direction from China, and for the local Canada-China business community to gather and network at CCBC’s first in-person event on the West Coast since the onset of the pandemic.

 

Date and Time:
Thursday, October 27, 2022
3:45 pm – 4:15 pm (Pacific Time): Registration and Networking
4:15 pm – 6:00 pm (Pacific Time): Remarks and Speeches, followed by Cocktail Reception

 

This event was free of charge for CCBC members, $50+tax for non-members. 

 

 

With Honoured Guest: 

 

YANG Shu
Consul General
Chinese Consulate General in Vancouver

 

Mr. YANG Shu, the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver, assumed his duties on September 21, 2022.

 

From 2020 to 2022, he was the deputy head of the International Relations Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. He was also formerly the Deputy Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Denpasar and the Executive Deputy Director General of the Consular Assistance and Protection Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

 

After graduating from university, Mr. YANG Shu worked in the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and has been engaged in consular affairs for many years. He has rich diplomatic and consular work experience, and has previously worked in Chinese diplomatic missions abroad, specifically South Africa and Indonesia.

 

About the speakers:

 

Howard E. Grant
Executive Director
First Nations Summit

 

Howard E. Grant is currently the executive director of the First Nations Summit (FNS) which is comprised of a majority of First Nations and Tribal Councils in B.C. The FNS provides a forum for First Nations in British Columbia to address issues related to Aboriginal title and rights and treaty negotiations as well as other issues of common concern.

 

Mr. Grant is also a long serving member of council from his home community of Musqueam, whose traditional territory once occupied much of what is now Vancouver and surrounding areas and is now located at the mouth of the Fraser River in Vancouver. In his role as executive director of First Nations Summit he is responsible for the overall human resources and financial management of the FNS operations.

 

Mr. Grant was previously employed as the executive director of the Musqueam Indian Band from 1992-1997. He also held senior management positions with the federal government (Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada DIAND now AANDC) from 1984-1992.

 

Within his roles as executive director of the Musqueam Indian Band and senior manager with DIAND, he was responsible for operational issues, policy development and implementation and budget/audit requirements. Mr. Grant has served and continues to serve on numerous First Nations committees, federal committees, boards, post-secondary advisory committees, and public sector committees in the capacity of advisor and/or board member. He also sits as a board member on numerous capital and economic boards.

 

 

Sarah Kutulakos
Executive Director & COO
Canada China Business Council (CCBC)

 

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 1980s 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.

 

 

Lotta Ygartua
Regional Director, Western Canada
Canada China Business Council (CCBC)

 

As Regional Director of Western Canada, Lotta is responsible for building the CCBC membership base throughout the region by connecting Canadian and Chinese businesses, promoting Canada-China bilateral trade, organizing events and supporting the delivery of member services. Lotta has over 10 years of marketing experience in the technology, marketing research, communications and art sectors. Prior to joining the CCBC, she was Marketing Manager at the China-Britain Business Council based in the UK, promoting trade and business with China and organizing high-calibre events involving the Chinese Premier and the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

 

Lotta spent several years living in China, where she studied and worked for a local company that developed products for the Chinese market. Lotta studied Mandarin at the University of Nanjing and Nanjing Normal University. She holds a BA in Chinese and BSc in Social and Economic Geography from Uppsala University, Sweden.

 

 

Jack Yong
Partner, Leader – Asia Pacific Group
Lawson Lundell

 

Jack Yong is a partner and leader of the Asia Pacific Group with Lawson Lundell’s Vancouver office, practicing corporate and commercial law and providing clients with strategic counsel in diverse areas of business law. In all of his work, Jack brings a practical, business-minded approach to get the best results for his clients. He is proficient in written Chinese and spoken Mandarin and Cantonese, and is able to deliver legal services in both English and Chinese.

 

Jack has experience in broad aspects of mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, financings, partnerships and joint ventures across a range of industries, including technology, manufacturing, real estate, resources and finance. He has acted for investors and companies in angel and venture capital financings, technology licensing transactions, co-development agreements and strategic alliances, and manufacturing and distribution arrangements.

 

Jack has also been involved in real estate development, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and financing matters. He works closely with clients investing in major commercial properties, in often complex transactions. Jack has helped clients create investment structures to maximize returns and minimize risks in different assets. He is active in the creation of joint ventures, limited partnerships and co-ownerships.

 

A particular area of knowledge for Jack’s is cross-border transactions. Jack has assisted many clients from outside of Canada acquire or invest in businesses and assets inside and outside of Canada. He has helped many entities establish their corporate presence in Canada and enter into different kinds of commercial arrangements.

 

Jack was recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada 2020-2022 for Real Estate Law and for Mergers & Acquisitions Law in 2019-2022; by Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer to watch for Corporate Commercial law in 2018 and repeatedly recommend as a Leading Practitioner for Corporate Mid-Market and one of Lexpert’s Rising Stars – Leading Lawyers Under 40 for 2017.