China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) is China’s largest, oldest, and most represented trade fair and is also the world’s largest trading event. Since its inception in 1957, Canton Fair, held in the southern city of Guangzhou every spring and fall, attracts tens of thousands of buyers and suppliers annually from across the world.

On May 24, 2024, the Canada China Business Council (CCBC) will host an event in Toronto for the business delegation led by Mr. CHU Shijia, Chairman and President, China Foreign Trade Centre, Ltd., the organizer of Canton Fair. The event will feature delegates introducing the latest developments at this year’s Canton Fair, highlighting the business opportunities for Canadian exporters and importers, as well as for traders and distributors.

This is a unique opportunity for Canadian companies to engage directly with the senior management of the Canton Fair organizer in Toronto. Discover how the upcoming Canton Fair can contribute to the growth of your businesses, whether through exporting to or sourcing from China.

There will be a lucky draw for a Toronto-Guangzhou Round Trip Economy Class plane ticket. Kindly remember to bring along your business cards to participate in the lucky draw. Each attendee will also receive a complimentary Shoosha organic skincare gift package.

Tickets:
Free for CCBC members and invited guests; $85 + HST for non-members
Limit of 2 registrations per organization, first come first served until capacity is reached.

Address:
Sheraton Centre Hotel Toronto, City Hall Room
123 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON, M5H 2M9
Click here for parking information

Agenda:
10:00 am – 10:30 am EDT: Registration
10:30 am – 11:30 am EDT: Conference
11:30 am – 1:00 pm EDT: Networking Lunch

Special Guest Remarks:

LUO Weidong
Consul General
Chinese Consulate General in Toronto

Mr. LUO Weidong was born in December 1967 and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree.

He began his career in 1990 in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, which is now the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.

He assumed his role as Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto in September 2023.

About the Speakers:

CHU Shijia
Vice President and Secretary General of Canton Fair
Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre (CFTC)
Chairman and President, China Foreign Trade Centre Group, Ltd.

Chu Shijia was appointed Deputy Director General of General Office of MOFCOM, Deputy Director General of CFTC, Deputy Director General of CIIE Bureau, Director General of Comprehensive Department of MOFCOM. He worked as Vice President and Secretary General of Canton Fair and Director General of CFTC since November 2020.

Paul Draffin
Chief Supply Chain Officer
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited

Paul Draffin is Chief Supply Chain Officer, Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (CTC). In this role, he leads the supply chain and procurement functions for all CTC banners with end-to-end accountability from the factory to the customer’s door. He also oversees CTC’s $4 billion Consumer Brands Division, including brand management, assortment planning, product design, development and engineering, costing, sourcing and vendor management.

Mr. Draffin joined CTC in 2014 and previously led Canadian Tire’s sourcing, procurement and product quality functions where he implemented best practice approaches to delivering sustainable productivity improvements and executed a diversified global sourcing strategy. He also oversaw the formation of CTC’s technical office in Shenzhen, representative offices in Bangladesh, and wholly foreign-owned enterprise offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Prior to joining CTC, Mr. Draffin was stationed in Hong Kong, China, where he led Spin Master’s Global Procurement organization and supplier development strategy. He has a keen understanding of global business cultures spanning North America, Europe and Asia and is highly effective at developing and leading globally dispersed and connected talent organizations that deliver strong results.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Draffin has held progressively senior roles at several companies including Spin Master Ltd., News America Marketing and Cara Operations.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Guelph and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from York University, Schulich School of Business. In 2022, Mr. Draffin was named one of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Best Executives for his critical work strengthening CTC’s supply chain.

Sarah Kutulakos
Executive Director and COO
Canada China Business Council

Sarah Kutulakos joined the CCBC in 2007 and has since revitalized CCBC’s role as Canada’s premier bilateral trade and investment organization. Ms. Kutulakos 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, Ms. Kutulakos worked for 11 years in marketing, product development, and management with a major multinational corporation, where she had multiple assignments involving China. Ms. Kutulakos 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. Ms. Kutulakos 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, Ms. Kutulakos’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.

Jeff Zhang
Regional Director, Central Canada
Canada China Business Council

Jeff Zhang 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, Mr. Zhang 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.

Mr. Zhang 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.

Parking Information:
On property:
Valet Parking (Please note we have limited spaces):
• Hourly: $25.00 + Tax ($28.25)
• Daily: $60.00 + Tax ($67.80) – 24Hrs – in and out privileges – maximum height clearance 6.5 feet or 2 metres (example – Standard Ford F-150 Pickup Truck)
We are currently not offering oversized vehicles parking.

Off property:
Nathan Phillips Square Garage (Connected directly to the hotel) – 110 Queen Street West – Maximum height clearance 6.3 feet or 1.93 metres
Monday – Friday:
• $4.00/half hour
• Day Maximum (7 am – 6 pm): $22.00
• Night Maximum (6 pm – 7 am): $7.00
Sat/Sun/Holidays:
• Maximum (7 am – 7 am): $9.00

*Nathan Phillip Square Garage (City Hall Parking) is not affiliated with the hotel and any guest who self-parks, will be responsible for their own parking charges. Parking fees may change without notice.