On September 15, 2022, Canada China Business Council hosted a sold-out information session on business growth opportunities for 65 business professionals at the RBC Centre, 11th Floor Lounge, 155 Wellington Street West, Toronto.

 

We were joined by Ken Giffen, District Manager, Ontario, Export Development Canada; Bing WU, Global Vice President, Inossem; Donna Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer, Kingston Economic Development Corporation; and Clare Barnett, Director, Economic Development, City of Brampton Economic Development Office, who delivered presentations on mitigating risk, digital enhancements/transformation, government support, and growth opportunities in Kingston and Brampton. 

 

 

About the speakers: 

 

 

Clare brings a unique perspective having both private and public sectors experience in international business development and marketing, economic development, attracting Foreign Direct Investment, communications, and place branding and marketing. She has deep business development and marketing expertise cultivated through more than 15 years with the provincial government focused on Ontario’s economic competitiveness, in addition to prior private sector experience in the technology space.

 

Clare served as Ontario’s representative in the United Kingdom with a mandate to further Ontario’s trade, investment, and broader economic interests. She also established Ontario’s first Investment Office, leading international business development.

 

Prior to joining the Province of Ontario, Clare held marketing and business development roles in tech focused businesses of all sizes, including leading international expansion plans for an internet development firm.

 

Clare is now proud to be leading FDI attraction and Business Retention Expansion programs for the City of Brampton, part of the Greater Toronto Region. Her focus is also on building a new Innovation District in the City’s historic downtown and entrepreneurship-led economic development.

 

 

Ken Giffen, MBA, CITP
District Manager, Ontario
Export Development Canada

 

Ken Giffen has held various roles at Export Development Canada (EDC) since joining in 2006. Currently, Ken is District Manager out of EDC’s Toronto Office where he leads a team of Commercial Account Managers who support Canadian companies with revenues between $10 million and $300 million.  His team provides Canadian exporting companies with trade knowledge, financial solutions, equity, insurance and connections to grow their businesses with confidence. Ken has a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University and is a Certified International Trade Professional.

 

Export Development Canada (EDC) is a Crown corporation dedicated to helping Canadian companies of all sizes succeed on the world stage. As international risk experts, EDC helps Canadian companies to navigate, manage and take on risk to support their growth beyond Canada’s borders. Since 1944, businesses of all sizes and sectors have counted on EDC for the export knowledge and financial solutions they need to succeed in global markets. Beyond EDC’s solutions, EDC believes that sustainable, responsible and inclusive trade is a powerful force for good in Canada and around the world.

 

 

 

Bing WU
Global Vice President
Inossem

 

Bing WU is a technology leader with 15 years of experience in Enterprise Software Solution in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Bing is currently Global Vice President of Inossem, an international technology firm focusing on Business Process Hyperautomation (BPHA) operations and digital transformation.

 

Bing has in-depth knowledge of digital solutions and has specific know-how in the field of supply chain and logistics management. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the French engineering school, École nationale supérieure des télécommunications de Bretagne (ENSTB). He is also a certified engineer in Quebec (Order of Engineers of Québec).

 

Bing previously held management roles at Société de Transport de Montréal (STM), Rio Tinto Alcan and Accenture, and has industry experience in transportation, natural resources, paper and pulp, mining and metal, telecommunications, and government. He is also fully bilingual (French and English).

 

Remarks by:

 

James Rausch
Global Head of Banks, Brokers & Exchanges,
RBC Investor & Treasury Services

 

James Rausch is Global Head of Banks, Brokers & Exchanges at RBC Investor & Treasury Services and is also a member of the Investor & Treasury Services Operating Committee. He is based in Toronto.

 

As Global Head of Banks, Brokers & Exchanges, James has end-to-end responsibility for the sales, service, and product delivery of Canadian dollar services to our financial institution partners globally. James also leads our Graduate Rotational Program in Canada, and is heavily involved in mentoring new and high potential employees.

 

James joined RBC in 2014 and is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in financial markets, including 12 years at Powerex and previously at Infoware Software, the Toronto Stock Exchange and Toronto Dominion Bank. His broad business experience includes transaction banking, client coverage, risk management, commodities trading and corporate finance.

 

James became a CFA charterholder in 1999 and holds an MBA from the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science from the same institution. He recently completed a certificate in the Foundations of Applied Mindfulness Meditation, is a certified facilitator of the Mindfulness Without Borders program and is a Professional Coach pursuing his Associate Certified Coach (ACC) accreditation. James is a diversity advocate, leading the diversity leadership council for the division in Canada as well as the executive sponsor for the next-gen stream. As a visible LGBTQ+ leader, James recently delivered the lunch keynote at the Out on Bay Street conference.

 

James is the past divisional co-chair of the RBC United Way Giving Campaign and participates as a board member on the Canada China Business Council (CCBC) and DAREarts. He was a past board member of Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT) and co-chaired the North American Council.

 

 

Sarah Kutulakos
Executive Director & COO
Canada China Business Council

 

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.