The China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), recognized as China’s largest, oldest, and most represented trade fair and the world’s largest trading event, has been a cornerstone of international trade since its inception in 1957. Held biannually in Guangzhou, the fair has consistently attracted tens of thousands of buyers and suppliers from around the world.

 

On May 24, 2024, CCBC hosted an event in Toronto for a business delegation led by Mr. CHU Shijia, Chairman and President of China Foreign Trade Centre, Ltd., the organizer of the Canton Fair. The event featured presentations on the latest developments from this year’s Canton Fair, emphasizing the significant business opportunities available for Canadian exporters, importers, traders, and distributors. This event provided a unique opportunity for Canadian companies to engage directly with the senior management of the Canton Fair organizer. Attendees were able to explore how participating in the upcoming Fair could contribute to the growth of their businesses through exporting to or sourcing from China. Additionally, the event featured a lucky draw for a China Southern Airlines Toronto-Guangzhou round trip economy class plane ticket, and each attendee received a complimentary Shoosha organic skincare gift package.

 

 

 

Tickets:
Free for CCBC members and invited guests; $85 + HST for non-members

 

Address:
Sheraton Centre Hotel Toronto, City Hall Room, 123 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M5H 2M9

 

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.

 

 

Stephen Callaghan
Vice-President – Mid-Market Business
Export Development Canada

 

Stephen Callaghan joined EDC in 2000 and is currently the Vice-President for the Mid-Market Business Team at Export Development Canada (EDC). Mr. Callaghan is responsible for the leadership of a National team of Relationships Managers supporting EDC’s customers and partners.

 

Mr. Callaghan has held a variety of leadership positions at EDC, including Regional Vice-President – Ontario Region, Regional Director in GTA. Mr. Callaghan also led the Ontario International Trade Guarantee team supporting customers with their bonding needs.

 

Mr. Callaghan has a Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University.

 

EDC is Canada’s export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC’s knowledge and partnerships are used by more than 26,000 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially self-sustaining and is a recognized leader in financial reporting, economic analysis and has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for nine consecutive years.

 

 

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.