Chavalit Frederick Tsao
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Chairman of IMC Pan Asia Alliance (IMCPAA)
Chairman, Council of Wisdom, Family Business Network International (FBNI)
Chavalit Frederick Tsao is the fourth-generation steward of IMCPAA, a 120-year-old family shipping business. He was born in the East and educated in the West. After graduating from his master’s in engineering from the University of Michigan, he joined the family business at the age of 20. He took over the helm of the family shipping business from his father at the age of 36 and went on to become the Chairman of INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners at 42.
Today, the IMCPAA is a diversified multi-national conglomerate, under a Trust, governed by the well-being mandate; with the mission to “Serve the well-being of Life and create wealth at the same time”. In 1995, he founded the East West Centre for Cultural Research on Sustainability through which he commissioned and authored close to 40 books. He has great interest in Culture and has a non-profit with his wife on exploring Chinese Culture in the global context.
He believes that business must reform to serve the flourishing of Life in this new era. He has founded three non-profits under IMC Pan Asia Alliance, OCTAVE Institute, No.17 Foundation and Restore Nature Foundation, to promote philanthropy in IMCPAA.
Topic 1:A Culture of Love for Flourishing Life
Featured Speakers
Gang Bai
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Professor in the Chinese Department of Fudan University
Secretary-General and researcher at the Center for the Study of Intellectual History at Fudan University
Gang Bai holds a Master’s degree in Ancient Greek Philology from the University of Trier in Germany, with a focus on Latin Philology and Philosophy as secondary majors, and a Ph.D. in Indo-Germanic Historical Comparative Linguistics from the Free University of Berlin in Germany. Currently, he serves as the Secretary-General and Researcher at the Center for the Study of Intellectual History at Fudan University and is also a specially appointed researcher at the China World Political Research Association. His research interests cover world civilization history, world religious history, world system theories, historical comparative linguistics, and the Mediterranean civilization community. His works include several books such as “Comparative Studies of Classical Languages and Civilizations of the East and West” and “The Path of the Communist Party of China and Chinese Socialism” (co-authored), among others.
Yuedi Liu
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Advocate of Lifestyle Aesthetics
Professor in Institute of Philosophy at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Yuedi Liu, a professor at the Philosophy Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, advocate of lifestyle aesthetics, honorary member of the Executive Committee of the Chinese Cultural Promotion Association, director of the Institute of Lifestyle Aesthetics at Liaoning University, doctoral supervisor, Fulbright visiting scholar in the United States, and visiting professor at Korea’s Sungkyunkwan University. He previously served as one of the five Executive Committee members of the International Association of Aesthetics (IAA) and deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Society for Aesthetics. His works cover “Aesthetics in Everyday Life,” “The History of Analytic Aesthetics,” among others, listed in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy under “Lifestyle Aesthetics” and “Environmental Aesthetics.” His work “Living Aesthetics and Art Experience” won the “Three Hundred Patriotic Films/Songs/Books List” Original Publishing Award.
Huidi Ma
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Humanities Scholar
Former director and senior editor of the Journal of Studies in Dialectics of Nature
Huidi Ma,a humanities scholar who has long served as the director and senior editor of the Journal of Studies in Dialectics of Nature where has been engaging in the study of philosophical issues in the relationship between science, technology, and society (STS). Since 1995, she has been concentrating on leisure studies from an interdisciplinary perspective and charge to Distinguished Research Fellow &Director of Center for Leisure Studies in Chinese National Academy of Arts from 2002 to know. As the first scholar in Asia elected fellow of American leisure Academy (2006); Senior and founder members of World Leisure Academy (2010) and others.Five years ago, she collaborated with European and American scholars to study the theoretical and practical issues of Food Self Provisioning. In 2023, published a book titled: Leisure Farming: A Wild Flower Since Ancient Times. This project is still on-going.
Duyue
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Cultural Scholar, ASVA Founder
Duyue, founder of ASVA, is a traditional cultural scholar and inheritor of Chinese tea and flower arrangement cultural intangible heritage. In 2009, he won the first prize for artistic creation at the Shanghai World Expo, and in 2019, he served as a specially appointed lecturer for the Tea Culture Museum Committee of the Beijing World Horticultural Exposition. As a senior expert in Chinese medicine psychology and advanced consultant in Enterprise Employee Assistance Program (EAP), he has served at Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, providing consulting services to numerous renowned domestic enterprises and entrepreneurs. With a background studying under various masters of traditional Chinese culture since childhood, he excels in Chinese classical culture, Buddhist studies, and Western psychology. Having studied in Japan in his early years, he conducted research in the art history of China, Japan, Korea, and the Orient. He is also a member of the China Association for Science and Popularization and the Beijing Association for Science and Popularization.
Peng Wang
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Representative Inheritor of National Intangible Cultural Heritage “Guqin Art” Project
Peng Wang is an acclaimed Guqin artisan, a celebrated performer, and an award-winning designer. He is a nationally recognized representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage project “Guqin Art” and serves as the Chairman of the Instrument Reform and Production Professional Committee of the China National Orchestra Association and the Vice Chairman of the Beijing Intangible Heritage Protection Association. He is the founder of “Juntianfang” and a distinguished contemporary Guqin artist skilled in both crafting and performing. Peng Wang crafted the Guqin “Shi Kuang” – the exact replica of a 1,000-year-old Gugin for the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2013, his distinctive aesthetic was awarded the ‘China Display-Jing Qi Lin Life Artist’, by China National Interior Decoration Association.
Ning Liu
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Shanghai Renowned Talk Show Host
Ning Liu, a graduate student at the School of Journalism, Fudan University, holds a master’s degree in literature. She is the chief host of the original documentary channel and also serves as the chief reporter and host at the Shanghai Broadcasting and Television Media Center. She has hosted talk shows such as “Eminent Figures,” “Past Events,” and “Classic Revisits.” Graduating from Zhejiang Broadcasting College, she is a well-known news anchor in Shanghai. Renowned for her reporting style on “Evening News” at Jiangsu TV, she garnered acclaim for her insightful coverage. Since 2001, she has been hosting talk shows and conducted interviews with over 500 prominent individuals on the lifestyle and fashion channel of Shanghai TV. She has also authored “Beautiful Female Anchors,” offering a detailed portrayal of 12 female anchors at Shanghai TV, revealing their untold stories behind the scenes.
Topic 2: Education, Towards Adding Value to Life
Featured Speakers
George Chen
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Managing Director & Co-Chair, Digital Practice ,The Asia Group
George Chen has a career spanning over two decades in media, technology, and policy. Currently, he serves as the Managing Director and Co-Chair of Digital Practice at The Asia Group, based in Washington DC. He is also a Senior Fellow at the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Politics and Public Administration. Previously, George was Meta/Facebook’s Senior Policy Leader for Greater China, Mongolia, and Central Asia, overseeing its US-China relations council. In 2022, he was honored with Mongolia’s “Medal of Friendship,” one of the country’s highest honors for foreign citizens. George has held editorial and management roles at media organizations including Reuters and the South China Morning Post. He is a Salzburg Global Fellow (2024) and Yale World Fellow (2014). He has also been a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong since 2019.
Sihua Gao
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Inaugural Qihuang Scholar, M.D.
Chief Scientist for the National 973 Program for Traditional Chinese Medicine
Sihua Gao, the inaugural Qihuang Scholar, is a renowned traditional Chinese medicine practitioner with a doctoral degree. He serves as a doctoral supervisor and chief expert at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, holding the rank of associate professor. As the principal scientist for the National 973 Program in Traditional Chinese Medicine, he contributes to central healthcare consultations and serves as the chief health science communicator for the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Gao has held leadership positions in multiple TCM associations and is known for his expertise in treating complex conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. He has received numerous national and provincial awards, including the titles of “Honored Physician” and “Top Ten Outstanding Medical Experts.”
House Hao
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Guest Associate Professor and Academic Consultant in Management
Psychology at the School of Chinese Business, University of Hong Kong
Dr. House Hao is an adjunct associate professor at the China Business School of the University of Hong Kong and serves as an academic consultant in management psychology. He also acts as an academic advisor for the Hon-Fukuhara Academy at Fudan University’s School of Management and chairs the Academic Department of the Chinese Society of Integrative Psychology. Holding a Ph.D. in psychology and philosophy from Fudan University, he also possesses an international MBA from Fudan-MIT. With expertise in management psychology, philosophy, corporate culture, and leadership development, he extensively researches human civilization evolution, consciousness evolution, and East-West cultural studies. Committed to consultancy in corporate culture management and leadership enhancement, he has served nearly a hundred enterprises and institutions, including Nestle Greater China, Nippon Paint China, and Fonterra.
Lingfeng He
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Doctor of Psychology
Member of the Education Ministry’s Psychology Teaching Guidance Committee
Lingfeng He is a part-time professor at the Psychology Research Center of Fudan University, member of the Psychology Teaching Guidance Committee of the Ministry of Education, chairman of the Psychological Counselors Association of Huangpu District, Shanghai, distinguished expert for Shanghai Women’s Federation, Public Security Bureau, Fire Bureau, and other units, vice chairman of the Integration Psychology Professional Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society, and visiting professor at Fudan University’s EMBA program. Additionally, he serves as a psychological service expert for the 15th batch of escort fleets in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. Specializes in marriage and family issues, parenting, positive psychology, leadership, and more. Renowned as a psychological influencer, he has over 5 million followers across various social media platforms.
Brian Wong
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Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Hong Kong
Dr. Brian Wong is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. His research examines the ethics and dynamics of non-democratic egimes and their foreign policies, historical and colonial injustices, and the intersection of geopolitics, political and moral philosophy, and technology. Having co-founded and now advises Oxford Political Review, a publication aspiring to bridge the theory-practice gap, Brian serves as a columnist at the Hong Kong Economic Journal. His writings on Chinese foreign policy and Sino-West relations can be found on publications such as TIME, Foreign Policy, Aeon, Financial Times, Diplomat, Fortune, South China Morning Post, Nikkei, Japan Times, and the US-Asia Law Institute.
Shadrick Mazaza
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Physician, Philosopher, Professor, and Leadership Transformation Expert
Dr. Shadrick Mazaza, physician, philosopher, professor, author, and international speaker, specializes in mind-body connections. As a transformative coach, he leads personal and leadership development through unique conversations, fostering self, relationship, and organizational growth. He teaches at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and holds honorary professorships at the University of the Free State. Dr. Mazaza’s leadership spans roles in medical associations and healthcare management development. He directs the Mazaza Academy of Transformation and founded the African Consciousness Institute, dedicated to raising consciousness across Africa for co-creating desired futures.
Yu Sun
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Associate General Editor and President of the Life and Medical Sciences branch of Tsinghua University Press
Yu Sun, hailing from a family rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, delves into medical science and technology evaluation, and champions the promotion of medical humanities. She serves as the President and Associate General Editor of the Life and Medical Sciences branch at Tsinghua University Press. Additionally, she holds roles as a part-time researcher at the Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Knowledge Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and as the Vice Director of the Ecological Health Research Institute at Shandong University. Recognized as a leading talent in China’s publishing industry, Dr. Sun holds doctoral degrees in both medicine and management. With over 20 years of experience in medical publishing, her research focuses on the evolution of medical academia. She established China’s first cited medical literature database and has published papers in medical journals including The Lancet Public Health. She serves as director for editorial offices of publications such as iLIVER, Medicine Advances, and iLABMED.
Topic 3: Impact: an Approach to Holistic Management
Featured Speakers
Poman Lo
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Vice Chairman of Century City International Holdings Limited and Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Regal Hotels Group
Ms. Poman Lo serves as the Vice Chairman of Century City International Holdings Limited and also as the Vice Chairman and General Manager of Regal Hotels Group. Under her leadership, the Century City Group encompasses five prominent publicly listed companies in Hong Kong. Additionally, Ms. Lo is the founding Managing Partner of AlphaTrio Capital, a fund dedicated to sustainable technology in Asia, aiming to provide innovative solutions for urgent global environmental challenges. With a strong passion for sustainable development and impact investing, she holds adjunct professorships at both The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The University of Hong Kong. Ms. Lo established non-profit Institute of Sustainability and Technology to foster ESG talent through executive education and to advance research in sustainable development. Ms. Lo has received numerous honors, including the “Oslo Business for Peace Award” from the Business for Peace Foundation in Norway and the “Business Person of the Year Award” at the DHL/SCP Hong Kong Business Awards in 2023.
Benjamin McCarron
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Founder and Managing Director, Asia Research & Engagement
Benjamin McCarron, Founder and Managing Director of Asia Research & Engagement (ARE) in Singapore, drives corporate transformation by engaging investors to foster a sustainable and compassionate Asia. Leading discussions between investors managing over $7 trillion and Asian firms, he addresses development challenges through ARE’s energy and protein transition platforms. Additionally, Benjamin serves as Asia’s GRESB ambassador, advocating for ESG standards in real estate portfolios. With a background in equity fund management, he transitioned to sustainable investments in 2005 and relocated to Asia in 2011. Benjamin’s sustainability initiatives include reports like “Banking Asia’s Future” and contributions to ACGA’s CG Watch publication. A sought-after speaker, he has appeared in leading publications such as the Financial Times, CNN, and CNBC.
Xiaohong Tian
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Moderator of the China Top 100 Cities Mayors Forum
Chief Representative of the Silk Road International Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai
Dr. Xiaohong Tian is a researcher at the Center for Chinese Business Studies at Fudan University. She also serves as a distinguished professor at the School of Management at Fudan University and the Business School at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. She previously held positions as General Manager at Shanghai Langsha Knitting Co., Ltd. and Zhongtai Kaima Co., Ltd., and founded Yin Qiao Technology Investment Management Co., Ltd. and Yinda Insurance Broker Co., Ltd. She has hosted events such as the Top 100 Listed Companies Forum, Top 100 City Mayor Forum, and National Digital Audio Contest, accumulating rich management experience in fields like financial investment and cultural creativity. She has also been involved in planning large-scale performances for the World Expo and served as a producer for major musicals and films. Additionally, she has established multiple foundations and served as secretary-general.