SME Accelerator

In 2013, Julian co-founded an innovative learning centre, the Tree, with his business partner Zhubei. He is currently the Co-chair of the Education Forum for the British Chamber of Commerce in China, as well as serving on the Executive Committee. He is Presidentof the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation in Beijing and a committee member of the SOAS Alumni Association. As co-founder and CEO, he leads teacher training, corporate training and consultancy around entrepreneurship education and partnerships between British and Chinese organisations.

Betty is proficient in offering tax consulting and accounting services to foreign invested enterprises in China, including business establishment, company filing change, enterprise liquidation, accounting service, tax advisory and financial reporting. She has helped many clients achieve their business goals in China.

Jessica Lam was born and raised in Vancouver. In 2014 she moved to Beijing in and co-founded Kaiterra, a startup focused on monitoring and mapping the world’s air both indoors and outdoors, with the goal of better understanding and thus reducing the world’s air pollution. In 2017 she was recognised as Forbes 30 under 30. Before co-founding Kaiterra, Jess was in assurance and advisory at Deloitte Vancouver. She is also an active organiser of events in Beijing focused on social and environmental issues.

Russell Brown OBE is one of the founding partners of LehmanBrown International Accountants, a China wide accounting, tax and business advisory firm, employing around 200 professionals through six offices in China. He has over 21 years of Asia Pacific and China experience in assisting MNC's and SME's in areas of accounting, taxation, business and corporate advisory. He also advises Chinese companies in their preparation for overseas listings or financing.

Having spent the last five years living in third tier cities, Kit has have a deep understanding of business culture, small business management and the experience of day to day life for many millions of Chinese. He have a real curiosity and desire to learn and experience all aspects of life in China. Kit has successfully built an English language training school business with locations in three different cities and has worked with a leading international C-suite training social enterprise on their China based programs.

With more than 20 years of experience in the F&B industry, Paul has succesfully ran for 12 years eveyryone's favorite Irish sports bar in Beijing, Paddy O'Sheas. Awarded as Best Community Pub Global amongst 55+ estalishments, Paul is a skilled entrepreneur that knows the challenges of running a business in China.

Chinese Australian and a mother of a 5 year old. Sophie went to Australia when she was 3 years old with her parents and came back to China as an educator after University. Sophie then worked in Education for 12 years as an academic manager then center director, eventually a regional center director. Her personal mission and passion is in connecting cultures and people, and she has always been very entrepreneurial. She founded Pingo Space with 2 other co- founders in 2015 based in Beijing, China.

Yujun Shao is the Business Director of Westwin, a leading cross-border marketing solution company in China. Yujun - a Penn State communication bachelor, has been a bilingual digital marketing leader and strategist, with experience setting the strategic direction for global and cross-border marketing operations, across multi-nation environment and media landscape. She sees marketing strategy as empowerment to business growth and mission. She spent eight years in United States and gained tons of experiences helping global clients succeeding in digital marketing. After joining Westwin, Yujun has led client marketing programs for U.S./EMEA tourism bureaus, airlines, global top colleges, retail brands including KAO/APPLE/Headlock/WMF, professional service companies including Goldman Sachs/SwissRe and more. Ask Yujun anything about website localization, creative campaign, SEM, SEO, social media, KOL promotion, leads generation and more.

In 2013, Julian co-founded an innovative learning centre, the Tree, with his business partner Zhubei. He is currently the Co-chair of the Education Forum for the British Chamber of Commerce in China, as well as serving on the Executive Committee. He is Presidentof the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation in Beijing and a committee member of the SOAS Alumni Association. As co-founder and CEO, he leads teacher training, corporate training and consultancy around entrepreneurship education and partnerships between British and Chinese organisations.

Ross is a Senior Consultant in Rouse Consultancy, a leading international IP services business, and is responsible for managing its research and analytics team as well as developing its business intelligence capabilities. Ross has been living and working in Beijing since 1999. Before re-joining Rouse at the beginning of 2018 he was a Director in the Forensic and Litigation Consulting Practice of FTI Consulting, an independent global business advisory firm, dedicated to helping organizations manage change, mitigate risk and resolve disputes: financial, legal, operational, political & regulatory, reputational and transactional. Ross specialises in managing complex research and consulting assignments involving the strategic management of intellectual property, business and market intelligence, compliance, brand integrity and other risk consulting services. Ross continues to be responsible for leading the IP portfolio and brand protection strategies for a number of leading multi-national confectionary, pet nutrition, pharmaceutical, technology, healthcare, apparel and manufacturing companies in China. Ross holds a Master’s degree in Technology and Intellectual Property Law from the University of Liverpool, UK. Rouse is widely recognised as one of the leading global IP consultancies, operating as a closely integrated network, with more than 600 people working out of 17 offices in 14 countries.

With more than 20 years of experience in the F&B industry, Paul has succesfully ran for 12 years eveyryone's favorite Irish sports bar in Beijing, Paddy O'Sheas. Awarded as Best Community Pub Global amongst 55+ estalishments, Paul is a skilled entrepreneur that knows the challenges of running a business in China.

Claudia, from Switzerland arrived in China in 2008 with two suitcases full of wine samples to start an incredible adventure. She first successfully built up a B2B wine wholesale company in Beijing called MQ Wines. When the warehouse burned down in November 2010, Claudia changed strategy. Seeing a huge opportunity in distributing high quality wines from the vineyards directly to Chinese young consumers at affordable prices, in 2011 the CHEERS concept was born. Today CHEERS count over 66 outlets in 14 different cities and it’s famous for making wine drinking fund & affordable. Claudia’s strong will to go beyond borders, her passion for people, her family ́s wine background and her sensibility for the market has made her one of the figure heads of the Chinese wine market.

Daisy joined KPMG Beijing Advisory practice in 2000. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in mergers and acquisitions, assisting multinational companies and Chinese clients in their investment activities around the globe. Daisy has extensive experience in sectors including nature resources, infrastructure and industrial manufacturing.

Dominic setup market research networks around Mainland China from 1995 to 2000 and founded Plastered T-shirts in 2006, an iconic clothing brand based in Beijing selling out of 10 locations worldwide.

Will has been the CEO of the popular Arrow Factory Brewing based in Beijing for the past 7 years and also runs 3 F and B brands that require a large skill-set including start-up, management, government relations, contracts, HR and product creation.