Young Professionals Development Programme 2024 | British Chamber of Commerce in China on Glue Up

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Save the dateAugust 21, 2024 to September 25, 2024 GMT+8 Add to Calendar

Venue Location

To be announced

Beijing, China

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Organizer

Organizer: British Chamber of Commerce in China

Contact Person: Jack Allen

Email: youngprofessionals@britishchamber.cn

Event Details

The Young Professionals Development Programme (YPDP) is a high-profile training opportunity provided by the British Chamber of Commerce in China.

Now in its seventh iteration, this fellowship programme aims to elevate young professionals' key employability skills, develop UK-China relations, and benefit both businesses and their emerging young talent.

Fellows will take part in enriching, interactive workshops led by hand-selected mentors from a wide range of industries, all of whom are senior leaders with tremendous expertise in their fields. The themes selected for the workshops focus on the key skills required for the next generation of young professionals.

Programme Details

This year's programme will facilitate an enriching, impactful experience that provides Fellows with ample opportunity to develop professionally, build connections, and celebrate achievement.

While this year's programme is yet to be finalised, participants can expect comprehensive training in areas such as entrepreneurship, risk management, creative thinking, communications skills, and much more. Training in previous years was provided by companies across the British Chamber network, including The Economist Group, LinkedIn, Brunswick, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, LAVA Beijing, Venture Education, and more.

Throughout the programme, there will be a variety of BCCC networking events that Fellows are invited to attend where they will have the opportunity to meet other young professionals and engage with industry leaders. Each workshop will be guided by an experienced mentor team and will explore an essential employability skill. The graduation ceremony will draw the programme to a close with keynote speeches, a certificate ceremony, and congratulations to all involved.

This year, sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings between 7pm and 9pm, from 21st August to 25th September.

Fellow Requirements

Fellows must meet the following criteria in order to participate in YPDP 2024:

Aged 21-34
Comfortable communicating in English
Committed to attending all events. Fellows must attend at least four workshops to graduate the programme.

Programme Fee

RMB 6,000 per Fellow. This fee includes entry to all sessions of YPDP 2024, individual membership of the British Chamber until the end of 2024, and a number of social events during the

The YPDP 2024 cohort is limited to 50 Fellows.

Registration Process

Each company has the chance to register up to 5 placements on the programme for employees who meet the Fellow criteria. Companies are free to choose how Fellows are selected, though we suggest running an internal application process or nominating team members who would most benefit from and value this professional development opportunity. In addition, we encourage a diverse selection of fellows who will be able to share their unique perspectives and who are highly motivated to develop their knowledge, skills, and network.

Individuals are also invited to register themselves for the programme.

Scholarships

BritCham is offering two full scholarships for YPDP 2024!

These scholarships will be granted to exceptional candidates who have relevant experience in UK-China relations, and who we feel would make an excellent contribution to the programme. Tell us about your experience in UK-China relations and your motivation to join the Young Professionals Development Programme. Applications can be found below, and are due by Wednesday 14th August at 11:59pm.

Speakers

Zhu Bei

Co-founder of Venture Education

Zhu Bei

Co-founder of Venture Education

Prior to Venture Education, Zhubei’s taught English to thousands of university volunteers for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Committee and as coordinator between CCTV and its overseas partners. Determined to bridge young people in China to the rest of the world, she co-founded Venture Education with Julian.

Firmly believing that parents’ mindset is the key to children’s healthy development and full potential, she has since devoted her time to lead positive change in parenting and how academic success is perceived and achieved. She has worked closely with hundreds of parents to inspire, coach and advise them on building a loving and nurturing family environment with healthy boundaries, as well as engaging students to make positive life choices.

She regularly delivers talks, webinars and workshops across China and writes a weekly column on education and parenting in the Economic Observer.

Zhubei is chair of the Educating Girls of Rural China committee in Beijing, a mentor for both the Young Professional’s Development Programme and Future Female Leaders, a judge for the British School Awards, and the leader of Yoga for Love, a weekly session on mental wellbeing for women in business.

Julian Fisher

Co-founder of Venture Education

Julian Fisher

Co-founder of Venture Education

Julian is the co-founder of Venture Education, Chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in China and Chair of the Chamber's Education Forum.

Julian spent nearly a decade teaching history and history of art in Harrow Beijing (which he joined in its founding year) while also working as an IELTS examiner for the British Council.

In the latter job, speaking to thousands of Chinese students, he understood first hand the challenges that many of them faced in developing confidence, making ideas happen and moving beyond education to lead fulfilling and meaningful careers and lives. Then he met Zhubei and in the first year of Venture they talked. A lot. He leads the consultancy arm of Venture that supports schools, universities and education organisations to thrive in China.

Julian is the Chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in China and Chair of the Chamber’s Education Forum which includes driving initiatives such as Employability Week and the Young Professionals Development Programme. He is also a mentor for Durham University, former president of the China North Entrepreneurs’ Organization and a strategic advisor for the innovative edtech platform Globiliti. He graduated with a joint degree in History of Art from UCL and SOAS and has a masters in Antiques from UCLAN.

Julian MacCormac

Regional Director of Rolls-Royce China Holding Ltd.

Adam Robarts

Co-founder and Director of Robarts Spaces

Adam Robarts

Co-founder and Director of Robarts Spaces

https://robartsspaces.com

Adam Robarts is the co-founder/ director of Robarts Spaces (www.robartsspaces.com), with over 100 staff and offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. After receiving a distinction in Architecture at Cambridge University, and his RIBA membership in 1989, Adam worked and taught in Manchester before arriving in China in 1993, where he lived and worked prior to temporarily moving to the UK in 2016. He now divides his time between the UK and China.

In 1995 Adam received China’s state level ‘Friendship Award’ - the highest honour that China gives to foreign experts, whilst teaching at Qinghua University. In 1997, Adam and his wife, Karyn, opened their architecture and design studio in Beijing and, ten years later, Adam was inducted as an honorary member of the Interior Design Magazine Hall of Fame, awarded to outstanding designers for their significant contribution to architecture and interior design. The Robarts Spaces’ portfolio includes over 1,000 completed projects in China - for workplaces, education and healthcare.

Adam and Karyn have four children who were born and raised in China. In May 2020, their son, Haydn, succumbed to brain cancer, and the family’s deeply inspiring story is the subject of Adam’s first book, “NINETEEN- 19 Insights Learned from a 19-Year-Old with Cancer.”

Daisy Shen

Partner and Head of Sustainability at KPMG Advisory (China) Limited

Daisy Shen

Partner and Head of Sustainability at KPMG Advisory (China) Limited

Daisy Shen has 22 years’ experience with KPMG, including a long term secondment to KPMG’s Global Chairman’s Office and the KPMG Energy Centre of Excellence based in London, where she gained invaluable international experience in executive management and cross border M&A transactions. Daisy is specialized in Strategy, M&A, Energy Transition, ESG and decarbonisation Advisory, providing advice to corporates and governments in climate change, energy transition, low carbon investment, ESG and decarbonisation strategy. Daisy is a member of the Executive Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, dedicated to promoting trade, investment and economic development between China and the UK. She is also a frequent speaker at women leadership forums and mentorship programs.

Chris Torrens

Managing Director Greater China of APCO Worldwide

Chris Torrens

Managing Director Greater China of APCO Worldwide

Chris Torrens is a recognized expert on China’s geopolitical and compliance issues. As the Beijing-based managing director of APCO’s Greater China operations, Chris brings unique insights to support both multinational companies operating in China and Chinese companies going global, with a particular focus on political and regulatory risks.

Before joining APCO, Chris worked at Control Risks for 22 years, serving as partner in the Greater China and North Asia region. Before this role, Chris was based in London as the partner responsible for the geopolitical risk practice for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Chris previously worked as a Shanghai-based associate director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ advisory practice and as the Hong Kong-based head of research at Batey Burn, a UK government relations and public affairs consultancy acquired by APCO in 1999.

Chris is a regular media commentator and has been interviewed by the BBC, CNN, CNBC, CGTN and Bloomberg. His articles have appeared in the Economist, Financial Times and specialist publications and his book, Doing Business in China, was published by The Economist Group in 2010.

Chris has lived in Greater China for more than 20 years. He holds an MBA from the China-Europe International Business School, a BA Honours degree in Modern Chinese Studies from Leeds University and speaks Mandarin.

Chris has served as vice-chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in China since 2022.

Maxime Van 't Klooster

Partner and Director, Beijing of Acclime China

Hong Zhang

VP, Downstream at SHELL (China) Limited

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