New China strategies for Swiss businesses – Beyond 2022

Conference & Workshop

 
  Dear Members, Dear Partners and Friends of the Swiss Centers,

 

We are pleased to invite you to 2 complementary events, a conference on October 24 afternoon and a workshop on October 25 morning in Zurich, co-organized by the Swiss Centers, the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) and economiesuisse.

 

If the last few years have been disruptive, 2022 seems to announce a turning point for international companies’ activities in China. The geopolitical events of the first half of 2022 and the appearance of the omicron variant in China have had a key impact on Swiss companies’ expectations and views of China. This was evident from the annual business survey conducted every year since 2006 on the challenges and competitiveness of Swiss companies active in China.

 

Important new questions have arisen which, for many, necessitate a revision of the existing China strategies. This is further amplified with the decisions and policies communicated during the 20th Party Congress, an event that shapes China’s future for the short and mid-term.

 

On October 24 afternoon, a conference with a selection of high-level speakers will bring clarity and the required knowledge for Swiss companies to reassess their China strategy and to successfully develop their business in China. It also serves as the first event to discuss the business impact of the 20th Party Congress.

 

Then, on October 25 morning, we invite you to join an exclusive practical workshop which will provide the participants concrete elements to reassess your strategy and pursue the development of your business in China. It will also be an opportunity to have in-depth exchange with experts and fellow executives. In order to keep a high-level of quality, the workshop is limited to 20 companies with a maximum of 2 representatives each.

 

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the conference.

 

Kind regards,

The Swiss Centers Group

    

Organizers :
 

 
Partners :

 

 

 
Price :


October 24 afternoon conference
+ October 25 morning workshop:

l  Members*: 500 CHF (400 CHF for 2nd participant)

l  Non-members: 650 CHF (550 CHF for 2nd participant)

Registration: Please register HERE

October 24 afternoon conference ONLY:

 

l  Members*: 80 CHF

l  Non-members: 120 CHF

Registration: Please register HERE

 

*Swiss Centers, SCCC/SHKBA, economiesuisse and Swiss-Chinese Association

Please note that registration is mandatory. Substitutes for registered persons unable to attend are welcome, otherwise full no-show charge will be applied.

Program – October 24 afternoon conference:
12:30 – 13:00 Registration & coffee
13:00 – 13:15 Welcome address
by Felix Sutter, President SCCC
13:15 – 13:30 Welcome address and a brief overview of business impact by the 20th Party Congress
by Chinese Ambassador H.E. WANG Shihting
13:30 – 13:45 Welcome address and a first analysis of the 20th CCP Party Congress for Swiss companies
by Swiss Ambassador H.E. Juerg BURRI
13:45 – 14:00 Eight Years Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement (SSFTA) – The way forward
by Simeon Probst, Partner, PwC
14:00 – 14:20 General environment: what is new?
Results of the 2022 Swiss Business in China Survey and possible underlying reasons
by Nicolas Musy, Founder of the Swiss Centers and Founding Partner of China Integrated
14:20 – 14:50 Q&A session
14:50 – 15:20 Coffee break
15:20 – 15:50 2022 Developments in China – Impact on the Swiss economy
by Rudolf Minsch, Deputy Chair of the Executive Board, Head of General Economic Policy & Education / Chief Economist at economiesuisse
15:50 – 16:00 Q&A session
16:00 – 16:20 Concrete cases on China strategy revised
16:20 – 17:30 Panel discussion and Q&A with speakers
Moderator: Felix Sutter
Panelists: Ruedi Minsch, Nicolas Musy, Stefan Schmid, Markus Herrmann
17.30 – 17:45 Closing remarks
by New head of SECO, State Secretary Ms Helene Budliger Artieda
17:45 – 19:30 Apéro Riche

 

Program – October 25 morning workshop:
8:00 – 8:30 Registration & coffee
MC Romain Barrabas, China Market Access Manager of the Swiss Centers
8:30 – 8:35 Welcome address
by Felix Sutter, President SCCC
8:35 – 8:55 Swiss security adjustment and international policy: what impact for doing business in China
by Jean-Jacques de Dardel, President of the Swiss Centers, former Swiss Ambassador to China (2014-2019) & author of the 2022 Independent Report of the Swiss Security Review to the Federal Council
8:55 – 9:05 Q&A session
9:05 – 9:25 Cases of Swiss companies impacted by international sanctions
by Fedor Poskriakov, partner at Lenz & Staehelin
9:25 – 9:35 Q&A session
9:35 – 10:00 Coffee break
10:00 – 10:30 China strategy: (new) risks (and opportunities) of doing business

·         Critical analysis of the 2022 Swiss Business in China Survey

·         Accessing the market: local production or import-export?

·         R&D investment: made in China for China?

·         Supply chain: will China remain the workshop of the world?

·         HR decoupling: to manage or not to manage?

by Dr. Tomas Casas Klett, Director of the China Competence Center at the University of St.Gallen and Nicolas Musy, Founder of the Swiss Centers and Founding Partner of China Integrated

10:30 – 10:40 Q&A session
10:40 – 11:10 China strategy reassessment illustrated by 3 companies
11:10 – 12:00 Roundtable: exchanges among fellow executives with experts
moderated by Zhen Xiao, CEO at the Swiss Centers
12:00 – 12:15 Closing remarks
by Jean-Jacques de Dardel, President of the Swiss Centers
12:15 – 13:30 Standing lunch