TV host, presenter, celebrity, author, entrepreneur, and wellness advocate are just some of the terms used to describe Heidi Dugan. Having lived in China for over 27 years, she became the first foreign TV host to have her TV show in China, You are the Chef, which reaches over 6 million viewers daily, is a live host of the Oriental Shopping channel completing up to $2 million in sales in one and a half hours. She has received awards such as Best Foreign TV Host and Most Popular Foreign TV Host, International Leading Woman in Business of the Year, International Alumnus of the Year, and Australia China Alumni Award for the Arts and Creative Industries. She is also a Council Member of The University of Southern Queensland.

Heidi is the Director of Arete Group. Companies and brands working with Heidi have the strategic advantage of successfully integrating into the community, building their corporate network and friendships, and ultimately conducting business faster and expanding their success in one of the largest economic markets in the world.

Her influence across Australia and China has been recognized through her media coverage on Channel 9 news, Australian Financial Review, Harper’s Bazaar, and China Daily to name a few. She partners with the Shanghai Government and Shanghai Women’s Association to help better educate and train women in health, nutrition, and parenting.

Chester is the Head of Corporate Finance for ANZ China and is responsible for providing structured finance solutions for its clients, largely focused on outbound investment activity for large Chinese corporates and investment from MNCs/PE Funds into China.

Having worked in China and Hong Kong for the past 15 years, Chester has built up strong networks in the region and has successfully helped many large corporates raise financing in the loan markets.

Chester has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Melbourne and is fluent in Mandarin and English.

Simon is the CEO and Executive Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AustCham Shanghai). He leads the secretariat in all matters to provide value to members of the Chamber and broader Chinese-Australian communities.

Simon has lived and worked in Shanghai since 2016, and brings a wealth of operational, China and global management experience. Prior to his time in China, Simon resided in Australia, where he developed a diverse range of knowledge across industries including logistics, FMCG, security and finance.

Simon utilises his broad range of industry, global management, and China-Australia experience to ensure a strong strategic direction for AustCham Shanghai that maximises member value, encourages and strengthens relationships, and develops an improved understanding of China and Australia.

Michael was appointed as the Executive Director of the University of Sydney’s China Centre in late 2018. The Centre is the first overseas operation established by the University of Sydney.

Michael graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History, Philosophy and Politics, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Humanities (Mandarin). He arrived in China for the first time on a cold, wet Shanghai evening in January 1990 on a Jiangsu Province-Victorian Education Department Scholarship.

He joined the University of Sydney in 2010, as the first Chief Operating Officer of the University’s Brain and Mind Centre and then took on the role of the Chief Operating Officer of the newly constructed Charles Perkins Centre from 2014 to 2019. He has worked in transformational and senior roles in the higher education and public sector for more than 30 years. He has studied and/or worked in China, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.

Stephanie is the Lead China Partner of Azure Group. She has more than 15 years of working experience in professional accounting firms. Before she transferred to China in 2012, she has supported numerous multinational clients to set up businesses in Australia and managed their Australian accounting and tax affairs. In her current role with Azure Group China office, she helps foreign businesses to understand the China markets and supports foreign businesses’ accounting, tax, HR and internal control functions in China. On the outbound side, she also supports businesses in China to expand their footprints to Australia and other countries via Azure Group’s international alliance network in more than 42 jurisdictions.

Stephanie has a bachelor degree in accounting and business law from UNSW and also a master degree in international business management from AGSM. She is a qualified member with Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, a fellow member with CPA Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). She specializes in international tax and was a research fellow with UNSW and UWA law school on China’s international tax laws. She received Transfer Pricing certificate of Chartered Institute of Taxation UK. She is also a frequent guest lecturer teaching accounting and management subjects at Tongji School of Economic and Management.

Based in Shanghai since 1999, Todd has a background in quality control and manufacturing, working on supplying Australian customers such as Bunnings, the AFL and K-Mart.

Since 2010 Todd has been growing the Camel Hospitality Group which owns and manages four bars, five restaurants and three F45 gyms.

Todd has a degree in International Trade, a diploma in export management and speaks fluent Mandarin. With his 20 plus years on the ground in China working across a range of different industries, he has a great understanding of Chinese business.

Beecher is a Founding Partner and CEO of AJINGA (www.ajinga.com). AJINGA is one of China’s leading recruitment technology providers, pioneering the use of AI, big data, intelligent bots, candidate selection algorithms and mobile-social systems in the recruiting process.

In 2022, AJINGA was certified as a "High Tech Enterprise" by the Ministry of Science and Technology. With over 20 copyrights for digital recruiting innovations to date, this prestigious government designation recognizes AJINGA’s record of successful innovation leadership.

AJINGA’s pioneering volume recruiting platform uses AI to match young job seekers with career opportunities by examining a candidate’s Occupational Personality Fit, Company Culture Fit and General Mental Ability Fit. Companies can quickly and accurately predict candidate potential and uncover hidden talent, creating a fairer, more accurate way to hire young talent whilst helping youths identify their strengths and development areas.

Beecher has over 18 years of HR experience in China. Prior to founding AJINGA, Beecher served as General Manager (East China) of Hewitt Associates, China’s leading HR and Talent consulting business.

Beecher is an active supporter of the HR community in China and has served in a variety of volunteer roles including Vice Chair of the Australian Chamber HR Group and Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai’s HR Committee. In addition, Beecher has served over 10 years on the Board (and 4 years as the Chairman) of local education charity Shanghai Sunrise which has provided over 10,500 student scholarships since 1996. Beecher currently serves on the board of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

Beecher graduated from Flinders University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of International Business. Beecher is conversant in Mandarin Chinese.

Barclay cultivated his hospitality career and management style over 20 years of working for international hospitality and luxury five-star hotel management properties and later real estate development companies across China and Asia, culminating in Senior Management roles. He has consistently delivered customer service excellence while simultaneously exceeding financial targets and building trust with key stakeholders, particularly with owning companies and renowned international brands.

His adaptability and ability to lead his associates and executive teams, of diverse cultural backgrounds, toward a common purpose of shared vision, goals, and strategy have accounted for his success in achieving above-average quality of hotel operation and performance results.

During his career, Barclay has worked with international brands including Hilton, Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, Pan Pacific, Radisson, Marriot and Banyan tree as well as development companies.

Barclay has moved pivoted into a financial institution market using his focus on hospitality, tourism & real estate

He holds a post-graduate diploma from Cornell University and is fluent in English and German.

Tony is the Managing Partner of AQL Holdings, which has operations in both Shanghai and Sydney. AQL is a boutique advisory firm focusing on cross-border investment and trade deals between Australia and China. Port Adelaide Football Club is one of AQL's clients.

Tony was appointed as the Trade and Investment Commissioner and set up the Australia New South Wales government office in Shanghai in 2009. In the next ten years, Tony led his team to attract billions of dollars of Chinese investment into Sydney and NSW from multiple industries. He was also a Trade Commissioner at the Australian Embassy in Beijing between 2007 and 2009 leading the financial service team and food and beverage team to help Australian companies in these sectors to export to China. Prior to Beijing, Tony was working at the Australian Trade Commission’s Sydney office as a Senior Export Advisor.

Over the years, Tony has built a strong network with the Australian and Chinese governments, with which he helped to overcome many problems for his clients in the trade and investment process.

Tony has a Bachelor of International Business from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Massachusetts, United States.

Hadleigh first moved to China to work on the 2008 Olympics and spent his first 8 years in Shanghai working for an international healthcare and risk management company, solving complex operational challenges for fortune 500 companies working in China.

In 2017 Hadleigh pivoted out of the corporate world to co-found hcreates interior design for which he is the Managing Director. The studio is well-known for designing many of Shanghai's favourite restaurants and bars, as well as retail, gyms, and workspaces. hcreates has featured on several occasions in the Architectural Digest list of the top 100 design firms in China.

Having worked across a wide range of industries over the past 15 years in China, Hadleigh has a breadth of industry knowledge and China business experience.

Hadleigh has a Bachelor Degree in Marketing and e-commerce from Victoria University of Wellington and continues to be actively involved in several sporting communities in Shanghai.

An Australian architect with over two decades of experience in China and founding partner of the ANKEN Group – a Shanghai based urban renewal specialist that develops boutique workplace properties.

Under Alexandra's leadership, ANKEN evolved from a two-person consultancy into a dynamic real estate development and asset management force. The company’s dedication to sustainability, thoughtful design, and ethical business practices has garnered international recognition, including the prestigious Global Award for Excellence in Development from the Urban Land Institute in 2022.

Developments like the revitalization of Ferguson Lane and Australia House by Austcham Shanghai, highlight the company's commitment to urban renewal and purpose-driven partnerships.

Alexandra brings a unique ethos to the boardroom by sharing this same belief, that business success is intertwined with community well-being. Since 2020, she has served as a Non-Executive Board Director for Austcham Shanghai.

Alexandra graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Planning and Design from the University of Melbourne. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Institute of Architects, the Planning Institute of Australia, and a Certified Practicing Planner.