search

Workshop: Economic Disruption and the Next Generation of Unicorns

    About this event

    Date: 29 April, 2024 (Monday)
    Time: 10am-1pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
    City: Melbourne, Australia
    Event hosts: Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, City of Melbourne
    Supporting Organizations: CHIN Communications, BMYG Financial, Laurel International
    Format: By invitation only

    This in-person, invitation-only seminar to be held in Melbourne, Australia, on April 29, will convene renowned government officials, business leaders and academics for a talk by CKGSB Founding Dean Xiang Bing on the topic of ‘Economic Disruption and the Next Generation of Unicorns.’ The event will also feature remarks from Melbourne’s Deputy Lord Mayer Nicholas Reece and other notable figures in Australia.

    Together, our seasoned speakers will shed light on the landscape and importance of unicorn companies, and what constitutes the next generation of unicorns; the outlook of globalization and economic development; and growth opportunities through cross-border collaboration.

    CKGSB’s Global Unicorns Programs have established partnerships across various countries with renowned universities like Stanford, Columbia and UC San Diego. Committed to fostering a global ecosystem for emerging unicorn companies, this series of programs aims to facilitate exchange and learning opportunities between soon-to-be unicorn companies, investors and governments worldwide.

    *Speakers are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

    Speakers

    The Hon. Bruce ATKINSON

    Former Member of Victorian Parliament

    Katherine CHEN

    Founder of Laurel International Group, CKGSB EMBA Alumni

     Founder of Laurel International Group
     Alumni of the 35th EMBA intake of CKGSB

    Charles QIN OAM

    Co-Founder and Managing Director of CHIN Communications

    • Co-Founder and Managing Director of CHIN Communications
    • Medal of the Order (OAM)
    • NAATI Level 5
    • Accredited and Certified Conference Interpreter
    • AUSIT Senior Practioner

    Nicholas REECE

    Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne

    • Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne
    • An executive in Chancellery at the University of Melbourne

    XIANG Bing

    Founding Dean, Dean's Distinguished Chair Professor of China Business and Globalization, Vice Chairman of Board of Trustees, and Senior Advisor to the Dean
    Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB)

    PhD, University of Alberta

    Dr. Xiang Bing is the Founding Dean and Dean’s Distinguished Chair Professor of China Business and Globalization at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB). Under his leadership, CKGSB has evolved from a fledgling school to one of the most influential business schools in China with a global reputation since its establishment in November 2002.

    Renowned as a foremost authority on China’s business and economy, Dr. Xiang has delivered  keynote speeches at prestigious forums/ conferences including: ​​Harvard College China Forum​​ as closing keynote (2017), the first opening keynote (2018, 2023), opening keynote (2019), and the first closing keynote (2024); ​​Penn Wharton China Summit​​ as the first opening keynote (2023), the first closing keynote (2024), and the only closing keynote (2025); ​​Columbia China Forum​​ as the only closing keynote (2024); Indonesia Economic Summit as one of the four keynotes in the opening ceremony (2025); ​​​​SCMP China Conference on US-China Relations​​ in New York City as the only closing keynote (2019). In 2018, he was a lunch keynote speaker for the Foreign Policy Association’s Board of Trustees (FPA) in New York City and presented a lunch keynote at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.. Dr. Xiang was invited to attend the Ditchley Foundation Annual Forum in 2010, 2012, 2018 and 2021 and served as the First Co-Chairman in 2018. Dr. Xiang was also invited to participate in the Rome Roundtable during 2017 – 2020, in 2022 and in 2024.

    Dr. Xiang has served as an independent board member to several listed companies, including four Fortune Global 500 companies. He was a member of the Global Board of Trustees for United Way Worldwide (US) during 2011-2017. He is now a member of the Advisory Board for Asia House in London and a Counselor for One Young World Summit in Dublin. He is also serving as a member of the Advisory Board for multiple scholarly societies, including Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC) in Brazil, Yonsei School of Business in Korea, the Royal Academy of Management (RAM) in Oman, the Faculty of Business Administration at the University of Macau, the Business School of SciTech of University of Science and Technology of China, and the Business School of Southern University of Science and Technology in China, etc.

    Dr. Xiang’s research interests include economic disruption, business in China, global implications of China’s economic transformation, China’s development models, innovation and globalization by Chinese companies, reform of SOEs, Chin-U.S. Relations, and global trade and investment systems and global governance, etc.

    Download CV 

    Agenda

    10:00-10:15 | Arrival and Registration

    10:15-10:20 | Opening Remarks

    Prof. Charle QIN OAM, Co-Founder and Managing Director of CHIN Communications

    10:20-10:25 | Opening Remarks

    Mr. Nicholas REECE, Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne

    10:25-10:30 | Opening Remarks

    Mrs. Caroline HARTNETT, Acting Director of International Education & Study Melbourne of Victorian Government

    10:30-11:30 | Keynote: Economic Disruption and Next-Generation Unicorns

    Prof. and Dr. Bing XIANG, Founding Dean and Distinguished Chair Professor of China Business and Globalization, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB)

    11:30-12:00 | Q&A

    12:00-12:05 | Closing Remarks

    Mrs. Katherine CHEN, Founder of Laurel International Group, CKGSB EMBA Alumni

    12:05-12:10 | Closing Remarks

    The Hon. Bruce ATKINSON, Former Member of Victorian Parliament

    12:10-13:00 | Light Lunch

    Australian Eastern Standard Time*

    Upcoming

    In partnership with Columbia Engineering

    • Date
      27 Sep - 02 Oct, 2026
    • Fee
      USD 12,800 / USD 19,800
    • Language
      English
    • Location
      New York, USA

    This program is designed to equip senior executives with the strategic insights and tools necessary to lead in this transformative era.

    Upcoming

    In partnership with Stanford Engineering Center for Global & Online Education

    • Date
      06 - 11 Dec, 2026
    • Fee
      USD 13,800 / USD 21,800
    • Language
      English with Chinese Translation
    • Location
      Stanford University Campus,
      California, United States

    This CKGSB program equips entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and key stakeholders with the tools, insights, and skills necessary to lead a new generation of unicorn companies.

    Upcoming

    In partnership with UC Berkeley College of Engineering

    • Date
      01 - 06 Nov, 2026
    • Fee
      USD 12,800 / USD 19,800
    • Language
      English
    • Location
      UC Berkeley

    This program equips participants with proven strategies, cutting-edge research, and the best-in-class advice to fuel innovation, seize emerging tech developments, and catalyse transformation within your organization.

    Your window to China’s business world

    Subscribe to our monthly newsletter today!

    Your window to China’s business world

    Subscribe to our monthly newsletter today!