Speakers:
Lindsay McGarvie, Corporate Affairs Director, Edrington
Lindsay McGarvie is a former award-winning political journalist and communications practitioner who joined Edrington as Corporate Affairs Director in 2018. Along with his team, he looks after all Edrington internal and external corporate communication. He is a member of the Scotch Whisky Association Government Relations Committee and a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. Prior to joining Edrington, he was a partner in a prominent Scottish communications consultancy, specialising in providing counsel to CEOs, crisis and issues management, media engagement and public affairs. In 2005 he was named Scottish Political Journalist of The Year. He is former political editor of the Sunday Mail. He is married with three sons. He is a cyclist and golfer.
Kristina Hui, Head of Business Development, Alibaba Group
Kristina Hui joined Alibaba Group in 2018 to help European companies trade globally. She is responsible for the beauty and personal care category on Alibaba’s Tmall Global platform, helping international brands to develop new revenue streams in China.
Kristina has extensive experience across the retail, fashion, manufacturing, and distribution sectors, within the Far East, Europe and North America. Prior to joining Alibaba, Kristina held senior management roles in international companies where she achieved record business growth. Kristina brings to the table her wealth of experience in business expansion strategy, product development and a knack for creating dynamic opportunities through collaboration.
Zarina Kanji, Managing Director for UK & Europe at WPIC Marketing + Technologies
Zarina Kanji is the Managing Director for UK & Europe at WPIC Marketing + Technologies, where she is responsible for helping British and European brands reach Asian consumers by capitalizing on growing opportunities in markets including China, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
Before her role at WPIC, Zarina served as Head of Business Development and Marketing for Tmall Global at Alibaba Group UK & Nordics, where she played a pivotal role in enabling international brands to successfully enter and thrive in the Chinese market. As Vice President of Global Fashion and Sport Brand Partnerships at Lazada Group in Southeast Asia, Zarina led transformative initiatives that expanded market share for global brands across key categories, including health and wellness, beauty, fashion, and food and beverage.
Zarina’s career began as a fashion buyer for esteemed brands such as Ralph Lauren, Jaeger, and House of Fraser, where she honed her skills across Europe and the Middle East. With a bachelor's degree in Fashion Marketing and Communications from Nottingham Trent University, Zarina’s academic foundation complements her extensive hands-on experience. Her career trajectory has seen her live and work in global hubs like London, Dubai, and Singapore, giving her a unique, multicultural perspective that informs her strategic leadership at WPIC.
Zarina's global vision and industry acumen are instrumental in driving WPIC’s European expansion, positioning the company as a leader in the intersection of digital marketing, eCommerce, and international brand growth.
Desiree Wong, Senior E-commerce Consultant, Pattern
Desiree Wong serves as Senior Ecommerce Consultant, Asia at Pattern and is based in London, supporting the company’s Western clients and brand partners who want to grow their business in China. She developed her career with Pattern in Hong Kong, before relocating to London in early 2020. She has significant experience trading and marketing brands selling on marketplaces in China, as well as in D2C ecommerce.
Wei Fu, Co-Founder of Commercial Cross
Wei Fu is the co-founder of Commercial Cross. She began her entrepreneurial journey in her 20s, choosing to focus on helping UK brands enter and grow in the Chinese market. Dedicated and pragmatic, Wei brings a results-driven approach to every project. Her passion lies in tackling complex project management challenges and exploring new opportunities, making her well-suited for the challenges of this dynamic field.
Wei enjoys collaborating with bold entrepreneurs and forward-thinking leaders to drive challenging projects. With a primary focus on managing China-related initiatives, she has developed a comprehensive understanding of the operational intricacies involved in navigating this unique market.
Daisy Ip, Head, Investment Promotion, InvestHK
Daisy Ip is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in driving economic growth and fostering international trade and investment relationships between Hong Kong and the UK. Currently serving as the Head of Investment Promotion and Talen Attraction, InvestHK London, Daisy is at the forefront of driving investment and economic development in Hong Kong.
With 13 years of dedicated service in the public sector, which began with a role in promoting trade for Hong Kong in the UK, Ireland, Nordics and Benelux, where she cultivated her expertise in international trade and investment dynamics.
Prior to her illustrious public sector career, Daisy honed her skills in the world of marketing and PR in both London and Hong Kong. This experience endowed her with a keen sense of market trends and the ability to create effective and strategic communications. She brings a unique blend of public and private sector knowledge to her current role, where she champions economic development through investment promotion.
Isabella Liu, International Brands Director, Matro Group
In 2015, Isabella joined the largest luxury corporate group in Suzhou, Matro Group, as international brands director, which has 30 years history operating luxury department store, 20+ years history of international brands distribution. Isabella is responsible for introducing, and bringing international brands to China. She especially bridging the dialogue of understanding Chinese market, Chinese consumption between China and Europe. It is an irreplaceable role who understand both China and Europe market as well as the industry. Her first important project with Matro was introducing and distributing over 30 international jewellery brands to Matro from Italy, Spain, France, UK, US, and so on. Now she is taking over the second influential project and responsible for the British and Irish brands crossing categories including fashion, food, healthcare, beauty, lifestyle.
Isabella was honored as an Exceptional Talent in Arts and Design Sector by Arts Council England in 2015. She founded International Forum “East West Dialogue: One World One Dream” in the very special year of 2020. Herself is an international award-winning designer and key opinion leader on Chinese social media. She is passionate bridging creativity with commercial, bridging cultures together through collaborations.
Yang Ding, Founder, New Silk Route Digital
Yang Ding is the founder of New Silk Route Digital and the Director at the Bristol and West of England China Bureau. With a mission to bridge the gap between the UK and China, Yang has played a pivotal role in helping British brands and organizations enter and thrive in the Chinese market through tailored digital strategies and localized campaigns.
His expertise highlights the importance of understanding Chinese consumer culture and the vast opportunities for UK businesses to connect with one of the world's most dynamic markets. Yang's work continues to amplify the potential of UK-China collaborations, fostering cultural and commercial exchange that benefits both sides.
Kenrick Davis, Senior China Policy Analyst, CBBC
Kenrick Davis is a Senior China Policy Analyst at the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), where he is responsible for keeping CBBC’s 300-plus business members informed about China’s latest laws, policies, and economic developments. Based in the UK, he publishes regular briefs, analyses, and reports, including the CBBC China Trade Tracker, which examines two-way trade between UK regions and China.
A fluent Mandarin speaker, Kenrick spent eight years living in six different cities in China. During that time, he worked as a features journalist for the Shanghai-based media outlet Sixth Tone, as a PR professional for the New York-based communications consultancy Ketchum, and as a Chinese-English translator. His longform pieces have received recognition from international news awards, covering topics as varied as bullfighting in southwestern Guizhou province and the global cultural impact of China’s video game industry.
Gilford Law, Director-General, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office.
Mr Law joined the Administrative Service of the Hong Kong SAR Government in 1997. He has since served in various bureaux and departments, including the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo, the Home Affairs Bureau, the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Private Office and the Kwun Tong District Office. In his previous capacity as the Principal Assistant Secretary in the Food and Health Bureau, Mr Law sought to revitalise the provision of municipal services with innovative ideas and technologies. He also established the home quarantine regime in Hong Kong in a bid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having assumed the post of Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London since August 2021, Mr Law is responsible for promoting Hong Kong’s bilateral relations with the United Kingdom and eight other countries, namely Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Russia and Sweden.
Mr Law holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Economics with First Class Honours at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, as well as a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University as the George G.C. Parker Prize Awardee and Robert L. Joss Scholar. His hobbies include swimming, jogging, reading, and piano.
Host:
Antoaneta Becker, Director, Consumer Economy, China-Britain Business Council
Antoaneta has lived and worked in China for more than 20 years. In her most recent role as a Director, Consumer Economy for the China Britain Business Council, she has supported numerous British consumer companies entering and expanding into the Chinese market.
Prior to joining CBBC, she worked as a Beijing-based reporter for several international media publications including the Economist Intelligence Unit and USA Today, covering China’s economic and social affairs. She has reported on some of the main trends and policies that have defined China’s economic trajectory over the years 2000-2010 including China’s stateowned enterprises reforms, the emergence of free trade zones, the rise of digital economy and the ascendence of the Chinese consumer.
Antoaneta is a fluent Mandarin Chinese speaker. She holds a Bachelor’s in Chinese Language and Literature and a Master’s in Chinese Contemporary Literature & Film from Peking University.
Buyers:
Pattern
Pattern is an e-commerce accelerator, helping brands grow profitably on marketplaces globally. They provide technology and services at no additional cost when they sell your products online.
Pattern is one of the largest Amazon sellers in the world, as well as a Tmall Trade Partner, supporting the online growth of consumer brands across the Americas, EMEA and APAC.
Alibaba Tmall Global
Part of Alibaba Group, Tmall Global is the largest B2C cross border eCommerce platform in China where over 40,000 international brands sell to Chinese consumers. Over the past eight years, Tmall Global has evolved to be a trusted platform for Chinese consumers to purchase imported brands and products. Tmall Global offers a range of business models, and the team can help you identify the model that best fits your needs. For example, Tmall Global's mini-store model allows you to list up to 3 SKUs as a stepping stone to a full flagship store. This makes it more affordable than the full store model, and Tmall Global provides the TP service and the incubation for the first 90 days. It is a cross-border ecommerce model so you still sell as you do in your home country - no need for B2B general trade imports, relabelling, or dealing with local China regulations. In this way, it is a great way to establish a presence in China which then makes you visible to TPs and distributors and increases your chances of finding future opportunities.
Key target categories of interest to Tmall Global: Health and Wellness, Food and Drink, Mother and Baby, Beauty and Lifestyle.
Matro Group
Over 30 years history operating luxury department stores, 20+ years history of distributing International brands distribution, Matro group, owned by parent company Suzhou Function Group, one of the biggest private business group in the city of Suzhou, China.
Like Selfridges, John Lewis in China, Matro plays a very influential role in Chinese retail rectors. We have 2 large classical high-end luxury stores in Suzhou. Our department stores have brought together international famous brands such as HERMES, LOUIS-VUITTON, GUCCI, CARTIER, BVLGARI, TIFFANY&CO., PRADA, CELINE, BURBERRY, FERRAGAMO, ROLEX, JAEGER-LECOULTRE and IWC, and world-famous prestige cosmetic brands such as CHANEL, DIOR, ESTEE-LAUDER, LANCOME, LA MER and LA PRAIRIE, as well as thousands of famous domestic and foreign fashionable brands for over thirty years.
Matro’s grand project “Boundless Matro", is a cross boarder online and offline business flatform, introducing beautiful products and international brands from all over the world. We have a 38,000 Square meter large Cultural and Creative village, in Suzhou's prestigious city centre, which is next to world’s heritage ZhuoZheng Garden and Suzhou Museum.
It’s a creative cultural hub introducing international life-style from multi-countries’ pavilions, including Japan, Australia, North America, France, Italy, British and Ireland Island Pavilions, ect. Surrounded by our restaurants, hotels, and all sorts of cultural activities and entertainment in the village, customers experience authentic international culture and lifestyle in the centre hub of Suzhou. British brands will be presented and sold through British Islands and Irish Pavilions. At the same time, customers will also be able to experience all those online, with our e-commerce VR flatform. More interestingly, all the oversea international brands’ showcases and retail stores will be able to presented online through Matro’s VR system. Matro not only push sells online and offline, but also help brands to develop their marketing and brand awareness through our online and offline flatforms.
We are looking forward to developing close partnership relationship with British and Irish Brands. You will find it’s a fruitful journey alone the way.
Commercial Cross
Commercial Cross is a professional service provider that specialises in assisting UK brands in entering and expanding their presence in the Chinese market. Recognised for its practical and effective approach, the company delivers tailored solutions to help brands confidently navigate the complexities of the Chinese market. From establishing online stores on major Chinese e-commerce platforms to managing independent social media accounts, Commercial Cross supports brands in enhancing their control over sales and customer engagement.
With a decade of operations, Commercial Cross has developed extensive experience in supporting brands through unique challenges and opportunities. Its founders, who have over a decade of experience living in the UK, are deeply committed to bridging the cultural and market gaps between the two countries. Combining market understanding and practical expertise, the company offers solutions tailored to each brand’s goals and identity.
Brands they work with: Edinburgh Natural Skincare, Positive Science People, Glenlaird Whisky, Tily Blooms.
