HONG KONG: Turning China Into Opportunity

Stephen Wong is the Regional Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for the Americas. He oversees HKTDC's nine branch offices in North, Central and South America. Mr. Wong draws upon his extensive experience in trade development and promotion in the U.S. and Asia to create and facilitate opportunities in international trade between Hong Kong and its trading partners. Prior to his transfer to HKTDC's New York Office, Mr. Wong was based in Hong Kong as HKTDC's Director of Information Services where he spearheaded the Council's extensive e-commerce capabilities and business training programs for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Mr Wong also held the positions of Director for Product Promotion and Head of the Administration Department while serving in Hong Kong. Mr Wong graduated from the University of Saskatchewan and completed the Senior Executive Education Program at New York's Columbia University.

With more than 40 offices around the world, Hong Kong Trade Development Council is the statutory organization for promoting Hong Kong's international trade through comprehensive services of business matching, product magazines, trade fair information and market intelligence.

R. Scott Heinlein is Deputy Director of the Washington State China Relations Council (WSCRC) primarily responsible for its daily business operations. The Council has been a leading voice since 1979 in promoting trade between China, Hong Kong, and the United States. This not-for-profit organization represents over 150 corporate members such as The Boeing Company, Microsoft Corporation, Weyerhaeuser, Frank Russell Company, Costco Wholesale, PACCAR International, Starbucks Coffee Company, major ports, banks, law firms, and other manufacturers, retailers, businesses and major universities in Washington State.

Bill Stafford is president of the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle. The Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle is comprised of the Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma, Metropolitan King County Government, Snohomish County Government, Pierce County Government, the City of Seattle, the City of Everett, the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and organized labor representatives. The Trade Alliance exists to promote the Greater Seattle region as one of North America’s premier international gateways and commercial centers.

Mark Aoki-Fordham is director, corporate counsel with Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle, Washington. Mark currently serves as the principal lawyer for the Starbucks Global Consumer Packaged Goods division, which sells Starbucks branded ready-to-drink and packaged coffee and tea products through grocery and other retail establishments in the U.S., Canada, UK, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Mark previously served as counsel to the company's Asia Pacific business, including an assignment in Hong Kong to provide support for expansion of its China business and to set up its legal department in the region. Mark has worked with Greater China legal and business issues over the course of his career at Starbucks and at law firms for companies in the software, manufacturing, aircraft, biomedical and other industries.

David Bennett is responsible for all Attachmate business activity outside of North America, bringing more than 25 years of international business experience to the company.

Prior to joining Attachmate in 2000, Mr. Bennett served as Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Vice President Worldwide Channel Sales at FileNET Corporation, a publicly traded provider of enterprise content management software. Before joining FileNET, Mr. Bennett was a senior manager at several high technology companies in the U.K., including Prime Computer and British Telecom.

Mr. Bennett holds an M.B.A. from the University of Cranfield in the U.K.

Deborah Li is a Region Manager of SUPERVALU's International Division. Supervalu Inc is the largest food distribution company in the U.S., and 3rd largest grocery retailer, with total revenue of over US$40 billion. SVI services retailers and importer/distributors throughout the world, with a primary focus on Asia Pacific. SVI also manages all food imports for the company, and has a fast growing general merchandise import program for customers outside of the company.

Deborah has been with SUPERVALU for almost 10 years. Prior to joining Supervalu, Deborah lived in China for 4 years. She spent 2 years teaching English in a Chinese college, and another 2 years managing a purchasing office in Shenzhen for a US company focusing on personal care and decorative items. Deborah is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound where she received a BA in Asian Studies with a minor in Chinese.

David Tang is Managing Partner, Asia for the U.S. law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP. He was a former Managing Partner of the predecessor Firm from 1995-2000. His practice focuses on foreign investment and international business transactions and financings. Among other activities, he serves as Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, President of the American Bar Foundation research institute, past Chair of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and on the boards of National Bureau of Asian Research, the Pacific Council on International Policy, National Committee on US-China Relations, and Anglo-American Real Property Institute. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Visiting Committee of Columbia University School of Law and several groups within the American Bar Association. He holds an AB (magna) from Harvard University; a JD from Columbia University; and a certificate from The Hague Academy of International Law. He was born in Hong Kong and speaks Chinese.

In addition to his capacity as president of the Hong Kong Association of Washington, Benjamin Lee is also a prominent business leader. Formerly known as Hong Kong Club of Washington, the Hong Kong Association of Washington was founded in January 1991 with the objectives to foster closer relationship between Hong Kong and the business community around the greater Seattle area. With the influx of immigrants from Hong Kong, membership of the Association has recently grown over 300.

Kelly Ma is the Marketing Manager of the Los Angeles Office of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council responsible for coordinating the Council’s marketing activities in the western U.S.A. including the state of Washington. Prior to her posting to Los Angeles, she has managed major promotional projects for the Council in Hong Kong, China and other emerging markets.