In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley is joined by Tom Parker, National CEO of the Australia China Business Council (ACBC), for an insightful discussion on the evolving dynamics of Australia-China relations and the expanding opportunities for Australian businesses in China.    Tom begins by introducing ACBC, outlining its mission, membership, and the vital role it plays in supporting Australian businesses looking to enter or expand their presence in the Chinese market....

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley has an engaging conversation with Grace Wu, Director of Business for the Australia-China Culture and Language Advisory (ACCLA) and a notable lifestyle and education influencer on Little Red Book. Grace brings a unique perspective on the cultural and educational exchange between Australia and China, alongside insights from her influential presence on one of China's premier social media platforms.   Grace shares the story and mission...

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley welcomes Gerald Hoe, Head of Global Marketplace ROW at Coupang, one of South Korea's premier e-commerce platforms.    With its customer-centric and innovative approach, Coupang has cemented its position as a leader in the South Korean digital marketplace. Gerald provides a comprehensive overview of how Coupang has revolutionized the way Korean consumers shop online. He compares Coupang's robust ecosystem to other global internet...

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley is joined by Leif Rogers and Gino Gordon of Red Phoenix Entertainment, a sports marketing agency facilitating the expansion of North American sports, athletes, and franchises into Asian markets. Leif, the Founder and CEO, alongside Gino, Chief Strategy Officer, share their unique insights and experiences in bridging sports cultures across continents.   The conversation further explores the popularity of North American sports in...

Global skiing participation is on the decline—but in one crucial market, skiing is perhaps the hottest recreational pastime, with millions of people taking up the sport in the last few years.    That market is China. In this episode of The Negotiation, host Todd Embley welcomes back Justin Downes, who has led efforts to develop snow resorts across China over the last two decades.    As President of Axis Leisure Management, Justin has played a crucial role in growing China’s ski industry and...

In our latest episode of The Negotiation podcast, we're excited to welcome back Mark Dreyer, a luminary in the world of sports in China.    With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, Mark gives us a sneak peek into the key stories and athletes poised to make headlines for China in the upcoming summer games, and whether China is expected to dominate the medal table.    Mark highlights the feel-good story of Zheng Qingwen and her remarkable performance at the Australian Open, as well as the rising...

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we're excited to have Crystal Tai, Senior Managing Editor at Jing Daily, rejoin us for a deep dive into evolving fashion and lifestyle trends in China.    Jing Daily is the premier source for insights into China's digital consumption trends and luxury market, and Crystal brings her extensive expertise back to our listeners, offering a fresh perspective on what's currently shaping the market.   Crystal brings us up to speed on the burgeoning...

In this episode of The Negotiation, Todd sits down with Filip Zieliński, a seasoned entrepreneur and long-time China resident with a wealth of experience across various industries, including green energy, tech, F&B, retail, and education. The conversation starts with a deep dive into China’s booming green energy space. Filip has had a front-row seat to China’s EV revolution - shaking up the global auto industry - through his work for Green Cell, a leading green battery company.  Filip...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we welcome back to the show, Charles Lavoie, VP of Marketing & Head of Creative Labs at WPIC Marketing & Technologies and longtime guest of the pod.   In our conversation, we explore the transformation that China's e-commerce scene has witnessed due to the rise of Douyin, which has provided global brands with a new platform to connect with Chinese consumers   We examine how Douyin fostered consumer trust by initially incentivizing local brands to...

We dive into the evolving e-commerce and consumer trends in China for 2024, starting with analyzing the performance and tactics of leading e-commerce giants like Douyin, Pinduoduo, Taobao, and Tmall. What drove ByteDance's revenue growth of 30% to $110 billion? How is Pinduoduo's western-facing discount platform Temu adding to its incredible growth, if at all? And where does all of this leave Alibaba, the darling of e-commerce in China for over a decade? Our discussion also touches on the...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are thrilled to feature Andrew Methven, author of the Slow Chinese newsletter, one of the leading resources for keeping up to date with modern Mandarin language trends.  Andrew's journey from a planetary science graduate to a Chinese language enthusiast is as fascinating as it is unconventional. Facing limited career prospects in space exploration, he embarked on an overland journey from London to Australia, including a detour in China that ended up...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we're delighted to speak with Claire Urry, Chief Commercial Officer at the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), the premier British organization dedicated to fostering trade and investment between the UK and China.   Calling in from the picturesque English town of Horncastle, Claire gives a detailed breakdown of the UK and China’s robust trading relationship, which has benefited British businesses and communities across the country.    Claire explains the...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we sit down with Denni Hu, a Shanghai-based journalist for Women's Wear Daily (WWD), a premier fashion industry publication.   Our discussion with Denni covers a range of topics, including the latest fashion, consumer, and lifestyle trends in China. We delve into Denni’s career path, the expansion of luxury brands in China, and the intriguing interplay between fashion and food in China's cafe pop-ups. The conversation also touches on the increasing...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are delighted to feature Heidi Dugan, Chair of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AustCham).    Heidi joins the show at a critical juncture in Australian-China relations. After several years of frosty ties, Canberra and Beijing are taking steps to normalize the bilateral relationship—most notably by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese making a state visit to China earlier in November. Heidi discusses the work AustCham did around the state visit...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we're thrilled to feature Jing Zhang, a renowned fashion journalist and consultant. Jing currently serves as the Global Editor in Chief of Jing Daily, the leading publication on luxury and fashion trends in China. The health of the Chinese consumer has been hotly debated throughout 2023—conflicting market signals have given oxygen to bulls and bears alike. On one hand, luxury spending is up, but pressures on the housing market have led to increased savings...

Welcome to our landmark 200th episode of The Negotiation Podcast! The last four years have been rich with meaningful discussions, profound insights, and memorable moments—and we’re excited about what the future will bring. In this celebratory episode, we are delighted to host the co-founders of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, Jacob and Joseph Cooke. We delve into WPIC's impressive expansion in China, particularly their new office in Shanghai, and reminisce about the company's significant...

We are excited to welcome Noah Fraser to this episode of The Negotiation. Noah is based in Beijing, serving as Managing Director, China, for the Canada China Business Council (CCBC).    In our conversation, Noah discusses the business landscape in China for Canadian companies, highlighting the enormous opportunities in sectors like consumer goods, agriculture, and more. He also breaks down CCBC’s government engagement priorities, advocacy for improved market access, and the current...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are delighted to welcome back Jacob Cooke, Co-Founder and CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies.    In our conversation with Jacob, we talk about the consumption surge during China's Golden Week, which saw over 800 million domestic trips and more than $100 billion in spending. He highlights other booming sectors like travel, athleisure, and lifestyle, despite macro pressures on Chinese consumers. Jacob also talks about the rise of "special forces tourism"...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are excited to welcome MJ Park, Key Account Manager at WPIC Marketing + Technologies, to discuss the South Korean e-commerce market.    With over a decade of experience in marketing and business management in both Korea and Canada, MJ Park brings a wealth of knowledge about the e-commerce landscape in South Korea, the world's fifth-largest e-commerce market.   In our conversation, MJ discussed popular platforms like Naver Shopping and Coupang and booming...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are honoured to welcome Michael Hart, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China). In our conversation, Michael discusses his background and 20-year business career in Mainland China. He talks about the vital work of AmCham, which includes policy advocacy, business development support, and community building for American businesses in China. Michael shares his view on member companies' current business environment and investment...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are excited to be joined by Shai Oster, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who recently served as Asia Bureau Chief for The Information. Shai previously worked at the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, with postings spanning China, Europe, and the U.S. He's now working as an independent strategy and communications consultant based out of Bangkok.   In our conversation with Shai, we dive into various topics related to China's economy, the tech industry,...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are delighted to welcome back Jacob Cooke, Co-Founder and CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Jacob is based in Beijing where he oversees the China and broader APAC operations for WPIC.    Jacob recently returned to China after a summer trip to Canada, so we thought it would be a great time to bring him back on the show to share what he’s seeing on the ground in China and APAC’s e-commerce landscape.    After sharing his thoughts on China’s domestic...

In this episode of The Negotiation, we are delighted to speak with Su Cheng Harris-Simpson. Su Cheng is the visionary founder of the Women Empowerment Council (WEC), an organization dedicated to promoting gender equality in business in China and beyond.  Su Cheng has been an active member of the Beijing business community for three decades. Before moving into entrepreneurship and eventually founding the WEC, she worked at Boeing, the Capital Club in Beijing, and United Technologies...

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, we are joined by Michel de Rijk.    Michel is an esteemed marketing executive who has held leadership posts at some of the world’s largest agencies, most recently as CEO APAC for S4.    In our conversation with Michel, we discuss his background and extensive experience in the APAC region. Michel highlights the opportunities and challenges of doing business in China, emphasizing the country's innovation and immense potential. He advises brands to...