American Chamber of Commerce SME Forum Presents

China's SME Challenge:

Leaping from Ten to One Hundred 每 Taking the Next Few Steps

China Resources Hotel, Beijing

35 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District Beijing

Friday, January 25, 2008

8:30AM 每 3:00PM

Registration

Speaker Profiles

8:00 每 8:30 AM	Registration and coffee
8:30 每 8:45 AM	Welcome Presentation - The SME Role in Business Today
	James Zimmerman, AmCham-China chairman AmCham recognizes that SMEs play an important role in the development of China's economy and development of US commercial interests in China. AmCham seeks to support all of its members in succeeding in China, and Chairman Zimmerman will briefly discuss how SME members can leverage their AmCham membership to grow and succeed in this market.
8:45 每 10:00 AM	People Issues - Attracting, Retaining and Motivating Staff for the SME Requires a Different Perspective By their very nature, SMEs have fewer resources to achieve their HR goals. In many cases, potential candidates consider employment at an SME to be second-best. Positioning is the first key to winning the HR battle. SMEs have inherent benefits over larger companies. The second key is effectively managing and motivating employees. This session will examine the differences in people management between larger and smaller companies. Emphasis will be on how to take advantage of the benefits offered by SME workplaces and how to promote and market the benefits of working for an SME.
	Felicia Choy, vice president and co-founder of Choy-Valentine Ben Wang, president & CEO of Beyondsoft Group Hersey Cao, president and CEO of AcrossChina Communications Group Simon Wei, vice president of ChinaOK Network and Technology Ltd.
10 每 10:30 AM	Networking break (refreshments will be served)
10:30每 11:30 AM	Partner Management - An Excess Legacy or a Must Have In Today＊s China? Long gone are the days where all foreign investors by law were required to partner with local companies. Now, many companies are actually buying out their JV partners. However, there still many advantages to having a local partner. This session will examine the advantages and disadvantages of forming local partnerships, strategies to make the most of their involvement, the principles of managing interested parties whose concept of success has little to do with market expansion, penetration, sales and after tax profits.
	Jeremy Goldkorn, editor of Danwei.org and  co-founder of Standards Group David Wood, president and senior partner of The ChinaCare Group John O. Hjelset, executive director of Norse Dragon Co Ltd, Hong Kong Michael Wester, general manager of True Run Media
11:30每 12:30 PM	Lunch Keynote Address - Bridging the Gap: Financing for SME and Entrepreneur Growth
	Ron Nechemia, chairman of the board of EuroOrient   Financing represents an important issue for small and medium size enterprises. Gaps may arise due to agency problems, asymmetric information and other market and policy imperfections that can give rise to incomplete financial markets and constrain SMEs access to financing. Access to appropriate types of financing structures and facilities are especially required to allow SMEs and entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunities provided by innovation, notably through the diffusion of information and communications technology (ICT). They are also needed for SMEs with new business models and high growth prospects, as they make a very important contribution to economic growth accompanied by job creation and social cohesion. Mr. Nechemia will discuss the key issues at the heart of difficulties in accessing capital by innovative SMEs and the two traditional distinctions that are drawn between the supply of finance on the one hand and the demand for finance from entrepreneurs on the other. He will focus specifically on two types of SME financing; debt and credit, and risk capital. Furthermore, Mr. Nechemia will examine whether or not there is a shortage of sources of finance or of entrepreneurs seeking finance or whether, the distinction that is drawn between debt and equity sources of capital is blurred in much finance that is provided to SMEs, particularly innovative ones.
12:30 每 1:30 PM	Market Entry and Expansion Strategies -Technology and Software Getting started in China is no small feat. Multinationals take one road and SMEs and entrepreneurs take another. Are there standard ways of setting up a business in China? Do these strategies differ from one industry to another? Are there issues that are never really resolved? The industry sessions will examine complexities of market entry and expansion. Established SMEs will share stories of how they creatively dealt with challenges. Conference participants are encouraged to ask questions. The afternoon sessions are intended to be a cross-fertilization of ideas between participants and speakers of differing industries.
	Wilbur Zou, consulting director of BDA Kirvan Henry Pierson III, principal of XLOCATE Ltd. Michael Robinson, Thoughtworks Robert Hayes, managing director of Asia-Pacific - Glu Mobile
1:30 每 2:00 PM	Networking break (refreshments will be served)
2:00 每 3:00 PM	Market Entry and Expansion Strategies - Marketing, Public Relations and Advertising
	Greg Blackwood, chairman and CEO of Vantage Holdings Ltd. Priscilla Ho, founder and managing director of Prescient Marketing Ltd. David M Jacobson, managing director of SinoFile Information Services, Ltd. Deepa Swaminathan, vice president, China of The Hoffman Agency David J. Roberts, managing director of Kroznot