We have an incredible group of people supporting us, all of them recognising the importance of building China literacy now amongst young people in the UK.
Patrons
Sir Anthony Seldon
Sir Anthony Seldon is a British educator and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham. He is the author or editor of over 35 books on contemporary history, politics and education and was knighted in the 2014 Birthday Honors for services to education and modern political history.
Rt Hon.Sir Vince Cable
Rt Hon.Sir Vince Cable is the former leader of the Liberal Democrat party 2017-19. He was Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills for five years. His latest book focuses on the importance of the China relationship and is entitled, ‘China:Engage! Avoid a New Cold War.’
Ambassadors
Kerry Brown
Director, Lau China Institute
Kerry Brown (Political Ambassador) is Professor of Chinese Studies & Director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London. Author of many books on China he was previously Professor or Chinese politics & Director of the Chinese Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and served as the First Secretary at the Embassy in Beijing.
Ben Cooper
TV Presenter, Bargain Hunt
Ben Cooper (Ceramics Ambassador) is an antiques dealer, antiques fair organiser and expert host and presenter on BBC’s Bargain Hunt. His specialist area is ceramics. He is also a professional singer and Chair of the Three Choirs Festival.
Celia Couchman
Founder, LookingafterMumandDad.co.uk
Celia Couchman was Marketing Director for Diageo Africa & has had a successful track record with Smith Kline Beecham and Unilever. She ran Uganda Breweries. Experience also includes being Chair of the Harpur Trust Grants, an Advisor for the Prince’s Trust and serving on the Board of Patronage for the Church of England. She was responsible for an award-winning full length feature film, the first film to be backed by United Nations (UNEP), highlighting the worldwide water crisis.
Justin Glenister
International lawyer
Justin is a lawyer and the head of risk and compliance for an international law firm in London. He is an experienced in-house lawyer with a specialist focus on enterprise risk management and regulatory compliance, including data protection. Being half-Chinese and having progressed through the British education system, Justin appreciates the benefits being exposed to different cultures has afforded him and wishes that more students were provided the opportunity to learn about Chinese culture from a young age.
Christian Havrehed
Inspirational speaker, adventurer and academic researcher
Christian Havrehed undertakes China related nautical adventures to promote Sino-foreign cross-cultural understanding. In 2001 Christian became the fist Dane to row across an ocean together with Sun Haibin, who became the first Chinese – and Asian. Their privately organised “Yantu Project” went pre-social media viral in China. It was the first amateur sports project to be supported by the Chinese government and to be featured on State TV. Christian and Sun Haibin’s latest project is to try and validate whether the Chinese, like the Vikings, visited America pre-Columbus. This requires hard core academic research, which they bring to life through adventure expedition.
Rupert Hoogewerf
Chairman & Founder of Hurun Report / China Rich List
Rupert Hoogewerf (Entrepreneur Ambassador) is Chairman and Chief Researcher of Hurun Report, a media and research company he founded in 2001, which ranks China’s wealthiest through its China Rich List. Since 2001 the List has tracked China’s emerging billionaires. Rupert is possibly the best-known foreigner living in China today. He studied Chinese & Business Studies at Durham University.
Emma Jones
Small Crown Representative & Founder/CEO of Enterprise Nation
Emma Jones MBE (Small Business Ambassador) is the founder & CEO of Enterprise Nation, the largest network of small businesses in the UK. Emma was appointed as the government’s Small Crown Representative for SMEs in 2016. Herself an entrepreneur, she is also the best-selling author of books such as Working 5 to 9 and The StartUp Kit to help businesses thrive.
Garrod Musto
Educationalist, Maths and STEM
Garrod Musto (Curriculum Ambassador)
An educationalist with over 25 years experience of teaching Mathematics and STEM subjects, Garrod brings a wealth of experience in curriculum development and teacher training. Whilst a relative newcomer to China, he has been involved in business development there for 4 years, including spending almost a year in China both teaching Chinese students and developing a STEM Primary curriculum. Garrod is committed to providing opportunities for students to learn about different cultures and to empower them to think globally and act locally.
Zhang Lijia
Freelance journalist and writer
Zhang Lijia (Social Ambassador) is a writer, journalist, social commentator and public speaker. Her memoir, ‘Socialism is Great’ tells of her life as a factory worker under communism in China. Her first novel, Lotus, captures some of the impact of modernisation in China through prostitution in in one of China’s largest and newest cities, Shenzhen. Lijia is regularly interviewed on the BBC, CNN and ABC.
Clare Pearson
Chair, British Belt & Road Chamber of Commerce
Claire Pearson (Trade Ambassador) is Chair of the China Britain Belt & Road Chamber of Commerce and formerly Chair of the British Chamber in China and Vice-President of the China Britain Business Council, 2015-2017. A lawyer, Claire has been working in Beijing for an international law firm since 2004 where she advises clients on China strategy and Chinese clients on their globalization process.
Ada Shan
Ada Shan is Chief Representative of Hurun Report in UK & Europe, She has an Art and Luxury background in China. From 2002-2013 she lived and worked in Shanghai engaging in the luxury industry and working for the Hurun Report as a Director. She has been in the UK since 2014. Ada graduated from Xinjiang Normal University and has a degree in art and design from the Academy of Fine Arts and an MBA program from Fudan University, Shanghai. She is also an art agent and a committee member for Mercy Ships charity UK.
Jian Jun Xi
Artist
Jian Jun Xi (Artist Ambassador) is a performance artist and President of the Chinese Artists Association. JJ trained at the Central Academy of Applied Arts in Beijing and then at Goldsmiths. He is part of the art duo, Mad for Real, with fellow artist, Cai Yuan. He promotes cultural and artistic communication between China and Britain. He has the largest collection of ceramics made to order for the western market. Chinese-born, JJ Xi lives between China and Britain.
Jinny Yan
Managing Director & Chief Economist, ICBC Standard Bank
Jinny Yan (Belt & Road Ambassador) is Managing Director & Chief China Economist for ICBC Standard Bank. She is an experienced China Economist and China product specialist with a demonstrated history of working across client-facing roles of the banking industry. Focused on China macro, fixed income markets, and the Belt and Road initiative. Strong business development professional with a Master of Science (MSc) focused in development studies from LSE. She is an experienced speaker in the media and at large conferences.
Engage with China 