14 Dec 2011 – Viva Christmas Party!
VIVA Presents: For One Night Only, a performance by the Women of Beijing Improv! Up for a chuckle-icious Christmas? Join the women from Beijing Improv for an evening of mirth and merriment that will get the most bah-humbuggy Ebenezer Scrooge ebullient. This year, VIVA is proud to present a one night only all women Beijing Improv performance bonanza. Catch up with old friends, meet newones and be thoroughly entertained!
Beijing Improv – which has just celebrated its fifth birthday – is a a group of people from around the world and from a whole range of backgrounds who aren’t afraid of the unknown. An audition-only group, current Main stage members come from 8 different countries and many have played improv together for years. Re-interpreting life in ever-changing Beijing through spontaneous and humorous stories and scene-work, Beijing Improv’s monthly shows have sold out the 250-seat Peng Hao theater for the past three years straight, and the (free!) Wednesday night workshops are jam-packed with improv enthusiasts. Beijing Improv’s players are all volunteers and donate all the profits from their shows to community NGOs. More info at http://www.beijingimprov.org/
Check out photos from the event on our facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/vivabeijing) or in the Photos section of our website!
30 Nov 2011 – An Evening with Elina Nikulainen
“Missing” Girls: Causes and Consequences of Son Preference in China An estimated 117 million women across Asia are “missing” and in China alone more than 20 million men will have problems if they wish to marry, the result of the much discussed sex ratio at birth imbalance. Elina Nikulainen of the United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA) will introduce to VIVA the latest discussion and newest findings on this situation. What do these figures actually mean? How will the sex ratio imbalance influence the lives of both men and women? What does it say about the current status of women in China? What can be done now to correct the situation? She will present how efforts to empower women and improve gender equality are key to ending son preference in China.
About Elina Nikulainen
Ms. Elina Nikulainen is in her second year in China as Programme Officer for Gender at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Her portfolio focuses on gender-based violence, sex ratio at birth imbalance and masculinities. Before coming to China she worked in Viet Nam for UNESCO and UNODC and prior to that in the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland and the Finnish Embassy in the United States. She holds an MA from the University of Turku, Finland.
26 Oct 2011 – Speed Networking
How do you meet 20 innovative, enthusiastic, brilliant businesswomen in one hour? You come to Viva’s speed networking event armed with business cards and your elevator pitch trimmed down to a mere 1.5 minutes!
Join us for our annual speed networking event. When the bell rings two women have 3 minutes to present themselves and explain what they do. They could be master or PhD students, entrepreneurs, CEOs, marketing managers, sports specialists, language experts, coaches or from many other domains– Viva is full of inspiring women hoping to meet their next business partner, provider, soul mate. This event is a hit every year and open to members only.
28 Sep 2011 – Building an Icon: Anu Leinonen
The project architect behind ‘ the giant underpants’, Anu Leinonen will share the story of creating the design and overseeing the construction of Beijing’s iconic CCTV tower. Through the initial process of the bid to the finishing phases, Anu was right at the heart of the project, working closely with the international construction firm, Chinese contractors and sub-contractors, the client and the Chinese government.
Anu will share her insights from working as an architect in one of the fastest growing urban landscapes in the world, the challenges that China faces as the population moves to the cities and the trends that are developing.
About Anu Leinonen
Anu Leinonen has worked for over twelve years for the well-known Dutch architectural practice OMA /Rem Koolhaas. She is the project architect for the CCTV headquarters project, relocating from Rotterdam to Beijing in 2004 to follow the project through construction phase. As an associate of OMA she has recently been responsible for designing a number of competitions in Asia, including KT headquarters in Seoul, China Mobile technological center in Beijing and the Bund Financial center in Shanghai. Anu Leinonen also participates in voluntary work, providing architectural design consultation for several non- governmental humanitarian organizations in the Philippines and China. She is actively participating in the heritage protection of the Beijing Hutongs.
31 Aug 2011 – Creative Entrepreneurship: Paloma Sanchez
Paloma Sanchez, just back from her latest trip to Ethiopia and Madagascar to buy opals and sapphires, will recount why she chose Beijing to launch her own jewelry brand. Sanchez has something of the intrepid traveller in her, visiting some of the globe’s most dangerous countries to buy her precious stones direct from the mines. Hear how a woman gemologist organizes her trips to mines, factors in the security elements, negotiates with oft uneducated mine-owners, and then slips back into her role as designer and retailer of one-off jewelry pieces in Beijing. Her story is an inspiration to artists who wish to channel their creativity into a business venture and budding entrepreneurs who are not sure how to take that first step.
Jewelry designer and entrepreneur Paloma Sanchez, a native of Spain, came to Beijing in 2006. She owns the Paloma Sanchez jewelry shop in the Nali Patio, Sanlitun. She is a lawyer and a certified GIA (Gemological Institute of America) gemologist and jewelry designer and has worked in both retail and the business of global luxury brands including Carrera y Carrera, Hublot, Cuevo & Sobrinos and Patek Phillipe She searches for specimen-quality and exquisite stones all over the world to create her signature and unique jewelry. You can see more of her work at her website www.palomasanchez.com.
27 July 2011 – An Evening with Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt of the International Crisis Group
From instigating provocative maritime clashes in the South China and East China Seas to abetting violent North Korean attacks against South Korea and denouncing U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region, a newly assertive China has emerged out of the global financial crisis. Has China abandoned its so-called taoguang yanghui (“low profile”) foreign policy introduced by Deng Xiaoping in the early 1990s? While Beijing made some important contributions to regional and global security, stability and governance from 2006-2008, what is behind the more assertive behaviour we have seen since? What international fallout will we see in reaction? And how can we expect China to use its strengthened power position in the coming years? Join Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt to explore these questions and more.
Stephanie T. Kleine-Ahlbrandt joined the International Crisis Group (ICG) in October 2007 as North East Asia Project Director and China Adviser based in Beijing where she undertakes research and analysis on the role of China in conflict areas around the world. From 2006-2007, Stephanie was an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Prior to that she worked for the United Nations where she was responsible for cooperation with the Government of the People’s Republic of China and a number of conflict and post-conflict countries in Africa. Previously, Ms. Kleine-Ahlbrandt was seconded by the U.S. Department of State to the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (1996), investigated genocide and other human rights violations for the United Nations in Rwanda (1994-1995), and worked with the Legal Affairs Directorate of the Council of Europe (1993-1994). She is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
15 June 2011 – An Evening With Critically Acclaimed Author, Susan Conley
Susan Conley’s New York Times Magazine Lives column about living in China and contending with the H1N1 epidemic got the attention of a lot of readers. Now she’s written a debut memoir, The Foremost Good Fortune, which chronicles the years she and her family navigated the capital city of Beijing. The book traces practical concerns of her small boys – how do you make new friends when you don’t speak the language? – as well as the larger spectre of cancer when Susan is diagnosed with breast cancer in Beijing.
An O Magazine Book Selection, The Foremost Good Fortune is a wry and poignant memoir full of insight into the trickiest questions”how do you talk to children about death? When is it okay to lie? In the end The Foremost Good Fortune is also a celebration of family and a candid exploration of mortality and belonging.
This event is held in conjunction with the American Chamber of Commerce.
25 May 2011 – Viva Annual General Meeting
This is a Viva members-only event. Our Annual General Meeting is an opportunity for members to reflect, share and plan for the following year. We will elect new Executive Committee Members and review our finances. We will share about our charity selection for our profits.
27 April 2011 – Slurping Soup and Other Confusions
Our April event looks at how the six authors of a new expat resource overcame the typical writer’s block to write about coping with the family challenges of living internationally.Two of the Beijing based authors will introduce their just-published resource “Slurping Soup and Other Confusions: True Stories and Activities to Help Third Culture Kids during Transition”. They will highlight their personal writing process, share readings, and explain the crucial need for support for third culture kids and their parents.
“Slurping Soup and Other Confusions” was written by Maryam Afnan Ahmad, Cherie Emigh, Ulrike Gemmer, Barbara Menezes, Kathryn Tonges & Lucinda Willshire. See www.slurpingsoup.com for more info.
About our Speakers
Kathryn Tonges is an Australian National Instructor for Dr. Thomas Gordon’s Parent Effectiveness Training. She has lectured in children’s services for 20 years and coordinated a family support programme. She has two sons and lives in Beijing.
Cherie Emigh is a teacher and anthropologist from the United States. She has three children in International Schools in Beijing and is an active member of the PTA as well as running the Beijing based Cub Scouts of America program. Cherie is also a Parent Effectiveness Training instructor.
30 March 2011 – Food Safety in China
In our March seminar, Marie-Paule Benassi will outline key policy issues surrounding food safety in China, including looking at how is China dealing with food safety and the cooperation between the EU and China to raise standards. She’ll also look at ways in which we can live more healthily in Beijing, international standards and seals of approval to look out for and the safety of China’s organic labels.
Marie-Paule Benassi
Marie-Paule Benassi is 1st counsellor, Food Safety, Health and Consumers at the EU Delegation in Beijing. She is in charge of developing the cooperation between the EU and Chinese authorities and businesses on public health, food safety and consumer protection policies.
Her main task is to contribute to the safety of imports into the EU market and to promote EU standards for products sold on the Chinese market. Previously, she was in charge of communicating about these three policies at the European Commission HQ in Brussels.
Marie-Paule graduated in Economics and Law from Sorbonne university in Paris. She has been working for the European Commission for 20 years mostly in international trade matters.
23 Feb 2011 – Viva Speed Networking
This is a members-only event. Our hugely popular annual speed networking event returns. This is the perfect opportunity to become better acquainted with others involved with Viva, to make useful connections and new friends. With more than 140 members, and more joining every month, there are plenty of professionally minded women like yourself to meet. Bring along your name card, polish your elevator pitch and enjoy a drink with new friends. Join us for what promises to be a fun and interactive event.
Please note – registration closes at 5pm on Monday 21 February for this event.
Please note that our February event is exclusively for members only; to find out more about joining Viva, please check the MEMBERSHIP page.
19 Jan 2011 – Cash for Canvas: Art as an Asset Class
Art is becoming a new investment hot spot in China and the red hot market was recently featured in China International Business with the cover story featuring Soetheby’s Patti Wong. As a follow-up to Viva’s November event, join us on January 19th for a special presentation with visiting scholar and former Executive Director of the UBS Art Collection for a unique look at this hot topic – art as an asset.
Talk Overview
The 2009 downturn of the world’s economy was a problem for many investors. Workforce cuts are growing, and several big-name reliable companies in the stock market (at least for the last century or so) were crumbling.
This recession has completely changed the playing field when it comes to investments. Commodities that were not considered viable stock in the past are slowly gaining attention, and some people are even looking at investing in art. The presentation will outline how the economy affects the art. It will give an overview about the history of art as an investment and a closer inside into the topic “art as an asset class.”
About our Speaker
Dr. Petra Arends, is a qualified lawyer with a PhD in copyright law and has worked for many years as a private banker advising individuals and families in the structuring of their personal wealth. From 2003 to 2009 she was the Executive director of the UBS Art Collection and member of the UBS Brand Management Team. She developed a concept to market the bank’s extensive art collection around the word and organized several exhibitions around the world (MoMA NYC; Tate Modern London, Foundation Beyeler, Switzerland; Mori Art Museum Tokyo; NAMOC Beijing; Shanghai Art Museum; Guangdong Museum of Art etc.)
12 Dec 2010 – Viva Christmas Party
This is a members-only event. Join the Viva team and members for our festive get-together at Terra on 8 December. This month, our speaker will be Lexie Morris who left a successful career in corporate strategy in the UK to go it alone in Beijing in setting up a cupcake bakery. Lexie will talk about her motivations for her career change and offer advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.
About our speaker
Lexie Morris upped sticks and moved to Beijing from the UK in late 2009 to set up the Lollipop Bakery. Fresh from Cambridge with a BA in Oriental Studies (Mandarin), she launched herself into a job in corporate strategy in London only to discover that it was not her cup of tea at all. Eighteen months later, armed with a business plan and a clutch of recipes tested on colleagues at her firm, Lexie made the leap, handed in her resignation, and came to China to follow her dream.
Members-only event
As every year, our Viva Christmas party is a members-only event. If you are not yet a member, it’s not too late to join – visit the MEMBERSHIP page to sign up online and you can pay the annual fees (just RMB 350) when you arrive at the party.
TERRA
TERRA is a cevicheria & bar owned and operated by female restaurateur, Gaby Alves from SALT. TERRA is Gaby’s third restaurant in Beijing and serves contemporary cuisine with Peruvian inspirations. It offers a full ceviche menu as well as al a carte options. For VIVA’S Christmas, Gaby has selected a delicious range of healthy canapés including TERRA’S ceviche, cassava croquettes and traditional mini-empanadas. www.terrabeijing.com
24 Nov 2010 – The Art of the Matter
British national Karen Smith came to Beijing in 1992 to explore what was happening with the new art scene in China. Today, almost twenty years on, she has become part of that scene; twenty years in which Chinese art has emerged on the international stage. In that time, Karen has become a writer and a curator of Chinese art, and continues in a role that she describes as a ‘cultural bridge’ between China and the outside world. Karen is currently working on a series of book projects that feature the works of China’s leading contemporary artists, and through her personal initiative, the Intelligent Alternative, she also puts her energies to supporting young and emerging artists.
Karen will talk about the role she has carved out for herself, and why all good things must come to an end.
27 Oct 2010 – Creativity at Work
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Albert Einstein
Speaker: Jasmine Keel
According to the IBM 2010 Global CEO Study, which surveyed 1,500 Chief Executive Officers from 60 countries and 33 industries worldwide, CEOs believe that, “more than rigor, management discipline, integrity or even vision, successfully navigating an increasing complex world will require creativity.”
With knowledge now being a commodity, companies are now having to rethink the way in which they work and the way in which they can maintain a competitive edge. Thus enters creativity. Creativity is a highly valued skill yet learning how to develop creativity is a new concept.
In this high-energy and inspirational seminar, Jasmine Keel will share some insights in how you can develop idea creativity as opposed to artistic creativity:
- Tapping into your inner Creative Resources
- Releasing blocks to your Creativity
- Building a Creative Thinking culture at work
This seminar will go beyond the familiar tricks and tips of how to be more creative in the workplace and dig deeper into what your full creative potential might be.
29 Sept 2010 – Stress Management
Beijing is an exciting, dynamic place to live and work, with a rhythm all its own, but the downside can be the additional stress of life here. Although many articles have been written, documentaries aired and seminars offered, stress management is still a source of confusion and mystery. We ask ourselves; “Why, after using every stress management technique at my disposal, am I still so stressed out?” Join us and learn about the real source of your stress and identify the subtle stress hints you get before the stress takes over, then learn the techniques, thinking and attitudes that will give you true power over your stress.
During the September Viva seminar we will cover the following:
* The truth about the origins of stress.
* Identify the full scope of the physical, emotional and relational outcomes of stress
* The lies that lead to out of control stress
* The physical approaches to avoiding, stopping, reducing, eliminating and/or managing stress
* Build the personal foundation that is needed to make stress management successful
Speaker: Stephannie Tebow
25 Aug 2010 – Views from the Field: Women and Humanitarian Aid
What does it take to be a humanitarian aid worker? What’s life like in the field and what are the challenges particularly faced by women? Two representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross give their perspectives from their experiences in countries around the world as different as Liberia Afghanistan and China.
What is ICRC doing in China? How does it cooperate with the Chinese Red Cross? The event will also shed some light on the work of an international organisation in China and its cooperation with local partner organisation.
Speakers:
Zofia Chlapowski is currently the Head of Administration at the Regional Delegation for East Asia Regional of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). She joined the ICRC in 2004 after three years in private banking. Over the past seven years, she has been posted to Ethiopia, Liberia, Congo (Brazzaville), Nepal and now China.
Cynthia Lee is Communication Delegate for the ICRC’s Regional Delegation for East Asia. For the past five years, she has specialized in communications for the non-profit sector on a wide range of humanitarian and development issues, living and working in Afghanistan and Botswana. Prior to her experience in the field, she worked for several years as a news journalist.
28 July 2010 – MadWomen! A Perspective on Images of Women in Advertising
This is a Viva members-only eventJoin us on Wednesday July 28th for our summer members-only event, and it will be a special one!
Viva member Kathy Wood of Saatchi & Saatchi will lead us through a look at the range of images of women used in advertising today. What do they represent? What’s the research behind them? As the global planner at Saatchi & Saatchi for Procter and Gamble, Kathy will share her perspective with us and lead us through in a discussion of some of the trends in advertising today in China as well as globally. We’ll take a look at different campaigns and what they represent.
Ever wonder what goes on in one of the world’s most prestigious advertising agencies?
For this event we’re on the move and the event will be hosted in the penthouse of the Saatchi & Saatchi offices.
This unique space is featured in leading architectural and design magazines for its contemporary design. A special thanks to Saatchi & Saatchi for hosting us this month and we’re excited to share with our members this incredible inside look into the world of advertising.
Please register early as we are asking for your input prior to the event. Kathy is going to address our comments and thoughts based on these two questions:
1. Overall please share what you think of images of women in advertising
2. Please give an example of an image you like and one you don’t like
Not a member of Viva? Now’s a great time to join as we host a number of special events for our members as well as offer other services such as our popular mentorship program.
About our speaker
Having started her career as a media auditor Kathy soon moved to the glamorous world of the advertising agency as an account planner. She has worked at several international agencies including Young and Rubicam, Publicis and now Saatchi & Saatchi. Clients include Unilever International, Colgate Palmolive, Pirelli, Danone, Kraft Jacob Suchard, Campbell’s, Müller, Lancôme, and Coca-Cola
In 2006 Kathy moved to Beijing with her partner for “an adventure†and shortly afterwards became the Regional Planning Director across Asia for Saatchi & Saatchi on Pampers. She was promoted to the role of Planning Director China P&G Brands early in 2010 (Olay, Head and Shoulders, Crest, Ariel, Safeguard)
Kathy won Gold in the IPA Effectiveness Awards, the top UK competition for advertising effectiveness. She has also won Gold twice in the Campaign Poster Effectiveness Awards.
Kathy loves travel, living in China, Tim, reading and her collection of shoes!
30 June 2010 – Optimal Energy Through Your Workday
Do you:
- Frequently eat lunch on the run and need some ideas for better nutrition?
- Do you feel sleepy shortly after lunch?
- Must have coffee in the afternoon?
- Find yourself craving something sweet late afternoon?
- Get so hungry at dinner/lunch time that you’d lose your cool?
Then join us for the Viva June event, where nutritionist Olivia Lee will outline how food choices can have a significant impact on your energy levels through your day and affect your work. Pick up some valuable nutrition tips for eating out that can help keep your energy on track and learn how to choose the more nutritious items on a menu – even where you thought there may be none! Olivia will also look at how organic the organic produce available in China really is, and as always our presentation will be followed by Q&A, networking and drinks.
About our Speaker
Olivia Lee is a Singaporean mother with an MSc in Nutrition from the US and a certification in counseling from Singapore. Olivia’s coaching programs are designed to help people make good nutrition choices become truly ingrained in their lives for long-term success, and to achieve a better sense of life-long wellness.
26 May 2010 – Viva AGM and Birthday Celebration
Please note this is a members-only eventJoin us on Wednesday 26 May as we celebrate two years of the Beijing Professional Women’s Network. This FREE, members-only event will take place at the Westin Chaoyang Hotel and is a great opportunity to vote on the available committee positions, and network with other members over a glass of wine and a slice of Viva birthday cake!
28 April 2010 – Helping Rural China Escape Poverty
Sara will share insights on the microfinance landscape in China, the regulatory outlook of non-profits, and the social impact of helping people to help themselves.
The number of people living below the poverty line in China is larger than the entire population of Russia. Enter two young American girls who founded Wokai (“I Start” in Chinese) in 2007, now a media darling that is termed the “Facebook for Farmers in China.” With the rural population left behind in China’s runaway growth, Casey Wilson and Courtney McColgan identified microfinance as the only viable solution to narrowing the rural-urban income gap. Wokai’s online peer-to-peer fundraising portal allows individual donors outside of China to finance micro-entrepreneurs to start small businesses, and Wokai partners with local NGOs in Sichuan and Inner Mongolia to manage local operations. Since its website has gone live in November 2008, Wokai has raised over RMB 1 million that is helping over 300 micro-entrepreneurs.Wokai’s success has been followed
by Bloomberg Asia, CCTV News, Phoenix TV, China Daily and CNBC, and many others.
Sara Jane Ho received a BA in English and Government from Georgetown University and is headed to Harvard Business School this fall. Prior to volunteering for Wokai in Beijing, Hong Kong and New York, she was an investment banking analyst at Perella Weinberg Partners and Morgan Stanley.
31 March 2010 – ‘Think Like Chinese’
Whether you’ve been in China for decades of just got off the plane, this is a must attend seminar.
What are the core differences in how Chinese think, and how do those differences influence the way that Chinese people communicate and conduct business?
Our China expert for this seminar will be Helen Zhang,the author of the highly acclaimed book “Think Like Chinese” which serves as an in depth guide to help more people understand China and the Chinese people.
Copies of Helen’s book will be available for sale at the event.
About the Speaker
Helen grew up in Beijing China, then worked and lived in Sydney, Australia for 8 years (in management consulting, investment banking and wealth management) before returning back to Beijing in 2002 with her family.
Since 2005 Helen operates a China based strategic consulting business in Beijing. Her main focus has been advising multinational corporate and overseas government clients on various China challenges at the senior executive level, also consults to Chinese businesses going global.
Helen holds an MBA, a Master of Business in Finance from Australia and a BA (English Language and Literature) from Peking University, China.
24 Feb 2010 – Viva Speed Networking
This event is for members only. Join us for Viva’s annual speed networking event and meet others in your sector or industry.
27 Jan 2010 – ‘New Year, New Challenges’
“Talent acquisition is the singular most critical role all of us play in the development of our organizations; without utilizing and celebrating the passion of your workforce, no growth is achievable, no vision is attainable. Employee engagement and development is everybody’s responsibility, from the President and COO down.”
So says Susie Bates, VP of Recruitment at United Family Hospitals. At our first event of 2010, Susie will share some of her experiences of her 30 years of hands-on experience in the HR arena in Beijing, looking at the fascinating evolution of the role of HR Manager in foreign companies over that time; she will hold an interactive discussion on the skill sets that companies look for when interviewing for key roles within organizations operating in China today, and take questions from VIVA members on their job search and recruitment issues.
Speaker: Susie Bates, VP at United Family Healthcare
12 Dec 2009 – Viva Christmas Party!
Please note this is a members-only eventCome and celebrate the holiday season with Viva. Our guest speaker (and Viva member) Tina Redshaw will share her experiences of working in Asia, including her four years as British Ambassador to Timor Leste, a colourful and fascinating new nation that few people have visited.
Enjoy a glass of champagne, thanks to Links Moving Asia and East Meets West Fine Wines. Win fabulous prizes in our raffle, including:
- return business class airfare to Bali on Garuda Indonesia
- one year gym membership from Westin Beijing Chaoyang
- full body massage from Heavenly Spa at Westin Financial Street
- dining vouchers from Agua, Mughal’s and ROOMbeijing restaurants
- Pakistani cooking classes for four people at The Hutong
Pre-Event Mentorship Session
A mentee information session will be held before this event for those interested in taking part in our new mentorship program. This session will be held before our Christmas party at The Westin Beijing Chaoyang, commencing at 6pm sharp, and will be your chance to meet the mentors and learn more about the programme.
Contact Katja (projects@vivabeijing.org) to register your interest to become a mentee and reserve your seat for the information session.
Full details of the mentorship program, including profiles of our mentors and the application form, are now available on this website for members. Click http://www.vivabeijing.org/mentors.php to view. Please note that you will need to log in to access this information. If you cannot view this section, please check that your membership is up-to-date.
About the Programme
Our mentorship programme provides Viva members with an opportunity to learn (and gain insight) from their mentor’s life experience and professional knowledge. The programme is exclusive to Viva members only. All mentors are members of the Viva and have volunteered their time for the programme. Viva members can find more information here:
http://www.vivabeijing.org/mentors.php (please note only logged-in, paid-up members can view these pages).
25 Nov 2009 – Impossible is Nothing – Transform your Work and Life!
Why do we too often achieve only a fraction of our potential? What do you really wish for your life and career – and how can you make that happen?
In this stimulating and interactive talk Sarah will share:
- Practical strategies for overcoming engrained and limiting ways of thinking
- Inspirational stories of people (famous and ordinary) who’ve transformed their lives
- Resources and tips for living a life and career on full throttle.
You will leave with a new sense of what is possible for you, personally and professionally. Come and have fun!
About the speaker:
Sarah Cooper is fascinated by the limits we place on ourselves and by what triggers and sustains transformational change. Through her business Cows From My Window, Sarah helps mid-career professionals though radical career and lifestyle transitions. Her clients’ impetus for change is a desire to follow a passion, express their creativity or help people or society in some way and at the same time lead a richer, more family-friendly lifestyle.
You can find out more about Sarah’s coaching, workshops and teleclasses, and read her blog, at www.cowsfrommywindow.com
05 Nov 2009 – *NEW DATE & PLACE: The Woman of the House: From Single Mother to CEO
This is a members-only event. As a young single mother from Utah with limited means, Fredy Bush seemed destined for a life of struggle and poverty in her native land. But with her two young children in tow and a commitment to provide for them, Ms. Bush made a bold decision to seek her future in Greater China. Today, as CEO of Xinhua Sports & Entertainment Limited, a leading sports and entertainment media company in China, Ms. Bush looks back on her journey and reflects on the challenges she faced in performing her roles as a young single mother, business leader and philanthropist in a foreign land.
We expect a high turn-out for this event and therefore will start promptly at 7pm. Please note that, on this occasion, we will close the doors at 7 and will be unable to admit latecomers so recommend that you arrive in good time.
This event is not open to the media.
23 Sept 2009 – Mentorship
Viva is very excited about launching our first mentorship program. Our guest speaker Cindy Jensen has been a long time advocate of mentoring. She describes her first experience of having a mentor as “being blessed with a mentor who influenced her careerâ€.
This seminar will provide practical information and tools for individuals who are considering a mentor for their own personal or professional development. In addition Cindy will share how organisations can initiate and develop a Corporate Mentorship programme including examples of companies that have been successful in branding their programmes. The second part of her talk will be dedicated to the launch of the Viva mentorship programme and how you can get involved.
Some discussion highlights are:
- How to identify a potential mentor;
- As a mentee, how to take leadership and initiative in the mentorship relationship;
- How to identify if you are ready to be a mentor.
About the Speaker:
Cindy Jensen is General Manager of BOLDMOVES CHINA, a consulting firm specialising in talent management with an emphasis on leadership training, change management and executive coaching.An entrepreneur with experience of working with MNCs, Cindy is also Vice Chair of the Canada China Business Council and a current student of the Rutgers EMBA program. Cindy has been living in China for over seven years.
26 Aug 2009 – Personal Branding
Tracy Driscoll, recruiter, career coach and communications specialist will present a talk on Personal Branding, outlining the reasons why more professionals are starting to pay attention to this topic today and why those who aren’t should be. Do you know how you are perceived? When was the last time you updated your resume and thought about personal presentation? Do you have an elevator pitch? And how could this knowledge help you achieve your goals? These questions and more will be explored.
29 July 2009 – Generation Y Women in the Workforce
Hannah Seligson is the author of two books and many articles on issues relating to young women and their careers. For her latest book, “New Girl on The Job”, she interviewed over a hundred women about their experiences in the workplace. During a special trip to China, she will share her insights on ‘Generation Y Women in the Workforce’. Join us if you are a Gen Y woman or if you want to deepen your understanding of this upcoming generation.
24 June 2009 – Entrepreneurship
Being an entrepreneur is a state of mind, not a job description. Entrepreneurs drive business opportunities from nothing, whether independently or from within massive organizations. Your core expertise may be operations, sales, research, people or finance, but if you have the spirit you can be an entrepreneur. Sarah has experienced building, selling and closing her own companies, as well as being a hired gun to more traditional corporations. By leveraging her personal entrepreneurial style, she’s been able to drive significant new revenue models in a variety of industries and countries by always playing the customer advocate. Join us to learn how she did that, while raising three children and participating in numerous philanthropic organisations.
Sarah Bajc is currently Senior VP for hiSoft, a post in which she drives growth strategies to enable this global software outsourcing company to reach the worldwide top 10 ranking in the next few years. Before joining hiSoft, she drove domestic R&D partnerships for Microsoft in Beijing. Prior to that, Sarah ran US operations of an Israeli software quality firm, where she helped take the firm public in London. Before that, she founded four companies. Sarah began her career in Management Consulting.
20 May 2009 – Viva AGM and 1st Birthday Party
Wednesday 20th May sees Viva turn 1 year old! Join us for our annual general meeting (AGM) where we will hold elections for committee positions, including those of President, Programme Manager, Events Manager, Marketing Manager, Membership Benefits Manager and Secretary. Voting will be followed by a speech by King King Wang, Vice President at J.P. Morgan and Chase and an active member of the Dandelion Project, a grassroots organization of professional women in China who network and provide financial support for Chinese charities.The Dandelion Project capitalizes on international and local resources, and its expertise to ensure measurable improvements for women and children in China. Following this, it will be time for birthday celebrations, with cake, wine and networking.
29 April 2009 – Viva Speed Networking
(Members-only event)
Connect with like-minded people
This event will make it easy for you to meet fellow Viva members who share your professional interests. We have created 7 sub-groups based on industry – these include a legal and financial services sub-group, and one for people in the arts and creative fields, amongst others. At the event you will choose your 3 preferred groups and spend 15 minutes talking with each in turn. Following this there will be free flow networking.
Come along and get to know Viva members better than you ever have before!
Please note that our April event is exclusively for members only; to find out more about joining Viva, please check the MEMBERSHIP page.
25 March 2009 – MBTI: Who am I? Who are you?
Through this brief introduction to the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) the world’s most widely used personality indicator, you will start to understand and appreciate yourself and others better. Join us for this fun and interactive session to find out how you can communicate more effectively and build better relationships.
About the Speaker
Rosemary is a certified practitioner of MBTI, the world’s most widely used personality indicator, and has been applying Personality Type theory to her work for almost ten years. Rosemary has more than 20 years experience in corporate communications and organizational development. She has helped organizations through major change initiatives, designed and delivered leadership development training programs, lead corporate identity renewals and strategic marketing programs, and managed cross cultural education projects. Rosemary has lived and worked in Canada, Germany, Thailand, England and China.
25 Feb 2009 – CSR as Business Strategy
Ms Clare Pearson, CSR Manager of international law firm DLA Piper in Asia, will present the current trends in corporate social responsibility (CSR) in China and explain how CSR can represent a valuable competitive advantage during economic downturn.
Ms. Clare Pearson, is the CSR Manager of international law firm DLA Piper in Asia (Bangkok, Singapore, HK, Shanghai, Tokyo and Beijing). A UK qualified lawyer, her role involves advising clients on issues relating to corporate governance, supply chain management, environmental degradation and community/government relations. She provides a combination of legal advice and recommendations as to best practices in each field. Further responsibilities include establishing partnerships with government charities in China, sitting on clients’ ethics committees in Beijing and assisting with the international integration of DLA Piper’s Asia offices. She has worked at DLA Piper for ten years.
21 Jan 2009 – Viva January Event
Join us for our first event of 2009 with guest speaker Roberta Lipson, CEO of Chindex International and Chairman of the Board of United Family Hospitals. Roberta has a unique story to tell and we are thrilled that she will spend an evening sharing her trials and tribulations, disappointments and triumphs of business based in China.
10 Dec 2008 – Socialism Is Great! Book Talk* Members Only Christmas Special
Please note that this is a members-only event”Socialism Is Great” is a spirited memoir by a former Chinese factory worker who grew up in Nanjing, participated in the Tiananmen Square protest, and ended up an international journalist.
Lijia Zhang worked as a teenager in a factory producing missiles designed to reach North America, queuing every month to give evidence to the “period police” that she wasn’t pregnant. In the oppressive routine of guarded compounds and political meetings, Zhang’s disillusionment with “The Glorious Cause” drove her to study English, which strengthened her intellectual independence—from bright, western-style clothes, to organizing the largest demonstration by Nanjing workers in support of the Tiananmen Square protest in 1989.
By narrating the changes in her own life, Zhang chronicles the momentous shift in China’s economic policy: her factory, still an ICBM manufacturer, won the bid to cast a giant bronze Buddha as the whole country went mad for profit.
Written in English, “Socialism Is Great!” is a testament to Zhang’s personal triumph over the controlled existence that was supposed to be her destiny.
26 Nov 2008 – How to Build Trust Across Cultures
Our speaker for the November event is Edith Coron, a global leadership and intercultural communication specialist based in Beijing, China. Edith provides a wide range of international corporations with coaching services and training programs in Global Competencies, Intercultural Awareness and Multicultural Team Building, amongst others. She has studied in the intercultural field with leading theoreticians and practitioners and is certified to deliver the Cultural Orientations Indicator® and trained in the REN Coaching Model© (coaching adapted to Chinese values).
29 Oct 2008 – Communicating in the Midst of Conflict
You may have learned how to be assertive and to be a good listener but how do you react to defensive responses? Communications training often overlooks this difficult area of conflict. This will be the focus of Kathryn Tonges’ talk in addition to understanding how to get your needs met without being a dictator or a doormat.
24 Sept 2008 – Viva supports the Women in Business Conference
Extraordinary Times Call for Extraordinary Women
Are Women Leaders Born, Made or Do They “Make” Themselves?
Beijing’s First Annual Women in Business Conference will be a salute to the most successful business women in China. Throughout history, women have risen to the top of society becoming renowned leaders and thinkers. Today we can find women in the top layers of business, government, academia and almost everywhere we look, but we might have to look hard. In most fields women are unrepresented, and those who have in fact made it to the highest levels are rare. Women have made many substantial contributions to the world we live in, but the playing field is not level.
Women at the top have a certain quality and mindset that provides the fuel for their success. What are these character traits that drive successful women to the top? Is it realistic to think that all women can have these same opportunities if they are determined work hard? Or are there other factors that contribute to the success of super-star business women?
Agenda
Diversity Programs The costs, benefits and “how-tos†of organizing
Work / Life Balance How do the most successful women achieve an effective balance?
Women Entrepreneurs What can they teach corporate executives about becoming even more effective?
Business Creativity Hear and learn from case studies of how women have made substantial contributions to their companies and their industries
Leadership Styles How do men and women differ in their leadership styles? How can we leverage our strengths and compensate for our weaknesses?
Boardroom Access For the senior-most women, gaining a seat on the corporate board is an important career goal. Planning for this can’t be too early, we need to start now. Strategies for being invited to join the board will be explored.
Financial Sector in Crisis Rarely seen in the industry, women are in fact major players in Finance. What do top-tier women predict will be the implications of the global credit crisis in the near term, the long term?
See www.china-wib.net for more information
Click on the banner to register and receive your 25% Viva member discount
24 Sept 2008 – Effective Networking for Women
Would you like to get more from your time spent networking? Our guest speaker, Angela Keane, will look at practical strategies to help you feel more confident and maximise the results of your networking.
Ms Keane is a senior training and coaching executive, drawing on over 20 years corporate experience spanning the UK, pan-Asian and global media markets. Ms Keane now runs her own training, coaching and facilitation business, which focuses on effective business communication, cross-cultural training and executive coaching. Clients include Boston Consulting Group, Novo Nordisk, Bayer, Siemens, European Union, The British Council, Nokia, Coca Cola.
27 Aug 2008 – VIVA Summer Members-Only Party!
The Hutong, a traditional hutong courtyard located close to the Lama Temple.
(This event is for VIVA members-only) Come and celebrate summer with the VIVA team and members! Our special members-only evening will start with champagne and snacks served on a beautiful hutong rooftop terrace and will be followed by a class in Chinese dumpling-making in The Hutong kitchen. This is a great chance to meet your fellow VIVA members in a relaxed and informal setting.
30 July 2008 – 10 Strategies for Developing & Retaining High Potential Staff
Recruiting and retaining good staff is a universal problem and is particularly challenging in China. At this Viva event, guest speaker Stacy Palestrant, Executive Director of CHINA 2024 (a project of the management consulting firm Katzenbach Partners) will speak on “10 Strategies for Developing and Retaining Your High Potential Staff”. To be followed with networking, drinks and canape’s.
25 June 2008 – Analysing Financial Statements: A Brief Overview
Viva and Rutgers joint event
What are the strengths and weaknesses in your financial statements? Learn tips and techniques from Rutgers professor Suresh Govindaraj as he presents “Financial Statements: a brief overview” showing you ways to understand and analyse the performance of business corporations from different industries. Followed by networking, drinks & canape’s.
Top 3 benefits of attending:
- Learn tips and techniques to analyse performance of business corporations
- Learn how to integrate knowledge from different areas to solve business problems
- Knowledge gained will serve you well in starting your own business, running a company or managing your investments (including pension plans or retirement funds)
A student view of Prof. Govindaraj:
“I will never view a financial statement in the same way again. His courses changed all that. His approach is totally case-based, with cases (all financial statements from actual companies) sometimes just a few weeks old! Suresh is totally brilliant.”
28 May 2008 – Launch party
Join us on the last Wednesday of this month for our first event of the year! Come along to hear Jeanne-Marie Gescher OBE, founder and CEO of Strategy Consultancy CGA ( www.cga-china.com ), speak on: “China – A Proxy for the Planet?” She will share some perspectives on China’s challenges, promise and direction in the context of planet, people and markets. Following the presentation, there will be networking, drinks & canapes.