Built for What’s Next - Forvis Mazars successfully participated in the 7th CIIE
Attending the expo for the fifth consecutive year, Forvis Mazars, an international audit, tax and advisory firm, made its debut this time with a new brand image. Under the theme “Built for What’s Next”, the firm successfully hosted nearly 30 themed forums and presentations over six days, showcasing its deep understanding and exploration of key contemporary issues such as green sustainable development, digitalization, and diversity and inclusion. This comprehensive approach empowers corporate clients across various industries and the entire supply chain to navigate the future with confidence and steady growth.
Talent drives success, and the “Campus Recruitment Live Broadcast” was a new highlight at Forvis Mazars’ booth this year, attracting many graduates from the class of 2025 to engage actively in the live streaming sessions. During the presentations, recruitment channels from our offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi’an also received a significant number of resumes from interested students.
The Forvis Mazars booth attracted many visitors during the expo
Leaders from the Shanghai municipal government and the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone also visited the Forvis Mazars booth at the expo, highly praising the firm’s positive contributions to the economic development of the Pudong New Area. They expressed hope that Forvis Mazars would continue to serve as a bridge for Sino-foreign exchanges and play an even more important role. Dr. Julie Laulusa, Member of Forvis Mazars Group Executive Board and Managing Partner of Forvis Mazars in China, welcomed the visiting leaders and pledged that Forvis Mazars would continue to deepen its presence in Pudong, serve Shanghai, and extend its influence nationwide, fully utilizing its strengths to contribute to the economic prosperity of the Pudong New Area.
[from left: Dr. Julie Laulusa, Member of Forvis Mazars Group Executive Board and Managing Partner of Forvis Mazars in China; Wu Jincheng, Deputy Secretary General of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Pudong New Area Committee and Mayor of the Pudong New Area; Yuan Yefeng,Deputy Director of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lujiazui Administration Bureau.]
“I’m very pleased to have completed the first ‘Five-Year Commitment of the CIIE’ this year. The expo has now become a common agreement for mutual engagement between China and the world. We are excited to empower companies to accurately grasp the dynamics of domestic and international markets through this globally beneficial open platform, sharing new opportunities for future development,” Dr. Laulusa said. “Based on being at the forefront of our times, we continue to focus on important issues in global and Chinese economic development, providing key guidance and comprehensive support for business growth. This year, our panels invited many guests from the consumer goods and automotive sectors, as well as Chinese brands, all of whom are leading enterprises across the entire industry chain. Leveraging our keen insights into industry trends and our extensive global network, we offer tailored integrated professional services to clients across various sectors and promote close collaboration and innovative development between industries.”
Dr. Julie Laulusa, Member of Forvis Mazars Group Executive Board and Managing Partner of Forvis Mazars in China
Discussing Key Issues of Our Times to Support Sustainable Development for Enterprises
This year, Forvis Mazars hosted nearly 30 themed forums and presentations covering a wide range of fields, including professional services, consumer goods, automotive, and legal sectors. Forvis Mazars’ Experts gathered with business leaders from various industries to deeply discuss core topics such as new opportunities for foreign investment, international tax compliance, corporate governance under the new company law, and new policies and development opportunities in the Greater Bay Area. The aim was to help more enterprises seize opportunities in the complex and ever-changing Chinese market and achieve long-term sustainable development.
Based on deep insights into the consumer goods sector, Forvis Mazars successfully hosted the forum titled "Redefining consumer experience: How to meet Chinese consumers’ multifaceted pursuit of quality, service, and nature" on November 7. The forum featured Sebastien Bodennec, Managing Director of Babolat Mainland China, Hong Kong & Macau; Nicolas Morineaux, CEO of Galeries Lafayette China; and Christophe Lauras, Chief Operating Officer of Accor Greater China, who participated online. They discussed new trends in the Chinese consumer market, the evolving demands of consumers for brands in a digital environment, and how to reshape consumer experiences through innovative thinking.
The roundtable “Redefining consumer experience: How to meet Chinese consumers’ multifaceted pursuit of quality, service, and nature”
Sebastien Bodennec, Managing Director of Babolat China Mainland, Hong Kong & Macau, said, "Thanks to the rapid development of China's economy and the increasing focus of China on sports, we have seen a faster growing popularity of sports in China after the pandemic. Whether professional athletes or amateur enthusiasts, the trend is that everyone is seeking higher-quality sports products. Their objective is not only to practice better but also to improve their health. As a 150-year-old sports brand, Babolat aims to deliver the best products and services to consumers, providing multiple added values, including product design. Babolat focuses on innovation to increase the performance of its athletes and use it as well to make accessible this high-end sport equipment from top worldwide players to amateur. This also meets their ever-changing aesthetic needs."
The development and changes in e-commerce and Chinese consumer habits are another significant trend that profoundly influences consumers' expectations for the shopping experience in department stores. In this regard, Nicolas Morineaux, CEO of Galeries Lafayette China, stated, "I believe our first task is to reconnect with brands and the various designers from those brands, bringing global brands into China while also presenting them to consumers. Secondly, we need to invite all consumers back to the department store experience. By creating communities, exploring differentiation, and improving customer relationship management, we can ensure that all consumers feel a sense of belonging and enjoy a better shopping experience. We believe that after ten years of establishing itself in China, Galeries Lafayette can truly create its own unique business model and move forward together with partners and consumers in the next decade."
A recent research shows that approximately 70% of Chinese consumers want to engage in experiential and personalized activities during their travels and enjoy localized experiences," said Christophe Lauras, Chief Operating Officer of Accor Greater China, sharing his insights via an online connection to the panel event. "As a digitally native generation, Generation Z commonly searches for hotel resources on online platforms, and this behavior also influences travelers from other generations. Accor Group is continuously paying attention to and responding to the emerging expectations of younger generations regarding travel and hotels, notably through its industry leading loyalty program, ALL - Accor Live Limitless.”
That afternoon, representatives from three promising Chinese brands – Eric Liu, Founder and CEO of Style3D; Meng Tianchu, Founder and General Manager of UNICA; and Wang Limei, specially invited Vice President of China National Textile and Apparel Council, President of Heilongjiang Garment, Footwear and Hat Industry Association and General Manager of Trade of New Generation, attended the forum titled "New fashion ecosystem in the digital wave: The digital transformation journey of Chinese brands". This marks the fourth discussion by Forvis Mazars at the expo focusing on the topic of "Chinese Brands". The discussion was moderated by Mr. Wang Jun, Executive Chairman of China Fashion Forum and Chairman of Beijing SIGEN International Culture Development Co., Ltd.
The roundtable “New fashion ecosystem in the digital wave: The digital transformation journey of Chinese brands”
When discussing the value and driving force that digital technology development brings to Chinese fashion brands, Eric Liu, Founder and CEO of Style3D, stated, "The development of underlying technologies, especially in garment digitization, along with 3D and AI technologies, provides excellent technical support for our industry. The process from concept to a marketable product has significantly shortened from months and weeks to just hours. China achieved digitalization in the marketing field early and thoroughly. The important issue ahead for our industry is how to realize the full-chain digital transformation from design and development to promotion, sales, and manufacturing."
"E-commerce is an accelerator, and social media is an amplifier." Regarding the key roles of e-commerce platforms and social media in the digital transformation of brands, Meng Tianchu, Founder and General Manager of UNICA, shared his insights, "Unlike the past top-down, one-way output, we now establish a more equal and interconnected relationship with consumers. With the power of digital platforms and social media, we can more conveniently and clearly communicate the cultural core and values of our brand, allowing our products to more accurately reach consumers who are genuinely interested in our brand. I believe this is the greatest gift of digital transformation."
Wang Limei, specially invited Vice President of China National Textile and Apparel Council, President of Heilongjiang Garment, Footwear and Hat Industry Association and General Manager of Trade of New Generation, emphasized the importance of digitization for Chinese clothing brands going global. She said, "For clothing brands, from design to manufacturing, our ultimate goal is to connect with consumers. The 'integrated development' that combines online and offline channels can quickly establish deeper connections with consumers, and this process relies heavily on digitization. With the support of digital technology, we need to effectively combine cultural exchange, mutual understanding, innovative channels, and technical support to better enable Chinese brands to go international and become world-class brands."
At the forum titled "Unique advantages of female executives: Leading new opportunities amid uncertainty" held on November 8, Isabelle Hannedouche, Managing Director of Sodexo Greater China; Remi Paul, CEO of Safran China; Jerome Vanachter, President of Lesaffre Greater China; and Joyce Jing, CEO of ZW HR consulting, each shared their insights on the essential qualities and advantages of female executives in the current and future workplace environment, as well as the positive impact of gender balance in the workplace on businesses.
The roundtable “Unique advantages of female executives: Leading new opportunities amid uncertainty”
"Gender balance is a core issue that Sodexo has placed great emphasis on in recent years. We have observed that when a team approaches gender balance, its overall performance – including the sense of belief and commitment within the team — far exceeds that of teams with gender imbalance," said Isabelle Hannedouche, Managing Director of Sodexo Greater China. She summarized three key qualities of female executives, "First, women are more adept and resilient in handling multiple complex situations. Secondly, female executives are willing to invest more preparation time for the success of projects. Lastly, I want to emphasize that women have a more comprehensive perspective and can often identify factors that might be overlooked by men. Based on these exceptional qualities, female executives can make significant contributions to a company's sustainable development in a highly uncertain business environment."
"I have had in-depth discussions with many female executives, and I find that they tend to possess a long-term leadership style and vision for development," said Remi Paul, CEO of Safran China, when asked about the differences in style between male and female executives. "Male executives often tend to pursue performance and efficiency in a competitive environment, while female executives demonstrate greater focus, commitment, and sense of belief. Once assigned a task, they strive to execute it to perfection. In the near future, I believe female executives will occupy a significant position in our workplace, and I also think they should not emulate male leadership styles. Staying true to themselves and leveraging their unique advantages is the best choice."
Jerome Vanachter, President of Lesaffre Greater China, also shared his views at the forum, "How to ensure that every employee, especially those women with family responsibilities, has equal opportunities for development is a pressing issue we need to ponder. We need to develop empathy and incorporate gender equality into management thinking, effectively promoting gender balance from a systemic perspective. For instance, we should adopt a pragmatic approach in recruitment, change rigid mindsets, and enhance awareness of the importance of gender equality. It is worth mentioning that in Shanghai, female employees make up 60% to 65% of Lesaffre’s workforce, and many outstanding female colleagues hold executive positions in Greater China, which makes us very proud."
Regarding the recruitment market's demand for female executives, Joyce Jing, CEO of ZW HR consulting, said, "In addition to fundamental requirements such as leadership, decision-making ability, and the ability to lead teams to achieve excellent performance, clients expect female executives to demonstrate 'resilience' and 'empathy' in today's complex and changing market environment. Particularly in situations involving cross-cultural communication management, complex team challenges, and unclear future directions, companies are often more inclined to recruit female executives. In my view, this phenomenon reflects the higher standards and expectations that the market has for female executives."
In addition, to address the profound changes experienced in the automotive industry in recent years, Forvis Mazars initiated the forum titled "Restructuring and repositioning of global auto companies: How to break through amid trends of intelligence and decarbonization" on November 8. The forum featured Li Jingcheng, FORVIA Asia Strategy and Business Development Vice-President; Gregoire Olivier, Chief Operating Officer of Stellantis China; and Matthew Ye, President and CEO of Michelin Greater China & Mongolia. Together, they discussed how the automotive industry can achieve brand reshaping and maintain competitiveness in the era of artificial intelligence and big data, responding to the rapid changes in market demand while also envisioning and anticipating the future of mobility.
The roundtable “Restructuring and repositioning of global auto companies: How to break through amid trends of intelligence and decarbonization”
After witnessing the remarkable growth of the Chinese automotive industry over the past decade, Li Jingcheng, FORVIA Asia Strategy and Business Development Vice-President, stated, "I believe that Chinese automotive companies have delivered a 'high-scoring answer sheet' to the world in the new track of new energy vehicles. FORVIA has six major business segments, including seating, interior systems, automotive electronics, green mobility, lighting, and lifecycle solutions. In the face of significant changes in the automotive sector, we need to consider product restructuring and future product line layouts, including hydrogen energy, in relation to the speed of market changes and innovation requirements. Additionally, Faurecia is actively implementing a 'west-to-east' strategy. We believe that the focus of the automotive industry is gradually shifting from the West to the East, and we will take a series of measures to effectively address global issues such as carbon neutrality during this transition."
In response to the challenges posed by numerous competing brands in the market, Gregoire Olivier, Chief Operating Officer of Stellantis China, elaborated on the group's strategy, "The Chinese electric vehicle market is developing rapidly. Over the past two years, we have conducted in-depth research on all emerging and startup companies, and we invested in Leap Motor a year ago. We are also the global distributor for Li Auto, which has made significant progress in expanding into overseas markets. For the past 30 years, we have seen foreign automotive companies bring technology to China and collaborate with local companies for assembly and sales. Now, we have decided to take the opposite approach –Li Auto will bring technology to us, while we will provide marketing, parts sales and distribution, finance, and other related services to ensure that the Li brand gains recognition among consumers globally."
Regarding how AI and big data empower the automotive industry, Matthew Ye, President and CEO of Michelin Greater China & Mongolia, remarked, "Good wine needs no bush; AI helps you reach thousands of miles." He explained, "AI acts like a turbocharger, spreading brand information to target audiences rapidly and in a customized manner. In terms of business operations, using Michelin as an example, we utilize AI to accurately forecast online and offline sales volumes, reducing redundancy. Additionally, AI tools can enhance the professionalism of our after-sales team, helping customer service teams better understand consumers. Looking toward the future of mobility, we hope to create a safer and smarter fully automated transportation environment with the help of AI and big data technologies, enabling direct communication between vehicles and allowing people to experience pure driving pleasure."