Sunrise in the East: Chinese Brands Going Global - Building Trust, Relevance and Growth Across International Markets
Chinese brands are stepping confidently onto the world stage – not simply exporting products, but building international identities, earning consumer trust, and reshaping industries around the world.
Now in its third year, the Brand Finance China Brand Forum returns to the prestigious Mansion House in the City of London. Bringing together business leaders, investors, diplomats, policymakers, and media from across China and Europe, the Forum provides a unique platform to explore the opportunities and challenges facing Chinese brands as they expand globally.
Through keynote presentations, panel discussions, and networking, the Forum provides a unique platform to explore the opportunities and challenges facing Chinese brands as they expand globally.
Key Themes:
Conference followed by networking buffet | Dress Code: Smart Business
Join us as we explore how Chinese brands are reshaping global business and what this means for the future of international brand building.
| 16:30 – 17:00 | Registration |
| 17:00 – 17:10 | Welcome Address David Haigh, Chairman, Brand Finance |
| 17:10 - 17:25 | China City Index Presentation Scott Chen, Managing Director, Brand Finance China |
| 17:25 – 17:40 | Guest Speaker Presentations |
| 17:40 – 18:20 | Panel Discussion | Chinese Brands Going Global: Building International Success: Opportunities for Chinese Brands Going Global Chinese brands are becoming increasingly influential across international markets, but some sectors offer greater opportunities for global growth than others. From technology and automotive to fashion, e-commerce and social media, this panel will explore where Chinese brands have the strongest competitive advantages, what is driving their success, and which sectors could produce the next generation of truly global Chinese brands. |
| 18:20 – 18:55 | Panel Discussion | Breaking Barriers: The Challenges of Going Global As Chinese brands expand internationally, they must navigate a very different set of commercial, cultural and geopolitical challenges. From language, localisation and consumer perceptions to tariffs, market access, marketing costs and established distribution networks, this panel will explore the barriers Chinese companies face overseas – and what it takes to overcome them and build lasting global brands. |
| 18:55 – 19:00 | Conclusions David Haigh, Chairman, Brand Finance |
| 19:00 – 20:30 | Drinks Reception |
Xinhua News Agency, or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. It is a ministry-level institution of the State Council. It is the country's largest media outlet.
The China Brand Global Journey is an initiative launched by the Xinhua News Agency to systematically elevate the global presence, value, and influence of Chinese brands.
Founded in Paris in 1983, Nouvelles d'Europe is one of Europe’s largest Chinese cultural and media groups. It operates five regional offices across the UK, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, Italy and Spain, supported by a network of representatives in more than 20 countries. Its UK edition, launched in 2011, has a weekly circulation of over 35,000 copies across 21 cities in the UK. Its English media brand China Minutes reaches more than 3 million followers across social media, while its media IPs generate over 1 billion annual views on TikTok and Instagram. The organisation also specialises in business and cultural exchange consultancy, film distribution, art curation, festivals and live performance production.
ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) (中国工商银行), is one of the largest and most influential banks in the world. Established in 1984, ICBC has grown rapidly to become the world’s biggest bank by total assets, market capitalization, and customer deposits. It is a state-owned commercial bank headquartered in Beijing and operates under the direct control of the Chinese government.
ICBC provides a full range of financial services, including corporate banking, personal banking, and investment banking. Its offerings span loans, deposits, credit cards, wealth management, international trade financing, and electronic banking. The bank serves both domestic and international clients and has a significant global footprint, with branches and subsidiaries in more than 40 countries across Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa.
Often regarded as one of China’s "Big Four" banks (alongside Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Agricultural Bank of China), ICBC plays a central role in supporting China’s economic development and overseas investment. It is also a key participant in major initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, providing financing and banking services to infrastructure and trade projects worldwide
ICBC-AXA Life is a prominent life insurance joint venture in China, established in 2012 through a partnership between the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the French insurance giant AXA Group, and China Minmetals Corporation. Headquartered in Shanghai, the company was formed with a registered capital of RMB 12.505 billion and operates with a shareholder structure of 60% ICBC, 27.5% AXA, and 12.5% China Minmetals.
The company offers a comprehensive range of insurance products, including life, health, accident, critical illness, travel, retirement, and investment-linked insurance plans Pacific Prime. These services cater to both local residents and expatriates across China, supported by a network of 19 provincial branches and an asset management subsidiary.
Bosideng (波司登) is a leading Chinese clothing company best known for its high-quality down jackets. Founded in 1976 by Gao Dekang in Jiangsu Province, the brand has grown from a local manufacturer into China’s largest producer of down outerwear and one of the country’s most recognized fashion names. While its core business remains in down jackets, Bosideng has expanded its portfolio to include men’s wear, women’s wear, and children’s clothing. The company is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the code 3998.HK and has increasingly positioned itself as a global competitor to luxury outerwear brands such as Canada Goose and Moncler. In recent years, Bosideng has expanded its international presence, opening flagship stores in fashion capitals including London, Milan, and New York. Known for combining warmth, comfort, and style with technical innovation, the brand continues to strengthen its reputation both domestically and abroad.
The People's Insurance Company of China Limited, known as PICC Group or just PICC, is a Chinese listed insurer. The Chinese Central Government is the controlling shareholder. The group contains the major subsidiaries: PICC Asset Management, PICC Life as well as PICC Property and Casualty.
JD Logistics, also known as JINGDONG Logistics is a Chinese supply chain management and logistics company. It is a subsidiary of JD.com.
Established in 2018, Cheng International Co. Ltd is a trading company mainly engaged in the importing and exporting of high-end Chinese Baijiu and its culture across Europe.
David is the Chairman of Brand Finance Plc – the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. He has worked in the area of branded business, brand, and intangible asset valuation since 1991. He specialised entirely in the field after becoming the Director of Brand Valuation for Interbrand in 1995. He subsequently left Interbrand in 1996 to launch Brand Finance which is celebrating 25 years in business this year.
David represented the British Standards Institution in the working parties responsible for crafting international industry standards: ISO 10668 on Brand Valuation in 2010 and ISO 20671 on Brand Evaluation in 2019.
David is a passionate writer and has authored many articles on brand valuation, published in numerous marketing and finance newspapers and magazines, such as: Financial Times, Accountancy Age, and Marketing Week. He has also lectured on the topic of brand valuation for Harvard, Chicago, and London Business Schools.
David graduated from Bristol University with an English degree, qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in London, and obtained a postgraduate diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has a practising certificate with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Scott co-founded Brand Finance China where he is currently Managing Director for the company. Over the years he has led the China team, jointly with the UK headquarters and other international offices branches of Brand Finance, to lay a solid foundation for the Greater China business. Scott is involved in project discovery, pitching, planning, technology input and final delivery across all China related projects, both domestically and internationally.
Scott has more than 25 years of experience in branding and marketing services within China where he experienced the start of Chinese branding from the 1980s after China's Opening Up Policy, and subsequently accumulated rich knowledge and expertise of the Chinese market. In addition to this, Scott has spent over 10 years both studying and working in the UK where he undertook his Postgraduate and Doctoral studies in Finance and Investment. His experience includes financial management and project investment for a world class insurance group and project management for global giants such as State Grid, Apple, Alibaba, Shell and COFCO, etc.
In addition to this, Scott is responsible for the daily management and operation of all other areas of Brand Finance China. He holds thorough expertise in technology, brand valuation and the strategic consulting for brand value growth and it is this unique vantage point of the Chinese market that gives Scott the ability to spot new opportunities and strengthen networks continuously and steadily in the region.
Gao Dekang
Chairman of Textile & Garment Chamber of Commerce, All-China Association of Industry & Commerce
Chairman of the Board and President of Bosideng International Holdings Ltd.
Gao Dekang is a typical representative of the first generation of entrepreneurs since China's reform and opening up. He has been focusing on the textile and garment industry for 49 years, specialising in building his own brand, and has written a warm history of struggling for ‘China's global leadership in down apparel’, and driven the development of China's down industry to become an advantageous industry with global market competitiveness.
As an entrepreneur with a strong sense of social responsibility, Mr. Gao Dekang, returns to the society, promotes the revitalisation of the countryside, contributes to the common prosperity, and is enthusiastic about charity and public welfare, with a cumulative total of more than 1.4 billion RMB of donations to the society.
Antoaneta has lived and worked in China for more than 20 years. In her most recent role as a Director, Consumer Economy for the China Britain Business Council, she has supported numerous British consumer companies entering and expanding into the Chinese market.
Prior to joining CBBC, she worked as a Beijing-based reporter for several international media publications including the Economist Intelligence Unit and USA Today, covering China’s economic and social affairs. She has reported on some of the main trends and policies that have defined China’s economic trajectory over the years 2000-2010 including China’s stateowned enterprises reforms, the emergence of free trade zones, the rise of digital economy and the ascendence of the Chinese consumer.
Antoaneta is a fluent Mandarin Chinese speaker. She holds a Bachelor’s in Chinese Language and Literature and a Master’s in Chinese Contemporary Literature & Film from Peking University.
Lynn Du is the LEPAS UK Marketing Director at Chery International, leading brand launch and growth strategies for LEPAS in the UK market. With over 13 years of leadership in the global automotive sector across China, Italy, and the UK, Lynn brings extensive expertise in brand internationalization, DTC business model innovation, and market entry strategies across electric, hybrid, and ICE vehicle segments. Prior to her current role, she led the successful launch of OMODA & JAECOO in Italy and managed premium flagship portfolios at Ford China. She holds an MBA from Fudan University.