Chinese women are showing that, as Mao once famously said, they do indeed “hold up half the sky”. Millions of inspiring female entrepreneurs have transformed society by smashing through glass ceilings in their respective industries; a 2021 report by Hurun Research Institute showed that China is home to an astonishing two-thirds of the world’s top female billionaires.

But the situation is not all rosy, especially further down the career ladder. In 2020, the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report found that only 9.7% of board members of publicly-listed companies in China were women, despite women accounting for 43.2% of the workforce.

Women also lag behind in the political sphere, especially at the most senior levels of China’s political system. Women represent just 8.8% (11 out of 205 seats) on the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, one of China’s highest organs of government. No woman has ever sat on the Politburo Standing Committee.

This lack of political representation reflects some of the broader social issues facing women in China. Traditional gender roles do still influence today’s society, especially when it comes to family and marriage. The term ‘leftover women’, which refers to women in their late 20s who are still single, is going out of fashion, but the idea that women must be married by a certain age still holds strong. ‘Marriage pushing’ is common, and young women face considerable pressure from their parents and relatives to get married.

Despite these challenges, sparks of hope abound: women have access to more job opportunities across all industries, are graduating from university in greater numbers than ever before, and women’s issues are becoming more widely discussed across society. For companies keen to advance their cause, success awaits.

HMA Dame Caroline Wilson on trade and future UK-China relations

Appointed British Ambassador to China in late 2020, Dame Caroline Wilson is the second woman to hold the position after Dame Barbara Woodward (British Ambassador 2015-2020). Arriving at a time of increased diplomatic challenges (not to mention the Covid-19 pandemic), she spoke to FOCUS about her goals for trade, climate and beyond.

The UK and China have already achieved so much together but I want us to have an even more ambitious future agenda.

For the full interview with Dame Caroline Wilson, click here.

Entrepreneur Mirjam Thieme on what makes a great female role model

Mirjam Thieme is the owner and CEO of MB it-Consulting China, where she works with companies as a business consultant. She told Focus about the strong women in her family that inspired her to pursue her dreams, as well as the work she does with not-for-profit communities and organisations in China.

I believe that if you don’t stretch yourself you’re contracting, both in body and mind

For the full interview with Mirjam Thieme, click here.

Yonina Chan on kicking butt in the self-defence sector

For Yonina Chan, general manager and women’s division head of self-defence at Krav Maga Global in China, a positive female role model when she was starting out in her career helped her to develop a mindset that would help her succeed in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

When you work in an environment like this with people from all walks of life, you can’t really advance if you don’t develop the self-awareness to grow as a person

For the full interview with Yonina Chan, click here.

Cambridge Assessment English’s Min Qu on how language can empower women in the workplace

Min Qu has been working in the education industry for almost 21 years, and her passion for supporting learning and making a positive impact came through clearly in her recent interview with FOCUS. In her role as Director for Asia Pacific at Cambridge Assessment English (CAE), she leads a team across seven countries in the region.

Men and women are equally talented and capable. They may be different in many aspects but no decision should be based purely on gender

For the full interview with Min Qu, click here.

Wine bar founder Layla Wang on “starting before you feel ready”

Layla spoke to FOCUS about how her passion for wine and experience in the hospitality industry inspired her to get into the wine business and share her passion with others, as well as the importance of female sommeliers as role models for her entrepreneurial journey.

Things don’t always go to plan and sometimes it does make you want to give up. But the benefits of having your own business outweigh the downsides

For the full interview with Layla Wang, click here.

How Modern Water’s Linian Li leads with an environmental edge

For the past 10 years, Linian Li has formulated Modern Water’s strategy and grown the company’s business in China. But it was not an easy journey as a female leader in an industry dominated by male engineers. She tells FOCUS that it took her two years to enter the water management industry, despite having an MBA in Natural Resource Energy and Environment, and that she faced several gender-related challenges along the way.

I was discouraged by colleagues not to go to our Oman project because there were no toilets for women on-site

For the full interview with Linian Li, click here.

Yeyo co-founder Christiana Zhu

Christiana Zhu on turning a lifestyle need into a business idea

When Christiana Zhu moved from New Zealand to Beijing, the smoggy environment sent her immune system into overdrive. She started making a dairy-free coconut yoghurt (dubbed Yeyo) to help her immune system and gut health and realised this would be worth sharing with others. Now, having brought her sister on board as a partner and raised seed funding, Yeyo is a popular commercial product.

One of the biggest differences is having a partner to work with. Two brains are definitely better than one

For the full interview with Christiana Zhu, click here.

Noxolo Bhengu on bringing your own seat to the table

As an artist and an entrepreneur running a cultural, catering and events company, as well as a theatre company, it was of paramount importance for Noxolo Bhengu to live a life that reflected all of her passions and equally held space for all of them. She tells FOCUS how this philosophy influenced her entrepreneurial journey.

You can no longer ask for a seat at the table — grab your chair, carve your own table and build from there

For the full interview with Noxolo Bhengu, click here.

Jardine Matheson’s Adele Ma doesn’t believe in the phrase “give up”

“Some of my colleagues gave me the nickname the ‘iron lady’”, Adele Ma, Chief Representative in China for Jardine Matheson, often jokes. “They know that I like the word ‘give’, and I like the word ‘up’, but in my dictionary, there is no such thing as ‘give up’!”

Make friends and build trust. Then you can develop business partnerships with those you think could be your friends

For the full interview with Adele Ma, click here.

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Jehanne de Biolley has been living and working as a designer in China for 30 years. Born in Belgium, she lived in London for over 12 years, where she owned an Asian art gallery prior to moving to China.

What inspired you to get into your current industry?

I was inspired and encouraged by friends in fashion who had visited the latest theme exhibition I had curated at my Asian art gallery in Mayfair. The exhibition was about antique Chinese belt buckles mixed with my own first range of fashion accessories…I had become well-known in some artsy circles for creating crossover exhibitions, mixing antique Asian art with contemporary know-how or immersed in a contemporary display.

Have you ever experienced a tough time that made you want to give up?

There was a time when I had just moved my studio to a nearby temple, just walking distance from where we lived at the time. I had spent a few weeks cleaning, renovating and decorating the new location and had set up my workshop and studio there; it was a lovely 350 square metre space on the top floor of a 1950s building within the temple grounds. Within three months of being operational, the ‘new boss’ of the temple did a deal with an outside hotel developer and I had to pack up and go; the only compensation I got was a few bags of delicious Dongbei rice for Lunar New Year and they paid for my move…

I was so disappointed and discouraged; I told my husband that I would stop working. But he told me that ‘we will find a better solution,’ and that is when we managed to rent the former Ming dynasty temple library of the temple where we lived. It was a magnificent space of similar size, but it had the original open wooden ceiling with painted beams. It was a unique space that became a part of our home and work, and I would not want to have missed that turn of events!

How important is it to have a role model or mentor? Who is your role model?

Gandhi and the importance of weaving in his vision [have been influential for me]. [Through my work with fashion and design] my aim is to create a platform to weave a world together.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

I am an early riser; I like to read or write when the house is quiet, even just for 30 minutes. I prepare breakfast and help the children before they go to school, then I get dressed. I usually select what I want to wear the night before so all I have to do is hop in the shower and get ready.

After that, every day is different. I try and make plans so I have a full day dedicated to this or that project so that I can be fully immersed in the tasks. The only common point between all the days is that whatever I do, I try to be fully ‘present’ in harmony with the task I have set myself to do.

I am currently working on a collection to be presented at a fashion show inspired by the Miao minority of Guizhou, which will be presented in Beijing at the end of May. For this collection, I am also designing porcelain and other home decoration items. So the pressure is on… I am juggling meetings, creative time, and some travel back and forth between Guizhou and Beijing to supervise the production of the different elements of the collection. I like to describe what I do as “slow fashion in the fast lane” because everything happens so fast in China, with a sense of urgency to get there first.

What is one thing people can do at work to help eliminate gender bias in the workplace?

I have not come across a lot of gender bias in fashion and design. I think it’s important to just keep going with the flow and enjoy different ways of thinking and creative energies. Even if you do not work in art and design, these energies are everywhere — try to see them, feel them.

If you could sum up your best bit of business advice in one sentence, what would it be?

Write a clear job description when you want to work with someone or hire someone.

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Prior to joining Jardine Matheson, Adele worked as a diplomat in the China Mission to the European Union and Special Commissioner of Chinese Customs to the World Customs Organisation, where she was mainly engaged in diplomatic work.

What inspired you to get into your current industry?

My diplomatic experience made me deeply aware that international relations largely depend on economic and trade relations between different countries. It also inspired my interest in business.

Have you ever experienced a tough time that made you want to give up?

Well, this is an interesting question because some of my colleagues around me gave me the nickname the “iron lady.” They know that I like the word “give,” and I like the word “up,” but in my dictionary, there is no such thing as “give up!”

How important is it to have a role model or mentor? Who is your role model?

I think it is super important to have a good mentor. One of my supervisors who is still working for the Chinese government is my personal role model, however, I can’t reveal his name due to his special status, unfortunately.

What is one thing people can do at work to help eliminate gender bias in the workplace?

Gender bias against women in the workplace is widespread, but to varying degrees. This naturally places higher requirements on women in the workplace. Fortunately, there has been no obvious gender bias in the places I have worked. Gender differences reflect strengths and weaknesses in different jobs.

If you could sum up your best bit of business advice in one sentence, what would it be?

Firstly, make friends and build trust. Then you can develop business partnerships with those you think could be your friends. I believe wherever you are in the world and whatever you are doing, relationships mean everything.

The post Jardine Matheson’s Adele Ma doesn’t believe in the phrase “give up” appeared first on Focus - China Britain Business Council.

Noxolo Bhengu is the founder and creative director of Ndawo Afrika, a culture curation and events company. She is a trained actress, writer and director who graduated from the University of Cape Town. Noxolo founded LWuD Theatre (Love What You Do) and she is currently running it in Shanghai, where she has lived for five years, with plans for expansion to different cities in China. LWuD Theatre lends itself as an incubation centre for new playwrights, producing 90% original plays and 10% classical plays. LWuD Theatre also provides industrial theatre workshops for companies as well as cultural workshops, creative drama and ACA (After School Activity) programs at various international and bilingual schools in Shanghai.

What inspired you to get into your current industry?

As an artist and an entrepreneur running a cultural, catering and events company, as well as a theatre company, it was of paramount importance for me to live a life that reflected all of my passions and equally held space for all of them.

Have you ever experienced a tough time that made you want to give up?

All the time! The tough experiences are numerous and never-ending. They range from project management challenges to creative problem solving, as well as being overlooked in certain rooms as a woman of colour.

You can no longer ask for a seat at the table — grab your chair, carve your own table and build from there

How important is it to have a role model or mentor? Who is your role model?

We are constantly learning and evolving. Therefore, it’s quite important to have relatable individuals or organisations that model who we are, what we’re cultivating, and our core values. I sample inspiration from a lot of people. From leaders, artists, my partner, family, friends and strangers that I meet along the way.

What resources have helped you to achieve more and get further in your industry?

I am influenced by several books, however, Daring Greatly and Rising Strong by Brené Brown have been the most transformational. I read them every year and their impact has been deeply engraved in my life choices and who I choose to be every day.

An LWuD Theater event

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

How my days pan out is often determined by the goals set and the projects that I have for that week. Some days are dedicated to writing, on others, you can find me running private creative workshops and theatre programs in several international schools and companies. The weekends are dedicated to cultural and catering events.

What is one thing people can do at work to help eliminate gender bias in the workplace?

Recognise that it exists, that it’s systemic, and hold space for transparent dialogue that will encourage resolutions. Like all forms of discrimination, gender bias is embedded in company cultures so often that, it doesn’t even occur to those that benefit from it. Companies should provide training on unconscious bias, promote a culture of meritocracy, have clearer policies on discrimination and implement gender-neutral recruitment processes.

If you could sum up your best bit of business advice in one sentence, what would it be?

You can no longer ask for a seat at the table — grab your chair, carve your own table and build from there. The world is laden with infinite possibilities.

The post Noxolo Bhengu on bringing your own seat to the table appeared first on Focus - China Britain Business Council.

What inspired you to get into your current industry?

I have always been interested in the hospitality industry and also had a passion for wines, as there are so many different varieties and so much to learn about and discover. This inspired me to get into the wine business and share my passion with others.

Have you ever experienced a tough time that made you want to give up?

Yes, of course, I think this is quite normal. When you are a small business you have to do everything yourself and work incredibly long hours, especially in the bar business. Things don’t always go to plan and sometimes it does make you want to give up. But the benefits of having your own business outweigh the downsides.

How important is it to have a role model or mentor? Who is your role model?

I think it is very important to have people with who you can share things, whether that is to bounce ideas off them, take inspiration from them or simply to have a sympathetic ear from time to time. I am very lucky to know a group of fellow female sommeliers who are some of the best in the country. We have become close friends over the years and we are able to discuss the challenges and share our ideas together, whilst of course also enjoying a glass of wine or two.

What resources have helped you to achieve more and get further in your industry?

Of course, I read as many books as I can about wine and there are some good ones out there such as The World Atlas of Wine. For anyone interested in Chinese wine I recommend a book called The Chinese Wine Renaissance by Janet Wang. From a business perspective, I recently started reading a book called Blue Ocean Strategy by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

I often do some admin in the morning, which might be discussing a new promotion with my business partner, designing a flyer or discussing new menu items with my chef. Then I might go to a wine tasting in the afternoon where I will try to find interesting new wines for my guests. I will usually arrive at TRiO later in the afternoon to make sure everything is ready for the evening and then as guests start to arrive, I am on duty making sure they have a great experience. I will usually finish up around 2am and then head home to bed, exhausted!

What is one thing people can do at work to help eliminate gender bias in the workplace?

I think one of the key things for any business is to be flexible. My business partner Ashley was pregnant when we started the company and so it was very challenging for her to juggle pregnancy whilst giving birth to a new business at the same time. By being flexible we were able to divide the tasks to ensure that she could play a pivotal role in the business whilst preparing for her baby.

If you could sum up your best bit of business advice in one sentence, what would it be?

I was once told to “start before you feel ready.” I think this is good advice because often when you are starting something new you can be tempted to keep adjusting the concept or the idea and never actually do anything. It’s far better to start even if you don’t feel ready and then adjust as you go along.

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Min Qu has been working in the education industry for almost 21 years, with a clear passion for supporting learning and making a positive impact. In her role at Cambridge Assessment English (CAE), she leads a team across seven countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Greater China, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining Cambridge, she led Asia development for a London based university.

What inspired you to get into your current industry?

I have always followed my passion for education and my desire to bridge different cultures. I was brought up in China and then pursued higher education in the UK in the late 1990s. As one of only two Chinese students in my class, I experienced culture shock, but also the opportunities that a good education can lead to. After graduation, I wanted to help more students who aspire to get more international exposure. Then came my first job with the then University of North London (now merged with London Guildhall to form London Metropolitan University), where I helped establish many links between China and the UK. In my current role, I have seen many great examples of how English has really helped people to achieve more, go further and often change their lives.

How important is it to have a role model or mentor? Who is your role model?

It’s helpful to have a role model although it is not necessarily a must. What I find is that I have learnt different things from different people. There are several people who have had a major impact on me and, in a way, made me the person I am today.

The first has to be my mum. She is very smart and rose up to meet tough challenges in both her life and career. She taught me to be resilient and positive even in really testing times.

The second is Mark Bickerton, who was my first boss. He was one of the most sociable, kind, capable and sophisticated people I’ve ever met. He sadly passed away at the age of 50, but none of us have forgotten him for a minute. He deeply impacted many people around him, and for some, it was life-changing to have met him.

Men and women are equally talented and capable. They may be different in many aspects but no decision should be based purely on gender

How can language skills empower women in the workplace?

Language is certainly a great enabler that helps women — and men — go further in their careers. I myself benefited tremendously because of my English competency. It broadened my horizons and led me to be where I am now; my journey would have been literally impossible had I not had English skills. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, I travelled a lot, as you would expect, and one of my great joys was to learn different languages as I went. Being multilingual has become a lifestyle for me and my family.

What resources have helped you to achieve more and get further in your industry?

I love reading; it provides not just insights but also strength and resilience as well as pleasure. The book that struck me the most is Les Misérables, which helped me sail through some pretty dark waters.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

I normally get up at 6.15am and get my daughter ready for school. Then around 8am I start to check my emails, followed by a regional senior management team meeting. Other external meetings with partners from the APAC also happen in the morning. Before lunch, I have a virtual coffee with my whole team (as we can’t travel and meet people in person). Lunch is important to me, so I usually go to the canteen so I can meet people and chat. Afternoon is my time with Cambridge, which is filled with many back to back meetings that usually run into early evening. 9pm is my cut off time, after which I will switch off, unless there is something really urgent that needs my immediate attention.

What is one thing people can do at work to help eliminate gender bias in the workplace?

Stop stereotyping. Men and women are equally talented and capable. They may be different in many aspects but no decision should be based purely on gender.

If you could sum up your best bit of business advice in one sentence, what would it be?

Probably a cliché but here you go: respect your competitor, empower your team and put your customer at the centre of everything you do.

The post CAE’s Min Qu on how language can empower women in the workplace appeared first on Focus - China Britain Business Council.

Linian Li takes the lead in managing and developing Modern Water’s business in China, formulating and guiding the company’s strategy. She joined Modern Water after a 10-year management career in international companies including JCDecaux, GM Europe GmbH, Carat, and Rouse. She holds an MBA in natural resources, energy and environment from the University of Alberta, Canada and a Masters in management from the Grande École Programme at EDHEC Business School, France.

What inspired you to get into your current industry?

I believe humankind should work together to build trust today and secure a sustainable tomorrow. By working in an environmental management industry, I can directly contribute to the improvement of the environment on a daily basis. Modern Water is a pioneering technology company specialising in membrane water treatment solutions and advanced monitoring products. Our headline technologies can be used to tackle complex wastewater treatment problems while being simple to operate and at a reduced cost compared to standard processes.

Have you ever experienced a tough time that made you want to give up?

I was Modern Water’s first employee in China, starting the company from scratch. I have formulated the company’s strategy and grown Modern Water’s business in China for the past 10 years. It was not easy to achieve this or to be accepted as a female leader in an industry dominated by male engineers. It took me two years to enter the water management industry, even though I have an MBA in Natural Resource Energy and Environment; I was criticised by a chief engineer when I found he’d made a drawing mistake and was discouraged by colleagues not to go to our Oman project because there were no toilets for women on-site.

I was discouraged by colleagues not to go to our Oman project because there were no toilets for women on-site.

Life is full of challenges, but I try and stay true to my original goals. Take the year 2020, for example. Due to the pandemic, there was a decline in factory capacity. However, ecological environment emergency testing projects in several provinces and cities in China were still in urgent need of our heavy metal and toxicity testing instruments. Over the course of several weeks, we communicated with three foreign factories, reassigned orders, adjusted production shift systems, staggered work shifts, restored production capacity as soon as possible, and quickly adjusted logistics and transportation strategies so as to meet the delivery time required by domestic projects.

Li at the 2021 China Social Impact Awards, where Modern Water won the Universal Healthcare Award

How important is it to have a role model or mentor? Who is your role model?

A good mentor can help you build confidence and set you up for success. In the past few years, I joined Vision of Women (VOW), a female leadership development programme in operation since 2015. During the VOW programme, I met my mentor, Andrew Moss, who was then vice president of GKN China. He taught me to keep learning, to try new things and to adjust my strategy according. By providing me with tools, techniques and methodologies for modern business leadership and strengthening my personal professional networks, Andrew improved my level of business understanding, increased my leadership capability and helped me grow and succeed. I was a mentee with the programme in 2016 and a mentor in 2017, which was organised by CBBC.

Confidence is the ability to overcome life’s challenges. Many of these challenges will stem from other people’s biases, so it is important to listen and understand why people have these biases and how they might affect you

What is one thing people can do at work to help eliminate gender bias in the workplace?

Gender balance on boards not only encourages better leadership and governance, but diversity further contributes to better all-round board performance and ultimately increases corporate performance for both companies and their shareholders. Companies should start with small actions, such as investing more in employee training about gender diversity, ensuring that hiring, promotions and reviews are fair.

Environmental engineering is a male-dominated sector. But I’ve got a lot of help from my colleagues in this industry, and I feel it’s important to recognise who we are and that female power is one of our strengths. I have also seen women who try to conform or “act like a man” in order to fit in. Being empathetic can be a natural advantage for women. When we are empathetic, we listen more and understand other people’s positions. It helps us to make better decisions and lead more effectively. Knowing how to connect and trust others in the workplace is an important step.

I have sponsored a number of programmes aimed at nurturing female graduate students’ innovation and creativity by working with British Universities. I provided a Practice Track project as a part of Bath University’s Engineering Management Masters programmes, supporting a group of Chinese female graduates to prepare for future engineering and technology management roles. We arranged a visit to Modern Water’s UK office and laboratory, and the students had the chance to work on real-world engineering business or technology management challenges together with our employees and be involved in developing company strategies. The project helped the female students to put the skills and knowledge that they have learned into practice, giving them more confidence to look for job opportunities in the environmental industry after they return to China.

If you could sum up your best bit of business advice in one sentence, what would it be?

Be confident, be bold but be humble!

Confidence does not mean that you are not afraid, but rather that you have the ability to overcome life’s challenges. Many of these challenges will stem from other people’s biases. It is important to listen with an open mind and understand why people have these biases and how they might affect you, but also to listen to your heart and do things your way. Enjoy life, don’t follow the crowd, and time will take you to the right place.

The post How Modern Water’s Linian Li leads with an environmental edge appeared first on Focus - China Britain Business Council.

In 2015, the GREAT Festival of Creativity was held in Shanghai. Thousands of business leaders and VIP guests attended the event, which showcased the best of British creativity. A short while afterwards, during a train journey to Hangzhou, Tingting Yang, Head of Regional Cities, was talking to the new Ambassador, Barbara Woodward, Britain’s first female ambassador to China.

“I was having a brainstorm with her and we were trying to work out what we should do with this wonderful network that we had been working with of thousands of top business leaders,” said Tingting, now China-Britain Business Council’s Director for East China. “The ambassador had mentioned that she wanted to focus on leadership in young women and she asked if I had seen the show The Apprentice.” Fast forward a few short months and Tingting had launched the first Vision of Women (VOW) mentorship programme.

VOW was established to find suitable mentors from big business for young female entrepreneurs. The Apprentice concept was instrumental in the project’s formation by putting the best young talent together with key business leaders. As well as learning some hard skills, the project was established to emphasise the importance of mentoring and empowerment.

Tingting also wanted to focus on second-tier cities rather than just candidates from the big metropolises. “Equality between women and men is more commonplace in major cities like Shanghai, but in second- and third-tier cities, there is still a deep-rooted tradition that business is not a woman’s place. In rural areas there are few expectations of women in business and female business people are often labelled negatively,” said Tingting.

VOW was established to find suitable mentors from big business for young female entrepreneurs

The project was launched later in 2015 by the British Consul General Shanghai, implemented by the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce and saw five young, rising female entrepreneurs assigned to Chinese and British business leaders for a period of work experience and mentoring in the two countries. Leaders from the first year included Alibaba’s Jack Ma and Virgin’s Richard Branson, to name just two.

Participants come from all walks of life with an aim to improve the candidates’ level of business understanding, their leadership capabilities and to strengthen the personal and professional networks of the candidates. It is also hoped that it will build further alignment between businesses in the UK and China.

Each participant takes on specific projects and tasks, that they themselves create, in order to benefit women in their own networks

“We especially encourage women from different backgrounds to sign up,” said Tingting. “For example, Zhang Linlin was a new mother with a seven-month-old baby when she applied to become a VOWer back in 2015. She was studying for a PhD in Hong Kong whilst running her own scarf business that had a yearly turnover of more than 100 million RMB. She asked if she could bring her baby with her on the project as she wanted to continue breastfeeding,” Tingting continued. “I was very proud of her as we want to get the message out that being a mother does not contradict being a business leader.”

Over 60 participants have completed the programme with the support of seven partner companies

After a very successful start, VOW is now in its third year with the China-Britain Business Council taking the lead on the project. This year, over 60 participants have completed the programme with the support of seven partner companies. IHG, GKN, Hongkong Land, Atkins, TMF, Sanpower, and Shi Bisset & Associates have all held sessions for the participants on a wide variety of topics ranging from HR to brand management to immersive business leadership.

“The participating companies have been great,” said Tingting. “They have all gone out of their way to provide education, skills training and mentorships to these young entrepreneurs.”

The next stage of the programme will see seven candidates visit the UK for a weeklong programme in March. On the trip they will meet business leaders, politicians and academics in order to further their knowledge and build their expertise.

Tingting is quick to point out though that the participants are not just passive observers. “Each participant takes on specific projects and tasks, that they themselves create, in order to benefit women in their own networks,” she explained. “They will take these skills and pass them on so that one day they can become mentors too.”

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