Agenda
Wednesday,7 May,2025
18:00 - 22:00
Evening
Peace Hall
The Fairmont Peace Hotel
FAAB 2025 Welcome Dinner
Introduction by Melody Wan, Rabobank Asia CEO
Welcome address by Stefaan Decraene,
Rabobank Chairman and CEO
Thursday,8 May, 2025
08:00-18:00
Morning
Shanghai Club Ballroom
Waldorf Astoria on the Bund
08:00 - 09:00
FAAB conference check-in
09:00 - 09:15
Welcome address
Melody Wan, Rabobank Asia CEO
09:15 - 09:40
Keynote speech
Professor Fan Gang, Economist,
President of the China Development Institute (CDI),
Director of the National Economic Research Institute (NERI)
Today’s global economy is in a constant state of tumult. After having emerged from a global health pandemic, we now have tariffs, trade wars and a myriad of geopolitical tensions fundamentally altering the backdrop against which companies operate. How do these global dynamics impact China’s path of economic development and its deepening integration into the world economy? After decades of building a production-centric infrastructure to process agricultural commodities into basic food necessities, will this season of great change and volatility bring it more risk, or will the shift from a production-centred strategy to a value-added food economy unearth unprecedented growth opportunities instead?
09:40 - 10:05
Interview with Prof. Fan Gang & Q&A
Dirk Jan Kennes, Head of Food & Agri Research Asia, Rabobank
10:05 - 10:40
Presentation: APAC Consumer and Retail Developments
Daniel Zipser, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
As China transitions to become a more consumption-led economy, the growth potential surrounding this massive market of 1.4 billion consumers is immense for global companies. Daniel will share insights on China’s consumer market, and how it is evolving alongside current consumer and retail developments in the Asia-Pacific region.
10:40 - 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 - 11:45
Panel 1: Investment & Capital Allocation
Moderator: Ian Baggott, General Manager Greater China, Rabobank
Tai Lin, Managing Partner, Proterra Investment Partners Asia
Alex Zhang, Founding Partner, Hosen Capital
Daniel Zipser, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
As the competitiveness of a food company shifts from supply chain management to value chain management, a more intense focus on productivity improvement, technology and consumer-focused innovation will drive value creation. This pivot towards value growth will result in changes to product and service development, ultimately requiring companies to review their strategies, and make critical decisions on where they now choose to allocate their funds. Hear from our panel of seasoned food & agri investors and how they assess this palette of investment opportunities.
11:45 - 11:55
Group phototaking
Noon
Diplomats Hall
12:00 - 13:30
Lunch & Networking
Afternoon
Shanghai Club Ballroom
13:30 - 14:15
Panel 2: Global Food & Agriculture Connectivity
(Panel conducted in Mandarin with simultaneous translation)
Moderator: Landy Ma, General Manager China, Rabobank
Bai Shanlin, CEO (China Area), Executive Director, Member of the Corporate Governance Committee，
CP Pokphand Co.; Senior Vice President, Chai Tai Investment
Chen Shaopeng, Chairman, Joyvio Group
Arent Naber, CFO, FrieslandCampina China
Benny Wang, CFO, McDonalds China
Structural change, macroeconomic uncertainty and increasingly challenging trade barriers – these conditions not only characterise the current economic backdrop; they make the potential impact of value chain investment decisions so much larger than in the decades before this. Should a company continue to invest in countries where foreign investments might become less welcome, or should corporate decision makers accept losing access to a lucrative value pocket of consumers or a tremendous long-term growth opportunity? Would food & agri companies find themselves taking one step forward and two steps back in their efforts to boost their own global competitiveness? What are the benefits of prioritising global connectivity and is there any downside to that?
14:15 - 15:00
Panel 3: Enabling China’s sustainable growth in disruptive times
Moderator: Catherine Zhu, Partner & Global Head of Sustainability Practice, Egon Zehnder
Dr. Jiang Weiming,
Country Chairman, SATS China;
Supervisory Board Member, Huisman BV;
Independent Board Member, Sinochem International;
Independent Board Member, SDIC Biotech Investment Co.;
Board Member, Aquaporin A/S; Global Advisor, Nobo Holding;
Senior Advisor, Shanghai Synbio Innovation Centre
Albert Ng,
Chairman, Eternity Equity Management;
Independent Non-executive Director, Alibaba;
Independent Non-executive Director, Shui On Land;
Independent Non-executive Director, China International Capital Corporation Limited
Dr. Julie Xing,
Executive Board Chair, Mundipharma China;
Global Board Advisor, Lee Kum Kee Group;
Global Board Member, AptarGroup;
Board Member, Mars Incorporated
In a world where policy makers have to grapple with issues like national security, managing inflation and supply chain resilience, the trade-offs they face become increasingly pronounced, potentially shifting the focus and resources away from sustainability practices and aspirations. Sustainable economic growth requires companies to formulate strategies that address the environmental externalities in their business models. Would it make for good business practice to unlock the value of input efficiency improvements and at the same time, develop more sustainable production techniques? Our sustainable growth panel will discuss the possibilities and potential that come from blending business resilience, greening, and profitability into the business models of food & agri companies.
15:00 - 15:30
Afternoon tea break & Networking
15:30 - 15:50
Strategic Update of Rabobank and W&R Business
Introduction to Rabobank Europe, Africa & Asia
Karin van Selm, Regional Head and CEO, Europe, Africa & Asia
15:50 - 16:10
Key Leadership Takeaways & Reflections
Stefaan Decraene, Rabobank Chairman and CEO
Karin van Selm, Rabobank Regional Head and CEO, Europe, Africa & Asia
16:10 - 16:20
Closing Address
Gregory Vandeler, Rabobank Southeast Asia GM
Evening
The Legendary Long Bar
17:00 - 19:00
Farewell cocktail