Mr Peter Pang, the President of Bosch (China), and a graduate of the University of Western Australia has won the 2010 CPA Australian Alumni of the Year writes Sophie Loras.
Now in its second year, the Australia China Alumni Awards are a celebration of Australian alumni success in China.
Winners of the 2010 awards represented a great diversity of alumni working in both the private and public sectors and a range of industries across China. The event showcases the exceptional successes of some of China’s and Australia’s top business people who all share one common thread – their Australian education experience.
CPA Australian Alumni of the Year
This year’s top award – the CPA Australian Alumni of the Year – went to Mr Peter Pang. Mr Pang holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics) from the University of Western Australia and began his career with Bosch in Melbourne in 1973. Today, he is the President of Bosch China which employs 21,200 associates.
To read a full report on Peter Pang, click here.
Australian Education International Young Australian of the Year 
University of Newcastle Graduate, Dr Beibei Zhang is the winner of this year’s Australian Education International Young Australian of the Year award. Dr Zhang obtained her doctorate at the University of Newcastle in 2006 and she is currently China Merchants Property Development Co. Ltd Assistant General Manager overseeing the company’s research management.
In the past two years, Dr Zhang has conducted post-doctorate research in cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Merchants Group on real estate financing and financial innovation.
Dr Zhang impressed the ACAA Awards judging committee with her research and business accomplishments and her clear commitment to education – developing a successful internship program to attract and support young university graduates.
Her experience to date is diverse, and includes both success in a corporate environment, and contributing to industry knowledge through research and co-authoring papers. She has used her education and immense skills to contribute to developing sectors in China and remains strongly connected to the University of Newcastle – giving the university’s Watt Gallery her painting life—water lily because, says Dr Zhang, “My life started there, in Australia.”
To read more about Beibei Zhang, click here.
Austrade Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship
University of Sydney and University of New South Wales graduate, Mr Vincent Lam, is the winner of this year’s Austrade Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship.
Vincent is the Founder and Chairman of the ASIARAY Group, the largest airport media operator in China – covering over 30 key cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou with recent expansion into transit systems in Hong Kong, including the MTR and Star Ferry.
In 2008, ASIARAY recorded a remarkable revenue growth of nearly 200 percent, to a combined turnover of RMB605 million.
Having benefited from a scholarship when he studied in Australia, and as a successful Australian-Chinese businessman, Vincent remains passionate about sharing his core values of integrity, innovation, passion and the importance of education with the winder community through various ASIARAY funded charity projects.
Vincent remains strongly connected to the University of Sydney, initiating in 2005, and becoming the Patron of, The University of Sydney’s China Alumni Network.
His professional and philanthropic successes have led to numerous awards and accolades including, in 2009, the title of ‘The Top 10 most Influential Media Operator in China’. In 1992, Mr Lam was appointed Justice of the Peace by the NSW Government in recognition of his work in strengthening national ties between Australia and China.
To read more about Vincent Lam and his ASIARAY business, click here
Mallesons Stephen Jaques Alumni Award for Corporate Achievement
RMIT and Monash University graduate, David Lynch is the winner of this year’s Mallesons Stephen Jaques Alumni Award for Corporate Achievement.
David is currently based in Shanghai as Standard Chartered Bank’s (China) CIO where he leads more than 1000 staff. He is the youngest Executive Committee member and is Director of Scope International (China) and Chairman of the Standard Chartered (China) Environment Council.
David joined Standard Chartered in January 2007 and has since led major system and infrastructure upgrades across wholesale and consumer banking, including successful delivery of systems for Standard Chartered’s local incorporation. David has been at the forefront of the internationalization of the Renminbi, including the execution of Standard Chartered’s first RMB cross-border trade and associated systems.
Under David’s leadership, infrastructure, processes and customer focus has been significantly strengthened through innovative process automation capabilities, new internet and mobile banking systems and technologies such as artificial intelligence. Performance across virtually all measures has reached record levels.
As Chairman of the Environment Council, David has also led a team to Inner Mongolia as part of the bank’s commitment to plant 6000 trees in support of the Million Tree Project and is an industry leader in Green IT. He also secured the bank’s sponsorship of the China GreenTech initiative, a groundbreaking piece of market research.
In 2009, David’s team funded the reconstruction of the Jianke Village School in Qinghai. Charitable funds raised for social responsibility projects by David and his team in 2010 have already exceeded those raised in 2009.
Telstra Sensis Alumni Award for ICT and New Media
Monash University graduate, Neil Ducray, is the 2010 winner of the Telstra Sensis Alumni Award for ICT and New Media.
Neil Ducray has spent more than 25 years working in advertising, media and marketing in 14 countries across Europe, the US and Asia.
In mid-2006, he joined a media/technology start-up in Shanghai, Touchmedia, created by the Chinese-American entrepreneur Micky Fung, initially as the company’s marketing Director, then General Manager and now today, as Managing Director.
Over the last four years Touchmedia has grown from 30 to 400 staff, and sales – which were around US$150,000 in Mr Ducray’s first year, have grown more than 200 fold. Today, Touchmedia has more than 20,000 screens in four cities across China – Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shenzhen – reaching almost 25 million people per month.
To read more about Neil Ducray and the success of Touchmedia in China, click here.
ANZ Alumni Award for Banking and Finance
Murdoch University graduate and Vice President and CFO of China Life Asset Management, Ms Wang Yijia, is the 2010 winner of the ANZ Alumni Award for Banking and Finance.
Ms Wang Yijia studied Industrial Economy in Renmin University for her Bachelor Degree and received her MBA from Murdoch University in Australia. She is currently the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of China Life Asset Management Co., a subsidiary of the China Life Group, which manages assets up to RMB 1400 billion. It holds 38 percent market share and is the largest insurance asset management company in China and the largest institutional investor in the domestic capital market. Ms Wang’s achievements include developing the company’s third-party capital management business and setting up the first HK subsidiary company of a Chinese-owned insurance company.
Ms Wang’s company was one of the first to receive approval for investment in foreign countries and providing consulting services to overseas QFII institutions. Ms Wang has also helped China Life Asset Management participate in a public listing project after corporate restructuring.
The ANZ Alumni Award for Banking and Finance recognises Australian alumni who have excelled in the areas of accounting, finance, investment, financial planning, banking and taxation and who demonstrate an outstanding record of achievement over the course of their career.
Business Event Sydney Alumni Award for Research and Innovation
This year’s Business Event Sydney Alumni Award for Research and Innovation has gone to Dr Zhang Fengming – a graduate of the University of Newcastle.
Dr Zhang is a recipient of an Overseas Postgraduate Research Scholarship and the University of Newcastle Postgraduate Research Scholarship. While in Australia Dr Zhang also worked at the University of New South Wales and Pacific Solar Pty Ltd. in the field of solar cells as a research scientist.
Since 2001, he has worked at China’s Nanjing University conducting active research into the field of nano-magnetism and solar energy and was a key founder of China Sunergy – a leading manufacturer of solar cell products in China. While Executive Director, China Sunergy’s 2007 revenue exceeded A$600 million and the company successfully listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange.
Dr Zhang is currently the Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Tianwei New Energy Holdings. He has been with the company since 2009 and under his tenure ship has overseen the corporation’s solar cell production increase in efficiency from 15.6 percent to 16.2 percent – and equating to a net benefit of A$20 million. A range of innovations and improvements are being developed under his entrepreneurial leadership which will continue to benefit the corporation and its success.
Dr Zhang is respected for his volunteer work advising and mentoring his peers across the photovoltaic industry and continues to encourage industry collaboration between Australia and China.
“He is a leader in his field and has contributed much to his discipline and to China, and as the University of Newcastle has such strong relationships with universities in China, we are delighted his work has been acknowledged in this way,” said Vice Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Professor Nicholas Saunders on Dr Zhang’s win.
AusAID Scholarships Alumni Award
The 2010 AusAID Scholarships Alumni Award this year went to Mr Peng Gaojian, the Deputy Director-General, Department of Politics, Human Resources and Social Security of the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council in Beijing.
While Peng Gaojian was studying towards his Graduate Diploma in International Economics at the University of Adelaide and a Masters of Commerce at Curtin University of Technology (as the recipient of an AusAID scholarship programme) during the late ‘90s and into 2000, China was in the process of negotiating its accession to the WTO.
The skills Mr Peng says he learnt during his time in Australia played a role in his assisting in drafting documents and legislation towards China’s ascension to the WTO upon his return to China.
Mr Peng has worked in various positions within the State Council over the last 20 years and has published several books relating to his legal work and research. He has participated in the legislative work of more than 10 laws and regulations in China, mainly in the field of human resources, social security, anti-corruption, ethnic affairs and religious affairs.
To read more about Peng Gaojian’s Australian study experience, click here.
IELTS Alumni Award for Women in Leadership
Queensland University of Technology graduate, Professor Han Feng is this year’s winner of the IELTS Alumni Award for Women in Leadership.
Professor Han Feng is currently Professor, Department of Landscape Studies and Assistant Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University (CAUP) in Shanghai. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy within the Built Environment and Engineering Faculty from the Queensland University of Technology in 2007 and her career in research and practice has focused on cultural landscape conversation and management, involving culture, environmental ethics and management policies.
Professor Han is an expert member and China representative of the ICOMOS-IFLA International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes and an expert within the UNESCO program of Conservation and Management of World Heritage Sites in China. She is a consultant to the Chinese Government, acting as an expert in the international evaluation of World Heritage nominations and is devoted to being the bridge between China and the international world within the cultural landscape space in both practice and education.
Professor Han is currently leading cultural landscape research and conversation in China, including two World Heritage project sites in Lushan National Park and Slender Lake in Yangzhou.
Professor Han’s wide scope of experience in both research and practice has established her as a leading expert on World Heritage cultural landscapes.
Through her research and involvement on global scientific committees, Professor Han has advanced current knowledge, connected China to the international community and increased the capacity for approved World Heritage sites in China.
Professor Han is a leading figure in the cultural landscapes arena and has increased China’s recognition of its heritage sites and their importance to tourism in China. ■
To read more about Peter Pang, click here.
To read more about Beibei Zhang, click here.
To read more about Vincent Lam and his ASIARAY business, click here.
To read more about Neil Ducray and the success of Touchmedia in China, click here.
To read more about Peng Gaojian’s Australian study experience, click here.
To read more about Han Feng and her conservation work, click here.
For more information about the Australia China Alumni Association and for the full list of 2010 Australia China Alumni Award finalists, visit: www.austchinaalumni.org
