Is your China leadership journey starting with more questions than answers? This intensive workshop is designed to fast-track your effectiveness and equip you with essential tools for success in China.
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China warm welcome you and your colleagues to join our upcoming half-day workshop in Shanghai on 18 March 2026 about "Cracking the China Code - Understand Cross-Cultural nuances for effective collaboration in China".
Who it is for: Newly arrived expatriate managers and technical leaders with less than 1 year of on-the-ground China experience who want to:
- Reduce misunderstandings with local teams and partners
- Accelerate their effectiveness in their China role
- Build a supportive network of fellow expat leaders
What you'll gain:
- Understand the key cultural dimensions where working in China differs most from Western business environments
- Master practical tools for effective communication, feedback, decision-making and stakeholder management
- Navigate real-world situations through interactive case studies and role-plays
- Build your 90-day action plan for a smoother, more successful transition
Format: 4-hour interactive workshop based on Erin Meyer's Culture Map framework.
Key takeaways:
- Decode high-context communication and indirect feedback
- Balance relationship-building with result delivery
- Turn cultural challenges into leadership opportunities
Trainers:
Anne Zhang, Partner & Director, Leadership Coach, Mercuri Urval
Maria Pastorelli, Lead Coach, Global Leadership Development, MD of Bridge Coaching
Date
18 March, 2026 (Wednesday)
Time
14:00 - 18:00 (Beijing Time)
Price
Member per person, standard price): RMB 1000
Non-Member (per person, standard price): RMB 2000
Early-Bird (per person, member-only, valid by 2026-02-28): RMB 888
Small (3 people) & large group (10 people) tickets are also available, please contact jonatan@swedcham.cn for more info about group ticket.
Language
English
Venue 地点
Shanghai, TBC.
Kindly notice 温馨提示
This course will only be held if we have more than 8 guests joining in.
Cancellation Policy
If you cannot attend a training for which you have registered, please cancel your registration no later than seven business days prior to the event. If you fail to notify us of your cancellation in a timely fashion, you will be charged for the training costs.
Fapiao (VAT Invoice)
Apply fapiao when purchasing a ticket, by inputting the Chinese entity name and tax ID (if the title is wrong, you will be unable to receive the Fapaio). Make sure your IT has whitelisted the domain "XX@hlzrkj.xyz. E-Fapiao will be sent to your e-mail within 7 days after completed event (check spam folder). If the fapiao can not be received, please provide an alternative email or contact finance@swedcham.cn.
Speakers
Maria
Pastorelli
Managing Director, Coach and Consultant of Bridge Consulting
Maria is an experienced executive and team coach, cross-cultural facilitator, and keynote speaker based in Shanghai, China, for the past 15 years. As the founder of Bridge Consulting and co-founder of Global Impact Teams, she is dedicated to helping international leaders and teams find new ways to work better together in globally distributed environments to improve both performance and engagement. She has partnered with Fortune 500 companies in various sectors (manufacturing, automotive, beauty, Chemical, Retail, telecommunications) to strengthen cross-cultural leadership, remote team collaboration, change management, and more.
She is fluent in Italian, English, and Chinese, and has been a speaker for TEDxNYU Shanghai on the importance of conversations to deal with differences in business. She also passionately advocates for women by leading the Global Women Entrepreneurs Network community and supporting local initiatives like Mentor Walks Shanghai.
Anne Zhang
Partner & Director of Mercuri Urval
Anne Zhang is based in the MU Shanghai office, where she specializes in Executive Search, Leadership Assessment & Development Centers, Executive Coaching, and Team Coaching. She is an active member of the MU Board & CEO Practice, supporting international organizations throughout the APAC region. Anne rejoined MU in February 2025 and became a Council Member of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) at the APAC Council in January 2026.
From February 2022 to January 2025, Anne served as Managing Director, Greater China, at an international executive search firm. In this capacity, she led the region in delivering high-quality leadership and talent solutions for clients in the Industrial, Life Sciences, and Consumer sectors.
Previously, Anne spent twelve years at MU (2010–2022), holding key leadership roles including Partner and Director of China. Prior to joining MU, she was a Senior Consultant at a Swiss consulting firm (2004–2009), where she worked with DACH-region clients across Asia. Throughout her career, Anne has collaborated closely with business leaders to facilitate organizational change, achieve strong business results, and develop high-performing teams in the APAC market.
Anne is an accredited coach, trained in Co-Active Coaching by CTI (China, 2012) and in Coaching Excellence by ICF/MU (Europe, 2016). She is also a certified assessor for Hogan, MBTI, DISC, and Podium assessments. Anne holds a degree in Applied Psychology from East China Normal University and a postgraduate degree in HRM & Training from the University of Leicester. She is a native speaker of Chinese Mandarin and Shanghainese, fluent in English, and is currently learning Danish and Spanish.
Sponsors and Partners
Corporate Gold Partners
A special thanks to our Corporate Gold Partners for supporting the Swedish business community in China.
Corporate Silver Partners
A special thanks to our Corporate Silver Partners for supporting the Swedish business community in China.
