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BEIJING - The inaugural Future Business Forum took place in the Guanghua School of Management on Thursday March 18, 2021. The Forum was co-hosted by Peking University Guanghua School of Management and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. 300+ participants signed up to attend the Forum either in-person or online. The Forum was intended to both provide a platform for global dialogue and learning on the theme "Leadership and Management in the Digital Era" and also marked the start of a collaboration between PKU Guanghua and the Michigan Ross Business School.

Associate Dean Zhang Ying of PKU Guanghua officially opened the Forum and welcomed both attendees and speakers. Tim Ringrose, the Managing Director of Michigan Ross Executive Programs in Asia Pacific Region then shared some introductory remarks on behalf of Michigan Ross Executive Education and talked about Michigan's (Executive Education) Mission helping organizations generate "Powerful Ideas, Purpose-driven Leaders and provide Positive Impact to the world". Tim Ringrose also reiterated Dean Zhang’s opening remarks saying that he hoped the Forum would be an important first step to future collaborations with Peking University Guanghua School of Management and that there would be an opportunity for the two Business Schools to collaborate on more joint events and programs in the near future.

The first presentation provided by Professor Tang Yao, focused on some of the current (economic) uncertainties that have emerged because of the ongoing trade war between China and the U.S and how this dynamic may change under the Biden Administration. Professor Tang also touched on the increase in internet commerce and demands for entertainment after COVID-19, noting that as the world becomes more digital, the trade rules need to be updated correspondingly. Professor Tang also suggested that a new equilibrium (between China and the US) would emerge when both countries realized that cooperation is essential and necessary.

The final speaker, Associate Dean MS Krishnan then delivered a compelling presentation on the impact of technology and digital transformation both to leadership and business models (and the structure of the economy). Krishnan also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had become the catalyst to rapid technological transformation and digital innovation as organizations (and leaders) have had to overnight adapt and re-think their business models to succeed (and thrive) in the post COVID business landscape.

The Forum provided an exciting start to the collaboration between Peking University Guanghua School of Management and the University of Michigan Ross School and both Schools are now looking forward to building on this early success with more joint initiatives planned in the near future.