Announcing this year’s candidates for the Executive Committee 2024/25

“As a veteran consultant with a deep understanding of China, I am keen to bring greater understanding and nuance to the increasingly fraught and adversarial relationship between the UK and China at a time of geopolitical uncertainty. I believe that active engagement through a strong trading partnership not only benefits China and the UK economically, but also helps to strengthen the wider political and diplomatic relationship. The British Chamber of Commerce in China provides an ideal platform upon which to foster bilateral relations and to fully represent the interests of British business. I will bring all my knowledge and experience from working with British businesses in the China market to help achieve these goals.”

Chris Torrens is a recognized expert on China’s geopolitical and compliance issues. As the Beijing-based managing director of APCO’s Greater China operations, Chris brings unique insights to support both multinational companies operating in China and Chinese companies going global, with a particular focus on political and regulatory risks.

Before joining APCO, Chris worked at Control Risks for 22 years, serving as partner in the Greater China and North Asia region. Before this role, Chris was based in London as the partner responsible for the geopolitical risk practice for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Chris previously worked as a Shanghai-based associate director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ advisory practice and as the Hong Kong-based head of research at Batey Burn, a UK government relations and public affairs consultancy acquired by APCO in 1999.

Chris is a regular media commentator and has been interviewed by the BBC, CNN, CNBC, CGTN and Bloomberg. His articles have appeared in the Economist, Financial Times and specialist publications and his book, Doing Business in China, was published by The Economist Group in 2010.

Chris has lived in Greater China for more than 20 years. He holds an MBA from the China-Europe International Business School, a BA Honours degree in Modern Chinese Studies from Leeds University and speaks Mandarin.

Chris has served as vice-chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in China since 2023.

“I have had the privilege of being an At-Large member of the BritCham Exco for the last two years. Through this process I have learnt a lot about the great work that the Chamber does and made my own contribution to their continued success. I’m now seeking to step up to the role of Treasurer and build on the foundation that Russell has laid. This is a role I’m a great fit for, due to the following three reasons: i) I have served as Treasurer for other membership organizations, such as ARMA (Musculoskeletal Health Members Organization); ii) Having served on the ExCo for the last two years, I have a good understanding of the opportunities and challenges for the Chamber, together with the financial management required; iii) I’m also a qualified chartered accountant (Fellow Chartered Accountant – Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) and started my career as an External Auditor.”

Chris is a Beijing based Partner in Deloitte’s Assurance practice who supports clients to review and enhanced their Internal Control Environment, through a focus on i) Assuring clients most important risks; ii) Navigating the regulatory & compliance landscape; iii) Improving corporate governance; and iv) Transforming processes & controls.

He is Deloitte’s Asia Pacific Internal Audit & Internal Controls offering leader and has more than 20 years experience in managing large and complex Global engagements, in co-ordination with stakeholders, to meet challenging deadlines – working with a range of Multi-National Companies (MNCs), State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and Chinese Companies (POEs).

His focus can be summarised as:

“Serving on the Executive Committee over the past year has been a real privilege and pleasure. Alongside my fellow ExCo members and dedicated secretariat, we have worked diligently developing and executing strategic initiatives aimed at delivering tangible results and enhanced value to our chamber members. If re-elected, I will continue to advocate for the interests of small businesses like ours and ensure our SME community is fully supported and represented. Looking ahead, I am optimistic about the opportunities that lie before us and confident that by fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, we can collectively navigate the challenges of today and seize the opportunities of tomorrow. Therefore, on both a professional and personal level, I pledge a commitment to actively seek and promote such opportunities that will benefit our members and broader communities.”

“Relocated to Beijing during the pandemic in 2022, I have witnessed many opportunities and challenges that businesses face during this unprecedented time. By joining the ExCo, I would like to support the member companies to further develop our understanding of post-Covid economic recovery and everchanging business environment, and to enhance our members’ collaborative influence to the UK China business policy and wider corporate environment. In addition, working with the British Council, a member business with one of the largest British employee population, I have grown a keen interest in contributing to the development of a stronger member community of the Chamber and promoting a culture of inclusion and diversity of our joint British Chinese work force.”

“I have over 30 years’ experience as an educator in International Schools in the UK, Dubai, Bahrain, and China. I am a lifelong learner and educator and became the Principal of BSB Shunyi in August 2021. The Chamber has been instrumental in helping me to settle into life in Beijing and to understand the context in which we work. I would love to remain part of the committee next year and to support all that they do to offer networking opportunities, advocacy and knowledge to the British business community.  In times of unprecedented challenge, The Chamber has been the voice of British business, promoting opportunities whilst highlighting areas in which support is needed in a balanced way and it would be an honour to continue to be a part of it.”

“In my role as Chair of the Chamber’s Wellbeing Hub, I prioritise the mental and physical health of the community. Over the past year, I have successfully supported two Corporate Wellbeing Days with the Chamber, demonstrating my dedication to promoting a healthy work-life balance. Looking ahead, I aim to update the 2022 Wellbeing and Resilience in the Workplace Report in my next term on the ExCo. Additionally, I am committed to supporting this year’s Young Professionals Development Programme (YPDP), further contributing to the Chamber’s mission and the success of all its members.”

“As a Partner at KPMG China, I am seeking to continue my impactful tenure on the board. With 24 years of professional experience, I have honed my expertise in energy transition and sustainability—key areas that align with the Chamber’s strategic initiatives such as the Door Knock Trip, Position Paper, Sustainability Summit, and Young Professional Development Program. During my seven years on the board, I have significantly contributed to the Chamber’s mission, fostering business, commercial, investment, and cultural exchanges between China and the UK. My dedication to continuity, deep understanding of the Chamber’s history, and commitment to mentoring and coaching the team underscore my qualifications. I am eager to leverage my extensive experience and connections to ensure another successful year for the Chamber.”

“As the representative of The Economist Group in Beijing, I am deeply aware of the important role that the British Chamber of Commerce in China plays in promoting cooperation, exchange, and development between businesses in our two countries. The Chamber is not only a business platform but also a crucial bridge for economic and cultural exchange between China and the UK. I hope to contribute to this bridge by participating in the Chamber’s work. If I am honoured to be elected as a committee member, I will dedicate myself to utilizing my expertise and experience to organize various exchange activities, seminars, and business visits. These efforts aim to strengthen member interaction and cooperation, as well as to promote deeper collaboration between Chinese and British enterprises. In doing so, I aspire to further advance the development of the British Chamber of Commerce in China and make a greater contribution to business exchanges between China and the UK.”