The China Business Conundrum: Ensure That 'Win-Win' Doesn't Mean Western Companies Lose Twice
Lecture by Ken Wilcox, Adjunct Professor at Berkeley, former CEO of SVB (2001-2010), CEO of SSVB (2011-2014)
In conversation with Marsha Vande Burg
The USF Center for Asia Pacific Studies is excited to host Ken Wilcox for a lecture based on his book, The China Business Conundrum: Ensure That 'Win-Win' Doesn't Mean Western Companies Lose Twice.
Expanding into the Chinese market can be a game-changer for American companies, but many CEOs underestimate the unique roadblocks ahead - challenges unlike anything they've encountered elsewhere. In this dynamic talk, Wilcox will detail his bank’s entry into China, unpack the most common pitfalls, share key strategies for success, and explore how the U.S. government can better support businesses operating in China.
Be sure to tune in for a compelling and insightful discussion on how to navigate one of the world’s most complex markets!
Access e-book here »
Please kindly note that the e-book can only be accessed by current USF students, staff, and faculty.
Ken Wilcox was the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) from 2001 to 2011, then the founder and CEO of SVB's joint venture with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB-SVB) until 2015, followed by four years as its Vice Chairman. Over the past decade, he has been Treasurer of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and has also served as Chair, and later advisor, of the Credit Committee of Columbia Lake Partners, a venture debt fund based in London serving all of Europe.
Mr. Wilcox was Chairman of the board of the Asia Society of Northern California and a member of the advisory board of the 21st Century China Center. He is also on the International Advisory Board at Fudan University in Shanghai and currently teaches entrepreneurship and leadership at UC Berkeley.
Mr. Wilcox holds a PhD in German from Ohio State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 2020, he published Leading Through Culture: How Real Leaders Create Cultures That Motivate People to Achieve Great Things. His second book, The China Business Conundrum: Ensure That Win-Win Doesn’t Mean Western Companies Lose Twice, was published by Wiley in November 2024.
Community Partners: Asian Studies, the Department of Economics, and the School of Management