Dear Auto Components Working Group Members,
The European Chamber is delighted to invite you to join Auto Components Working Group Meeting: China’s Auto Industry in the Age of Disruption - The Birth of the “Automobility” Business Model and 2018/2019 Chair Election at 9.00-11.00 am, 23rd of March 2018 at the European Chamber Shanghai Office. During the meeting, we will hold the Elections for the Auto Components Working Group Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons firstly. Then, Mr. Bill Russo, Founder & CEO of strategy and investment advisory firm Automobility Ltd will share his perspective on the future of mobility.
For global automakers and their suppliers, China represents the greatest opportunity for growth in the 21st century. Since 2009, China has been the world’s largest market by volume, and surpassed 28.8 million units in annual car sales in 2017. Over the coming decades, we believe that China will remain the key battleground for dominance of the global auto industry. However, this battle will not be waged using the conventional automotive technologies which have been refined over the past century. We believe several driving forces, which are particularly evident China, have the potential to disrupt the status quo of the automotive industry:
- The unique context of China’s urban transportation challenge, the high penetration rate of mobile internet, combined with the rapid and aggressive introduction of alternative mobility and ownership concepts, are compressing the time needed to commercialize smart, connected car technology and related services.
- The automotive value chain is being disrupted by non-traditional players as they enter and compete to deliver mobility solutions. Disruptive new entrants are utilizing big data to draw insights about customers’ mobility patterns in order to address their “pain points” and offer new solutions for their mobility needs. Such mobility needs are increasingly being met through on-demand and shared services versus individual ownership.
It is the confluence of these forces, along with rapid innovation to address “pain points” associated with mobility in the China context, are positioning China as the catalyst to drive the transformation of the business model and technological underpinnings of the global auto industry.
Chair Election:
The Auto Components Working Group Chair and Vice Chairs play a crucial role in driving the Group. The responsibilities of Chairpersons include taking a leading role in the drafting of the Position Paper, communicating key messages to the Chinese and European governments and steering Working Group meetings. The required characteristics of a Chair and Vice Chair are a senior industry representative with relevant industry expertise and government contacts who has the time and willingness to support the group. Previous participation in the Working Group is essential.
According to European Chamber internal best practices intended to promote new strategies and approaches for the operation of the group, the European Chamber recommends that a Chairperson should not exceed three years in his/her role and highly encourages all members interested in taking a leading role to put their name forward for election. Should you be interested in putting yourself forward for candidacy for election, please firstly read the attached document which outlines the roles and responsibilities of a Chairperson.
To apply, each prospective candidate should submit a short bio and a motivation letter prior to the election to Ms. Tiantian Qi at tqi@europeanchamber.com.cn by Friday, 16 March, 2018. In the email, please clearly state whether you intend to run for the position of Chair or Vice Chair. Candidates running for the role of Chair, if not successfully elected, can opt to be included as a candidate for Vice Chair. For the Auto Components Working Group, it is possible to have at most one Chair and two Vice Chairs.
In accordance with European Chamber internal guidelines, the Working Group Coordinator will send another email to the Auto Components Working Group one week prior to the election with the bios and motivation letters of all candidates attached. Voting for the election must be conducted in person at the meeting (one vote per company) after each candidate has been given an opportunity to give a short speech on why they would like to run for election. The duration of the term for both Chairs and Vice Chairs is one year. All elected Chairpersons must sign the attached Starter Kit for Chairs following election.
Agenda:
09:00 – 09:30 am
· Roundtable Introduction;
· Opening Remarks by Mr. Serafino Bartolozi, Chair of Auto Components Working Group Shanghai;
· Introduction of the process of Election and candidates’ speech, each 5 minutes; and
· Voting for the candidates
09:30 – 10:30 am
· Presentation by Mr. Bill Russo, Founder & CEO of strategy and investment advisory firm Automobility Ltd on China’s Auto Industry in the Age of Disruption - The Birth of the “Automobility” Business Model
· Q&A and Discussion;
· Any other business; and
· Announce the Election Result as well as introduce the 2018 mini PP KRs;
Registration:
If you would like to attend this meeting in our Shanghai office, please register here online or email to Ms. Huilin Xu at hlxu@europeanchamber.com.cn before 20 March 2018.
