Business Negotiations with China

VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING I  June 6  I  7:00 – 8:00 PM (EST)  I  MEMBERS-ONLY

Join us for the next installment of the Canada China Forum skill-development series, “Negotiations with China,” as we delve into the intricacies of conducting business in the private sector of China. This series aims to equip our members and young professionals with valuable insights from experienced professionals to enhance their skillsets and empower them in their career development.

With China’s immense economic growth and global significance, understanding the art of negotiation in this cultural context is paramount. Two of our distinguished Advisory Board Members will  share their various experiences and insights from the private sector: John Gruetzner, Senior Vice President of Syngrafii, and Sarah Kutulakos, COO and Executive Director at the Canada-China Business Council. They will share their firsthand experiences and valuable insights on navigating the business negotiation landscape in China, notably on the various approaches to the conduct of those negotiations and how to prepare for them.

John Gruetzner, Senior Vice President of Syngrafii – Mr. Gruetzner is currently working out of Canada and responsible for international business development for Canadian–based technology firm Syngrafii Inc. He is also the co-founder of Intercedent, a business and investment advisory firm founded in 1988 focused on Asia and remains involved. John Gruetzner received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto and studied Mandarin Chinese at the University of Nankai in Tianjin. Prior to returning to Canada he lived and worked in China for over 37 years. He is a Director on a number private sector Boards. He is also volunteer Co-Chair of the Pelee Island Bird Observatory, Co-head of the Steering Committee for E-Ranger Lab and active in the formation of the China Policy Centre. Mr. Gruetzner contributes articles to a number of publications and lectures to universities and companies on doing business in China.

Sarah Kutulakos, COO and Executive Director at the Canada-China Business Council – Sarah joined the CCBC in 2007 and has since revitalized CCBC’s role as Canada’s premier bilateral trade and investment organization. Sarah has re-centered the Council’s activities around providing business services, catalyzing business growth and activity, and advocating for stronger Sino-Canadian bilateral trade and investment. This has resulted in extensive public outreach activities, internal infrastructure improvements, the launch of new programs such as the Business Incubation Centre, and thriving member relations.

Prior to joining CCBC, Sarah worked for 11 years in marketing, product development, and management with a major multinational corporation, where she had multiple assignments involving China. Sarah managed worldwide product businesses that marketed to China and used China-based sources of supply. She was also involved in several projects requiring cooperation with the Chinese government. Sarah has led both established and start-up businesses within the context of a global corporation and has broad emerging market business experience, and has been involved in the Greater China region since the late 1980’s when she lived and worked in Taiwan. There, she was the first non-Chinese employee of a local high-tech start-up firm, where she gained a deep understanding of Chinese business practices.

A fluent Mandarin speaker, Sarah’s interest in China began at the University of Wisconsin, where she studied Chinese, marketing, and international business. She holds an MBA in finance and operations from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. She frequently speaks on China issues, including marketing, trade, investment, and Canada-China relations.