November 29, 2023. Shanghai – Following a four-year intermission, the 18th China Automotive Industry Forum made a return to the CEIBS Shanghai campus today.

Known as one of the most seminal events in the automotive industry and a flagship CEIBS forum, this year’s conference brought together preeminent global experts from academia, research, and industry to engage in profound dialogues on the theme of Sustainable Development of New Energy Vehicles.

In an opening address, CEIBS President Wang Hong highlighted China’s status as the world’s largest automobile market, leading global automobile production and sales for 14 consecutive years. Notably, China’s NEV production and sales have topped global charts for eight consecutive years, skyrocketing from less than 6,000 units in 2011 to 6,887,000 units in 2022.

She also emphasized CEIBS’ long-standing commitment to facilitating the automotive industry’s growth as an international business school co-founded by the Chinese government and the European Union.

“CEIBS has played a pivotal role in the transformation and globalisation of China’s automotive industry by developing a comprehensive training system and cultivating numerous international industry leaders. Recognised as one of the world’s most resource-rich institutions in bridging industry, academia, and research in the automotive field, CEIBS has made significant contributions through its alumni, who are deeply involved in the entire automotive industry chain,” she said.

Prof. Wang also called for leveraging CEIBS’s robust “industry-academia-research” platform, guided by the school’s cutting-edge research and professional insights, to drive the Chinese automotive industry forward and promote innovative global cooperation.

Former Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei then delivered a keynote speech via a video message in which he provided a comprehensive overview of the global automotive industry’s transformation.

He observed that the past two decades have been a period of significant evolution for the global automotive sector, with China achieving remarkable milestones. Despite these achievements, he acknowledged that the Chinese automotive industry faces both opportunities and challenges brought about by this major global shift. This transformation is characterised by profound changes in both the scale and structure of the Chinese car market.

“The development of intelligent and connected vehicles will become a critical indicator of successful industry transformation. While there has been commendable progress in the initial stages, it is the development of intelligent vehicle development that will decide the outcome,” he suggested.

This phase, he emphasised, requires meticulous planning and strategic foresight. The changes wrought by this once-in-a-century transformation have multiple dimensions, including technological advancements, business operations, investment strategies, profit models, and consumer behaviour. Therefore, the industry should recognize and proactively respond to these changes while seeking possible opportunities amid challenges.

Chairman of China Universal Asset Management and CEIBS alumnus Li Wen (EMBA10) along with Founder and Chairman of Shanghai Welly Automobile and MBA 1997’s Zhouren Lou presented a welcome address at the forum.

Mr. Li highlighted the necessity for China’s automotive industry to pivot and ascend to a higher echelon in this era of rapid transformation. He emphasised the importance of intensifying efforts in technological innovation, brand enhancement, and service experience enhancement. Additionally, he pointed out the need for the integration and optimisation of the industry chain to foster collaborative growth across the entire spectrum.

“The forum, which concentrates on the pressing issues faced by industry professionals amidst these historic shifts, is particularly timely, and offers a platform to discuss major industry topics from various angles while seeking breakthroughs for the future,” he said.

Mr. Lou, in his address, acknowledged that China’s automotive industry is at a pivotal stage of development, encountering new opportunities and challenges. The advent of new energy, intelligent driving, and sharing technologies has paved new ways for the industry.

“CEIBS has over 2,000 alumni working in the automotive industry. I believe today’s forum, which focuses on the innovative progression of China’s automotive industry, will serve as an exchange and communication platform to propel its exceptional growth."

The forum also featured an engaging roundtable discussion led by Founder and President of the Aspen Institute Central Europe Ivan Hodač, with distinguished experts including CEIBS President (European) and Professor of Marketing Dominique Turpin, President of Chongqing Changan Automobile and CEIBS alum Wang Jun (EMBA12), Professor of Waseda University and Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo Takahiro Fujimoto, Professor of Management at the Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania, Director of the Program on Vehicle and Mobility Innovation (PVMI), and Co-Director of the International Motor Vehicle Program (IMVP) Sir Donald Gordon, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Professor of Strategy at London Business School Michael G. Jacobides, and Senior Advisor, CEE Automotive, EY Consulting Peter Knap, sharing insights and engaging in discussions and interactions.

In his address, President Turpin emphasised the significant technological edge that Chinese enterprises have established on the global stage. He pointed out their possession of key technologies crucial for future advancements, coupled with a vast market scale that enables them to achieve highly competitive costs.

Prof. Turpin also delved into an analysis of the automotive industries in Europe, the United States, Japan, Chile, and other countries. He observed that the current transformation of the automotive industry, a once-in-a-century shift, encompasses more than just technological changes. It also involves alterations in economic models, profit patterns, and customer behaviour. As a marketing professor, Turpin underscored the importance of brand management focusing on delivering differentiated and meaningful value propositions. He expressed keen interest in assessing the level of differentiation among Chinese automotive brands and exploring strategies to enhance their appeal to customers.

“Without a clear, differentiated value in a brand’s products and services, customers tend to default to price as their primary decision-making factor, putting companies in a reactive rather than proactive position,” he said.

The opening session of the morning conference was hosted by Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing, and After-Sales for Smart Automobile and CEIBS alumna Mandy Zhang (EMBA18).

Two parallel sessions were also held on the sidelines of the forum, hosted by CEIBS Professors Fang Yue, Chen Weiru, Wang Yajin, and Jiang Yuan on the topics Organisational Transformation and Intelligent Electric Vehicles, and Design, Development and Brand Marketing of New Energy Vehicles.

The event was sponsored by AVATR Technologies. Launched in 2003, the China Automotive Industry Forum is one of the most influential events in the automotive sector and the longest-standing industry forum organised by CEIBS. The annual forum invites at least two CEOs from international automotive OEMs and two from domestic OEMs to attend and deliver keynote speeches. This gathering of top industry leaders serves to pool cutting-edge insights and foster innovative solutions for the challenges facing the global automotive industry.