Under the theme “Hidden Champions in Rising Economies: The Unrevealed Roads to the Future,” the symposium will examine how highly specialized companies grow, innovate, internationalize, and build resilience in an environment shaped by technological change, geopolitical shifts, and the restructuring of global value chains.
The symposium is chaired by Prof. Xiaobo Wu of Zhejiang University, also CEEMAN Vice President for China, and Prof. Hermann Simon, founder of Simon-Kucher, with Prof. Danica Purg, President of CEEMAN, serving as Academic Chair. CEEMAN is supporting the symposium, continuing its long-standing engagement in research and international dialogue on hidden champions.
The main symposium on 15 October will feature keynote speeches, industry perspectives, and roundtable discussions. Among the topics to be addressed are innovation and internationalization, leadership and strategic decision-making, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, supply-chain resilience, sustainability, and the role of innovation ecosystems.
The program will feature contributions from internationally recognized scholars and business representatives, including Hermann Simon, Xiaobo Wu, Danica Purg, Pil Hwa Yoo, Julian E. Schenkenhofer, Aiqi Wu, and others.
Hosted by the International Research Center for Hidden Champions at Zhejiang University’s International Campus, the symposium is expected to welcome approximately 100 participants from China and abroad, creating a focused platform for exchange between research, business, and policy communities.
The event builds on growing international research into hidden champions and their contribution to competitiveness, innovation, and sustainable economic development in rising economies.
Join us in Hangzhou for insights and updates on the Hidden Champions!
For more information, please contact: Dr. Aigerim Kaumenova aigerim.kaumenova@ceeman.org and Dr. Linan Lei leilinan@zju.edu.cn