The 6th China-CEEC (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Forum Launches

CANGZHOU, China, Nov. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – A news report by Xinhuanet:

On November 7, the 6th China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Forum commenced in Cangzhou, Hebei Province. The forum was jointly hosted by the China Centre for Promotion of SME Development (ProSME) of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Hebei Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, and Cangzhou Municipal People’s Government. Supporting organizations include the China International Cooperation Association of SMEs (CICASME) and the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee. The event was co-organized by the China-CEEC (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Zone and the Cangzhou Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology.

This year’s forum, themed “Deepening Cooperation and Sharing Opportunities,” combines both offline and online formats, with a primary focus on in-person engagement. Key activities include the Opening Ceremony and Keynote Forum, the Zero-Carbon Energy and Green Industry Innovation Forum, the International Forum on Remanufacturing Industry, the International Forum on Aviation Industry and Low Altitude Economy, and the SMEs’ Cross-border Collaboration and Matchmaking Meeting, and the European Segment of the 2024 International SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.

Throughout the forum, leading experts and dignitaries from around the world delivered speeches under the theme ‘New Path for Pragmatic Cooperation between SMEs of China and CEECs.’ They emphasized the critical roles of sustainable energy, the digital economy, and trade and logistics in strengthening ties between China and Central and Eastern European countries. In parallel, the event featured a range of innovative activities aimed at building an international platform to foster industrial cooperation and exchanges among SMEs from the participating nations.

At the Zero-Carbon Energy and Green Industry Innovation Forum, participating specialists and researchers engaged in discussions on developing a zero-carbon economy. They explored new opportunities, technologies, models, and challenges associated with lithium, hydrogen, and energy storage, with the aim of collaboratively advancing the green economy.

By attracting leading European innovation projects, the European division of the 2024 International SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition has successfully transformed a number of innovative ideas into real-world applications, enhancing the collaborative development of new technologies between Chinese and European SMEs.

The China-CEEC (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Forum, now in its sixth year, has emerged as Hebei Province’s leading foreign affairs initiative. The forum has drawn high-profile participants from Slovakia, Serbia, Germany, Finland, and neighboring countries, as well as ambassadors to China, and executives from leading Chinese and international industry associations and businesses. It has also spurred numerous collaborative projects between China and Central and Eastern European countries, enhancing cultural exchanges, educational partnerships, and technology transfers.  

Cangzhou is positioning the forum as a premier, open platform designed to be engaging, impactful, and competitive. The city’s objective is to significantly improve and sustain high-level interactions and collaborations between China and Central and Eastern European countries across the manufacturing, technology, investment and trade sectors.

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HILVERSUM, Netherlands, Nov. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — “We have taken note of Bill Ackman’s post in relation to Pershing Square and UMG on X yesterday. Neither UMG nor any of its other board members were involved in the formulation of the views in that post. As disclosed in UMG’s listing prospectus, Pershing has the right to request a listing in the US subject to a Pershing entity selling at least $500 million in UMG shares as part of the listing. Pershing does not have any right to require UMG to become a US domiciled company or delist from Euronext Amsterdam. While the company will endeavor in good faith to comply with its contractual obligations with respect to undertaking the process of a US listing at the request of Pershing, any actions or decisions beyond those necessary to comply (including any decisions to change the domicile of the company) will be based on an analysis taking into account what is value maximizing and in the best interests of all the shareholders of the company.”

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LONDON, Nov. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Manulife Investment Management today announced enhancement to its equity organization in leveraging expertise across its Asia and Emerging Markets teams to improve investment experience for its clients.  Charlie Dutton, an equity investment leader with substantial experience in Asia, is named to the newly created role of Chief Investment Officer, Global Emerging Market Equities. In this new role, Charlie will oversee and align our Asia ex-Japan and emerging market equity capabilities, ensuring we leverage local resources and insights across the organization.

Manulife Investment Management has operated in emerging markets for more than a century. Today, it has one of the largest equity teams based in Asia with over 90 investment professionals located across 10 markets in the region. By combining local insight with deep investment expertise, Manulife Investment Management will be able to leverage deeper information advantage over other asset managers based outside of Asia. The combined Emerging Market Equities organization manages over US$25 billion in AUM across Asia and emerging markets equity strategies.

“Collaboration and engagement have always been at the heart of our investment culture, and our emerging markets and Asia equity teams have participated in a variety of forums to exchange ideas and insights.  The closer alignment of the Asia equity team with the global Emerging Markets equity organization formalizes the longstanding sharing of ideas and insights between our Asia and our emerging markets equity teams.  We believe this alignment will translate into improved research sharing and investment decision making, and will enhance our ability to create custom-tailored solutions to meet client needs,” said Colin Purdie, Global Chief Investment Officer, Public Markets, Manulife Investment Management.

Charlie will be spending a considerable amount of time in Asia with the extensive investment teams across the region in the coming months. He will continue to be based in London, affording him the opportunity to work and communicate with the investment teams in London and across Asia effectively, ensuring connections between each.

Charlie brings more than 27 years of investment experience to this role, including over 25 years of Asia equity investment experience with seven years in Hong Kong as well as South Africa and London. Prior to joining Manulife Investment Management’s Emerging Markets Equity team earlier this year, Charlie was a fund manager at Ninety One as part of the Global Quality Capability team that managed assets across five strategies.

Before Ninety One, Charlie was a founding partner at Coupland Cardiff, an Asian investment firm, where he spent 10 years managing Asian focused equity funds. Prior to that, he was based in Hong Kong and served as director of Asia-Pacific research at JPMorgan and as a Hong Kong/China consumer analyst at JF Securities. Charlie started his career at HSBC based in Hong Kong as a HK/China Analyst.

“We are confident Charlie’s deep investment experience, including over 25 years investing in Asia equity, makes him ideally suited to take on the role of CIO, Emerging Markets Equities. We look forward to his leadership, combined with the support of our Asia investment teams, in building upon our strong foundation in the region, and leading our Asia business into the future,” said Steve Medina, Chief Investment Officer, Global Equities, Manulife Investment Management.

At the same time, Manulife Investment Management announced that Kathryn Langridge, Senior Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Head of Emerging Markets Equity team, has shared her intention to retire effective October 31, 2025, after an impressive investment career spanning over 40 years.  Meanwhile, Ronald Chan, CIO, Asia ex-Japan Equity, is departing Manulife Investment Management.

“The alignment of the Asia and the Emerging Markets equity teams is a testament to the critical role Asia plays in today’s equity markets, and further draws attention to the deep pool of talent in Manulife’s investment organization,” said Charlie Dutton, Chief Investment Officer, Global Emerging Market Equities. “By globalizing and strengthening this capability, Manulife Investment Management is better positioned to deliver for its clients while expanding the pipeline of research and insight the Emerging Markets equity team can deliver for other capabilities at the firm on a global basis.”

About Manulife Wealth & Asset Management

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As part of Manulife Financial Corporation, Manulife Wealth & Asset Management provides global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to 19 million individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Our mission is to make decisions easier and lives better by empowering people today to invest for a better tomorrow. As a committed partner to our clients and as a responsible steward of investor capital, we offer a heritage of risk management, deep expertise across public and private markets, and comprehensive retirement plan services. We seek to provide better investment and impact outcomes and to help people confidently save and invest for a more secure financial future. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com. 

Media contacts: Carl Wong, Manulife Investment Management Asia, +852 2510 3180, [email protected]; Elizabeth Bartlett, Head of Wealth & Asset Management Public Relations, North America & Europe, Manulife Investment Management, +1 857 210 2286, [email protected]

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