Our Advisors
Tin Zhang
Since arriving in 1997 to study at the University of Cambridge, Ting has dedicated her career to facilitate business and investment links between the UK and China. She became well-known as a thought leader on China in the UK and her expertise have been called by governments, businesses and think-tanks alike. On a daily basis, as the Founder & CEO of Crayfish.io, she is passionate about providing high-quality, value-for-money online business services for doing business in China and beyond.
Ting helped to set up UKCWC during the early days of Covid and continues to contribute to its further development as an Advisory Board member. She also holds various other volunteering roles including Advisory Board member for the UK National Committee on China (UKNCC), Vice President of the UK Sichuan Business Association, and founder of the non-profit career network iCAN, tirelessly helping a wider community between the UK and China to better understand and engage with each other.
Sheela Mackintosh-Stewart
Sheela Mackintosh-Stewart is a family law solicitor, ex-barrister, entrepreneur and diversity champion who is actively involved in charity, community and political work. She is also a coach guiding people to become diversity and relationship-smarter in all aspects of their lives, writing and speaking regularly on these subject . She co-founded ‘Diaspora Emerging Leadership programme’, a social enterprise and has to date successfully mentored and nurtured 80 leaders from the Chinese and other BAME diasporas creating a more visible and powerful community global leaders to bridge East and West. Sheela’s work in politics includes championing greater diversity and representation in politics.
Professor Xiaolan Fu
Xiaolan Fu is the Founding Director of the Technology and Management Centre for Development, Professor of Technology and International Development at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She is currently Director of Research of Oxford Department of International Development at the University.
Her research interests include innovation, technology and industrialisation; trade, foreign direct investment and economic development; and emerging Asian economies. She is appointed by the Secretary-General of United Nations to the Governing Council of the Technology Bank for the Least Developed the Counties and to the Ten-Member High Level Advisory Group of the UN Technology Facilitation Mechanism. She is a winner of 2021 Falling Walls Scientific Breakthrough Award.
She has published extensively in leading international journals. Her recent books include Oxford Handbook of China Innovation (2022), Innovation Under the Radar: The Nature and Source of Innovation in Africa (2020), China’s Path to Innovation (2015), China’s Role in Global Economic Recovery (2011), and The Rise of Technological Power in the South (2010).
Ms Mei Sim Lai OBE DL FCA FCCA
Of Malaysian Chinese origin Mei Sim came to London in 1970 to train as a chartered accountant. In 1979 she became the first Chinese and female partner of Pridie Brewster, Chartered Accountants established in 1914.In 2007 Mei Sim founded her own firm LaiPeters & Co in the City of London.
Mei Sim was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London in 2006. Since 2007 she has represented Her Majesty The Queen and from September 2022 His Majesty King Charles III in the London Borough of Brent.
Alongside her work as a Chartered Accountant Mei Sim holds and has held several public, City, Charity and not for profit appointments. These include;:
- Chair of Television for the Environment
- Chair of The British Malaysian Society
- Chair of Mulan Foundation Network
- Co- Chair of Chinese Welfare Trust.
- Trustee of Pan Asian Women’s Association
- Director of Arab International Women’s Forum
- Non Executive Director and Special Trustee of St Mary’s Hospital Paddington
- Member of the Senior Salaries Review Body
- Member of the Ministry of Defence Diversity panel
- Member of the DTI’s Ethnic Minority Business Forum
- President of the City Livery Club, the first Chinese person to be President since the Club was founded in 1914
- Founder of Women in the Livery, a section of City Livery Club
- Master of the Worshipful Company of World Traders the first Chinese person to be a Master of a City Livery Company in the very long history of the City of London
- Hon Secretary of the IoD City of London Branch
- Chair of the China Special interest Group of IoD
- Director of the 48 Group Club
- Chairperson of City Women’s Network and IWF UK
Mei Sim is a past winner of the Asian Women of Achievement Award for Contribution to Public Service, the Sino –Pro award for Outstanding Contribution to the Chinese Community in the UK and the CIAC Lord Sheikh Lifetime Achievement Award.
She holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree conferred by the University of Nottingham.
Mei Sim was appointed OBE in 2004 for services to Equal Opportunities.