Special Guest Speaker, Former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, Ken Wilcox

A big thank you to Ken Wilcox, former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank (2001 - 2010) for sharing his journey and insights with Band members. Ken spoke about his personal and professional experiences living and working in China for a decade, and the evolving relationship between China and the United States. The discussion, titled "Turning Point: What the Chinese Communist Party Wanted from Its Relationship with the U.S., What It Wants Now, and Why," offered perspectives on a complex and consequential topic. Ken also discussed his authored memoir, The China Business Conundrum: Ensure That Win-Win Doesn't Mean Western Companies Lose Twice. The book's central message is that success in China requires more than importing a Western business model. It requires an understanding of China's history, culture, political system, and institutional structures, along with clear ethical and strategic boundaries. Ultimately, doing business in China must be a genuinely two-way street.