The 1st Minority Supplier Development China Summit - 2009 MSD China National Conference and Business Opportunity Fair concluded successfully!

August 25-28, 2009 Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

The first Minority Supplier Development China Summit - 2009 MSD China National Conference and Business Opportunity Fair was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province from August 25-28, 2009. The event was a great success and provided a host of information and opportunities to all involved.

The first National Conference and Business Opportunity Fair on the minority supplier development program brings together approximately 100 Chinese minority business owners, corporate minority supplier development professionals, purchasing executives, corporate decision-makers, and government officials for four days in Chengdu to deliver and share the latest information and ideas on minority business development.

The successful conclusion of the first National Conference and Business Opportunity Fair in Chengdu marks a milestone in the history of minority supplier development in China. The fair demonstrates the gradual development of supplier diversity within China, which has been practiced by many US-based multinationals for a number of years. We are confident that the minority supplier development program in China has a promising and bright future!

Wang Tiezhi
Inspector of Economic Development
Department of State Ethnic Affairs Commission (SEAC)

"China is a multi-ethnic country. To achieve national unity and equity among all ethnic groups is an important part of the Chinese government’s work. Therefore, our government encourages all those activities that serve to fulfil the above targets. The first minority supplier development program in China embodies the essence of helping and cultivating minority business by providing access to procurement opportunities with large corporations. This model increases development space for large corporations as well as business growth opportunities for minority companies. Chengdu is a major city in the western China and has a large number of minority enterprises. I believe this model has a great potential to enhance the development of minority business and the economy of ethnic minority regions."

Harriet Michel
President
National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (NMSDC)

"I absolutely believe that by creating business opportunities, in order to promote business ownership in what we call minority communities, is the best way forward for China. For those communities to gain economic fairness and justice, and to gain control, is vitally important in their life. That’s why we strongly believe in the ideals of MSD China. If it is successful, it will be able to bring together ethnic minority entrepreneurs with businesses and government. Those business opportunities will create wealth for those communities and thereby, will impact the entire community." 

Wang Zhonglin
Vice Mayor of Chengdu

"This Summit built a platform for business and communication exchange between Chengdu companies and multinationals. I fully believe that this summit will bear plentiful prove fruitful for all involved."

Harriet Michel, President of National Minority Supplier Development Council(NMSDC) presents a crystal memento to Yang Liu, Director of MSD China, to congratulate MSD China on the occasion of its first National Conference And Business Opportunity Fair; a milestone in Ethnic Minority Supplier Development.

Ying McGuire
Senior Manager of Global Supplier Diversity
Dell Inc.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Today you have made the first and the most significant step. You are the leaders and the pioneers who will help cultivate and tap the talent of Chinese minority business communities and help create economic benefits for all parties involved. From this moment on, united and determined, with much anticipation, we will go forward together, dedicated to advocate for minority supplier development in China!"

Left: Bruce Geier, Owner-President of Technology Integration Group (TIG)
Right: Denise Coley, Director, Global Supplier Diversity Business Development of Cisco Systems, Inc.

Patrice Knight
Vice President, Operations-Global Procurement
IBM Corporation

"If you are a global business or a global Chinese company, have you increased success in the partnership between your company and diversity businesses? First you need to have executives' support, and you need to be clear you can nurture such support within the company that you operate. This is a value and an effort that makes good business sense. You do it because it helps you deliver value and helps create value across your supplier chain."

Lou Zhou, Director of Global Procurement Centers, IBM Global Services China Company Limited, presides over the conference’s opening ceremony.

David Brown
Vice President, Global Fulfillment & Logistics
Dell Inc.

"This day marks an important milestone in minority business development in China. We are here to cultivate a new kind of relationship between qualified minority suppliers and corporations based on mutual interest and mutual respect. Through promoting supplier diversity models in the corporate supply chain and providing equal access to procurement opportunities for underutilized communities, we are driving economic gain for all parties involved."

Rengen Li
Manager, Supplier Diversity
Global Procurement & Trading
The Coca-Cola Company

"Secret Formula for Success When Doing Business with Multinationals:
1. Know yourself and your industry
2. Know your target
3. Pick the right entry point
4. Don't try to sell, try to add value
5. Be professional, patient, and persistent"

Christopher Manno
Asia Pacific Procurement Commodity Leader
Automotive Experience Group
Johnson Controls Automotive Interior Management (China) Co., Ltd.

Albert Chen
President and CEO of Telamon Corporation

Plenary Session