Lecture Abstract:

The global economy moves, for better or worse, to economic and consumer actions in China.  As China is in the midst of a necessary and desired shift from an investment-led to a consumption-led economy, amidst significantly slowing domestic growth and global uncertainty, 2016 will be a pivotal and consequential year that is sure to be rocky.

During his talk, Randal Phillips will cover a wide variety of issues that hold the key for China’s macroeconomic status this year, and defining consumer trends that underlay it.  He will look at China’s turn from monetary to fiscal policy support, its new currency policy that means higher volatility for markets, the status of SOE reform, real estate markets, and the strength of the service sector.  On the consumer side, Randal will discuss the apparent resilience being displayed by the Chinese consumer, and the indicators of strength and weakness to anticipate what this year might hold.

About the Speaker:

RANDAL PHILLIPS is Managing Partner for Asia of the Mintz Group, and correspondingly manages the Group’s activities across Asia.

Randy spent 28 years with the Central Intelligence Agency’s National Clandestine Service, most recently serving as the Chief CIA representative in China. He has an extensive background in foreign field operations, policy and program management, and leadership development. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Bahasa Indonesian.

Randy has lived and traveled extensively throughout China and elsewhere in Asia for the U.S. Government. Additionally, he has managed worldwide and regional programs from Washington. Randy has extensive relationships with officials and business leaders throughout the continent, and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Randy has deep expertise on issues relative to Asia, with particular emphasis on China. This includes an intimate knowledge of the full range of political, economic, trade, investment and security issues involving China, from a bilateral as well as a multilateral perspective. Randy has extensive experience unraveling a variety of complex matters involving finance, trade and fraud.

Randy has a B.A. in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs from Miami University, and a Masters of International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.