AmCham China is pleased to announce that James Zimmerman has been elected as Chair of the Board of Governors for 2026, while Poh-Yian Koh, Colm Rafferty, and Travis Tanner have been elected as Vice Chairs. As per the Constitution, the four Officers were elected by the full 2026 Board of Governors, a list of whom can be found here. The new Board and Officers will take up their appointments on January 1, 2026.
“Today, US-China relations are at a pivotal stage since the normalization of ties 46 years ago, and the Chamber and its member companies continue to play a key role in laying the groundwork for the future of the world’s two largest economies,” said incoming Chair James Zimmerman. “In 2026, AmCham China will continue to work with stakeholders in both countries to support our members as they capture opportunities in this strategic market, and to do so in ways that benefit American business, workers, farmers, and the communities in which they operate.”– James Zimmerman, 2026 AmCham China Chair
James M. Zimmerman is a Beijing-based author and lawyer who has lived and worked in China for three decades. He is a partner with the law firm of Loeb & Loeb LLP and advises foreign companies on corporate, transactional, regulatory, litigation and white-collar criminal defense matters. James previously served as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China for four prior terms in 2007-08 and 2015-16. He is the author of the acclaimed non-fiction book, The Peking Express: The Bandits Who Stole a Train, Stunned the West, and Broke the Republic of China.
Poh-Yian Koh is the President of FedEx China and leads operations in one of the company’s most strategic markets. She is responsible for driving business growth and market expansion while fostering strong collaboration with government agencies, customers, and partners. Poh-Yian began her FedEx career in Singapore before relocating to China in 1994, where she played a pivotal role in market entry, shaping customs procedures, and advancing major strategic initiatives, including the development of the Pudong and Guangzhou hubs. From 2025 to 2027, she served as Global Investment Promotion Advisor for Guangdong Province. Over her 35-year career, Poh-Yian has held leadership positions across Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. She earned her degrees from The Ohio State University and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Colm Rafferty is Vice President – Asia & Developing Markets for Vermeer Corporation and Chairman of Vermeer China Limited. Vermeer is a global manufacturer of innovative solutions supporting infrastructure development, natural resource management, and agriculture. Colm served as AmCham China Chair in 2022 and 2023 and previously held five Board terms, including four as Vice Chair. He led the Chamber’s Long-Term Strategy Task Force in 2019 and also received the Chairman’s Service Award (2019) and the Pioneer Award (2025). With more than two decades of experience working for US companies in China, he is committed to advancing the American business community’s interests in the market. He holds an MBA from Yale and a BA in East Asian Studies from Brown.
Travis N. Tanner is Executive Director for China at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), representing leading biopharmaceutical research companies. Based in Beijing, he leads PhRMA’s government, policy, and public engagement in China and now enters his second consecutive term as Vice Chair of the AmCham China Board of Governors. A trusted China advisor with more than 25 years of experience, Travis has built bridges across US and Chinese corporate, government, academic, and non-profit communities. Previously, he was President of GreenPoint Group and Senior Managing Director at Ankura, where he remains a Senior Advisor. He holds degrees from the University of Utah and Johns Hopkins SAIS and serves in advisory roles with NBR and Tsinghua University Schwarzman College.
Tianjin Chapter
Meanwhile, AmCham China’s Tianjin Chapter has re-elected the same officers for 2026, with Marcus Williams continuing to serve as Chair, while Jeremy Carman and Cathy Yan will stay on as Vice Chairs.