For the 2018 Tech and Innovation Summit, our roster of industry-leading speakers, including Kai-fu Lee, CEO of Sinovation Ventures, and Xu Mingqiang, CTO at Microsoft Greater China, are set to unpack the digital transformation of business and the global ramifications of the fourth industrial revolution. But, as important as perspectives from the cutting edge are, the views and experiences from those who are adopting emerging technologies is just as important.
As such, we are very excited to have Bayer Greater China President Celina Chew as yet another addition to our amazing cast of expert speakers. Over the last 154 years, Bayer – the pharmaceutical and life sciences company known worldwide for products such as Aspirin – has embraced technology and innovation as a fundamental driver of business, and means of success around the world. With Chew at the helm, Bayer Greater China has been leveraging biotechnology, innovation platforms, and Big Data to grow their business and traverse this transformative digital age. At the summit, Chew will explain Bayer’s origins as a company founded on innovation, and their intent to continue down this technologically-paved path of success.
Chew has described in detail how imperative tech adoption is for traditional industries, further underlining how collaboration is an imperative to keep up with the incredible pace of change of today’s digital world – especially in China. “We know that the world is changing, and it is not sufficient to have expertise only in molecular science,” Chew explains. “We also need the data science to support our work and ensure we can best deliver innovative solutions. So, we have been looking to accrue expertise in the data field,” says Chew.
In line with this collaborative mentality, Bayer Greater China goes to great lengths to invest in China’s innovation ecosystem through their digital health incubator, Grants4Apps. Through this program, Bayer invites several Chinese startups each year and provides funding, mentoring, and access to their networks to accelerate digital solutions to health issues. “We open our network of business partners and expertise to them to help take them to the next level so they can then go to market," Chew says. "For us, this works well as we believe innovation is a collaborative effort, and we want to empower others to address issues in the same fields in which we're working.”
On September 20, Celina Chew will join the How Traditional Industries Select and Adopt Disruptive Tech Panel at the 2018 Technology and Innovation Summit, providing insight into how she and Bayer have successfully navigated China’s digital transformation, and how they plan to continue innovating for long-term success.