Asia Days Business Conference 2024​
Asia Innovates:
Pioneering the Future
OCT 8-9
COPENHAGEN
Asia Days 2024
Welcome to Asia Days 2024, a two-day conference hosted by Copenhagen Business School that will explore the transformative theme: Asia Innovates: Pioneering the Future.
As global dynamics shift, Asia continues to lead in innovation across sectors such as technology, sustainability, and business. This year's event brings together eight visionary speakers who will share their insights on how Asia is shaping the future, driving change, and creating new opportunities on the global stage. Join us to discover the breakthroughs and bold ideas emerging from Asia, and how they are influencing the world.
Speakers
Matt Boczkowski
"Doing business in China – Aquaporin’s Journey of Innovation"​
Matt Boczkowski is the Chief Executive Officer of innovative water technology company, Aquaporin, which has operations in Denmark (HQ), Singapore, China, Turkey, and the United States. Matt has broad experience with global growth initiatives in both water and wastewater treatment, encompassing corporate account management, business development, strategic marketing, technology development, and business management. Prior to his current role, he was Vice President – Industrial Markets and Key Accounts at SUEZ HQ. In addition, he has held senior leadership roles at GE Water & Process Technologies, and has spent eight years with Air Liquide, GEA, and Pall. Matt holds an MBA from HEC Montréal, a B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering, and a B.Sc. in Microbiology and Biotechnology from McGill University, Canada.
Pankaj Kumar
"Digital Transformation in Banking"
Pankaj is a seasoned global technology business leader, focusing on industry market growth, leading innovation programs, Global partners strategy and managed multi- country cloud business having worked across Asia & Europe markets. Pankaj's educational foundation is rooted in his background as an Electrical Engineer, complemented by an MBA from India. He further enhanced his skills through an industry program at the Singapore Management University. He has worked in business development across several regions in a variety of roles during his career. His varied background has given him a comprehensive grasp of international markets and the nuances of promoting corporate growth in many cultural situations. Along with his career achievements, Pankaj is an industry mentor and coach who shares his knowledge and experience to develop the next wave of business leaders. Having given talks at several business, fintech, and academic conferences in Asia and Europe, he is also in high demand as a speaker.
Merlijn Poolman
"Bridging the Wall: Connecting East and West Through Cultural Diplomacy"
Merlijn Poolman began his career organizing metal shows and tours, eventually founding the nightclub Subsonic in Groningen in 2011. This venture led him deeper into the dance music scene, culminating in his appointment as the Night Mayor of Groningen in 2018. In this role, Poolman worked to bridge the gap between the government, club owners, and partygoers. He also led the Groningen Night Council and served on the Dutch Popcoalitie, balancing formal policy-making with his passion for the underground music culture. Poolman's involvement with China began in 2014 with cultural exchanges in the music business, leading to 14 visits. He organized the Yin Yang music festival at the Great Wall of China six times and in 2017 launched the China Pavilion Conference at the Amsterdam Dance Event. In 2018, he founded Gateway 2 China (G2C), a service providing Chinese social media management and content creation for Western artists, expanding into merchandise sales and music collaborations. Now in the Netherlands, he continues his cultural advocacy with the COSIMO Foundation, focusing on innovative funding for cultural projects.
Wendy HL. Cheng
"Robotics, Startups, and Beyond: Asia-Nordic Synergies in Pioneering Innovation"
Before joining Nordic Startup Ventures as a Partner, Wendy had over 10 years of international business development experience in HW, and SW (AI, sensors, chillers, simulators). She works on licensing, partnership match-making, sales & marketing, supply chain management, etc. She grew the SMEs across industries, in robotics (exos), renewable energy, industrial automation, wearable intelligence, cloud computing, and scale them internationally. Wendy set up and led the Investment Division for the International Alliances for Robotics Association (IARA), co-founded Kuntai Robots - a Chinese startup making consumer exos; received the Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarship for her passion for giving voice to the voiceless; awarded the “50 Women in Robotics You Need to Know About” in 2021 by Women in Robotics. Wendy is also a ballerina, piano composer and poet. She believes, that everyone should challenge themselves with the passion for striving for excellence.
Jørgen Sevild
"The 5 Most Important Lessons I learned from 10 Years in Hong Kong"
Jørgen Sevild is a passionate, multidisciplinary entrepreneur with over 10 years of experience in starting and scaling global technology and creative businesses in Asia, primarily in Hong Kong and Mainland China. He is the founder and partner at INQOVA, a B2B marketing consulting agency, and successfully exited a startup by acquisition in 2022. Currently, he is focused on making high-quality material digitization for 3D design and visualization accessible and scalable through Bandicoot Imaging Sciences.
Maxime Blanc
"Lessons from 12 Years of Witnessing China’s Innovation: How China Transformed Manufacturing and Is Reimagining Agriculture"
Maxime Blanc spent 12 years in China, gaining a wealth of experience in both SMEs and large corporations. He began his journey in Henan as the China Area Manager for a small French manufacturer of heating systems for husbandry. This entrepreneurial, on-the-ground first experience taught him the ins and outs of doing business in China. Maxime then transitioned to Flex, a US company and one of the largest contract manufacturers in the world, where he served as a Project Manager. Immersed in a top-tier factory in Guangdong, the heart of China's high-tech manufacturing, he learned best practices in product development and industrialization from concept to scale. His next role was as China Country Manager for a French manufacturer of high-tech greenhouses, where he gained insights on how to sell and manage complex investment projects, often involving Chinese authorities. Recently, Maxime moved back to France to take on a new role as a Sourcing Category Lead, where he continues to manage the China supply chain among other responsibilities.
Tobias Ravn Thomsen
"Energy, Thorium Molten Salt Reactors and the Potential in Asia"
Tobias Ravn Thomsen is a professional in the green energy sector, currently working Copenhagen Atomics, a company focused on developing thorium molten salt reactors. These reactors are designed to generate clean and abundant energy by burning thorium and nuclear waste. They are modular, fitting within the area of a standard 40-foot shipping container for easy deployment in various locations. The company will test the reactor in Switzerland at the Paul Scherrer Institute in 2026-27.With a strong foundation in business and communication, Tobias's experience spans supporting C-suite executives, managing external communications, and leading marketing strategies. He holds a BSc in International Business in Asia and an in BLC Business and Development Studies from Copenhagen Business School, highlighting his expertise and dedication to advancing sustainable energy solutions in developing countries. In addition to his studies at CBS, Tobias has contributed to the success of Asia Days in his roles as the networking event coordinator and project manager. ​
Gabriella Wortmann
"Supply Chain Digital Transformation in the Asia-Pacific Region"
Gabriella Wortmann is the Vice President of Global Supply Chain Planning and Operations for New Balance Athletics, a leading global sportswear manufacturer. She is responsible for Demand and Supply Planning, Factory Allocation, Purchase Order Management, and managing New Balance International Limited, a Hong Kong-based subsidiary company responsible for international customer service and trade compliance. She also oversees the company’s supply chain digital transformation efforts.Gabriella joined New Balance in 2006 after working as a Management Consultant with Deloitte Consulting. She has a Master’s in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania) and a Master of Arts in Chinese Language and Literature. She currently resides in Boston, MA in the United States.
Moderators
Yangze Wang
Yangze Wang brings over a decade of experience in the global digital marketing and advertising industry. He has led innovative, award-winning digital campaigns and managed international teams across APAC and EU.
As Head of Creative Media at Yahoo/Verizon Media, Yangze led an international team and orchestrated global digital campaigns that drove brand excellence and strengthened brand presence. His expertise spans brand strategy, content-driven marketing initiatives, marketing research, and 360 digital strategy. Notably, he spearheaded the SK-II Marriage Market Takeover campaign, one of the most impactful digital campaigns in China and globally, which earned the prestigious Glass Lion (Cannes) and other international advertising awards.
Yangze continues to leverage his deep knowledge of digital marketing and brand strategy to deliver successful marketing outcomes on a global scale.
Plamen Nikolov
Plamen Nikolov is the founder of Come Unity, where he crafts and facilitates community-building workshops for businesses.
His record is a tapestry of professional experiences that ranges from program curation and stage management for tech summits in Copenhagen; to developing entrepreneurial communities in globally.
Insights from Last Year's Speakers
"It was a lot of fun to participate, and the exchange with students was particularly interesting” [translated]
- Maximilian Schumacher
“I enjoyed that talk more than any other I can remember recently. Being in a good mood is very important to give a good talk, apparently!”
- Frank Tsai
“Enjoyed Participating, also in Thursday’s Networking Event. All was well organised.”
- Tom Behrens-Sørensen
“It was a great event! I really enjoyed the diverse amount of speakers. It gives you an inspiration for a professional path you might want to choose” - Lili
“I really enjoyed Asia Days. I felt that I gained more insight into what my future could look like. I also liked that there were business women represented there as well!” - Emilia
“Asia days was a fun and different way to gain more personal insight into different industries and jobs within Asia. Being able to personally meet and ask the speakers was a very unique experience” - Fredrik