Oct 10 – Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining met with Manny Maceda, chairman of consulting firm Bain & Company, who was in the city to attend the 37th annual meeting of the International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai, or IBLAC.

Chen encouraged Bain & Company to seize opportunities in digital transformation, intelligent innovation, and green development and deepen cooperation with Shanghai in helping global enterprises invest, operate, and expand in international markets.

He added that as Shanghai is formulating its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the city looks forward to hearing more international perspectives and valuable suggestions from global business leaders through open exchange platforms like IBLAC.

Maceda praised Shanghai's innovation and green transition, noting that these align with Bain's global strategy. He reaffirmed the firm's confidence in Shanghai and expressed support for closer cooperation in artificial intelligence, sustainability, and international expansion.

Oct 10 – Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining met with Michel Doukeris, CEO of Belgian brewing giant AB InBev, who was in Shanghai to attend the 37th IBLAC meeting.

Chen encouraged the company to seize opportunities in China's vast market and evolving consumer trends, accelerate product and service innovation, and stage more influential brand events in Shanghai to boost consumer vitality.

Doukeris said every visit to Shanghai felt like coming home. He expressed the company's willingness to leverage its strengths, host more brand events in the city, and contribute ideas to support the city's night-time economy and international consumption hub development.

Oct 11 – Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining met separately with Severin Schwan, chairman of IBLAC and chairman of Switzerland's Roche Group, Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Inc, and Giovanni Caforio, chairman of Novartis AG. All three were in Shanghai to attend the 37th IBLAC.

Chen congratulated Schwan on being awarded the Honorary Citizen of Shanghai, welcomed SK Group as a new member of IBLAC, and thanked all international business leaders for their long-standing support of Shanghai's development.

He encouraged global enterprises to tap into Shanghai's strengths in innovation, reform, and talent, seize opportunities in China's vast market, and expand investment, R&D, and global cooperation.

Chen added that Shanghai will keep improving its business environment and ensure efficient services and policy support to advance the development of international companies in the city.

Schwan said Roche has continued to deepen its presence in Shanghai thanks to the city's favorable business environment and efficient governance. The company will remain committed to its long-term development in China and foster innovation and collaboration in healthcare.

Chey said SK Group will pursue a long-term strategy in China, expand investment in Shanghai, and deepen practical cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and biomedicine.

Caforio said Novartis will strengthen its understanding of China's healthcare ecosystem and policies, engage more deeply in Shanghai's innovation and healthcare ecosystem, helping advance medical innovation and patient care.

Oct 10 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met separately with Daniel Andre Stieler, chairman of Brazil's Vale, Seiji Imai, chairman of Japan's Mizuho Financial Group, and Toru Nakashima, president and CEO of Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. All three were in Shanghai to attend the 37th IBLAC.

Gong welcomed Vale and Mizuho Financial Group as new members of the council and expressed appreciation to Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group for its long-standing support.

He called for deeper cooperation and the launch of more joint projects, particularly in industrial upgrading and green, low-carbon transformation. Shanghai, he said, will continue to provide stronger policy support and more efficient public services, as always, to help enterprises thrive in the city.

Stieler, Imai, and Nakashima said that IBLAC serves as an important platform for friendship, cooperation, and mutual benefit.

They expressed their commitment to strengthening collaboration with Shanghai, promoting joint projects and innovation, advancing green development, and facilitating global exchanges and partnership.

Oct 11 – Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng met separately with several international business leaders attending the 37th IBLAC.

The leaders included Tan Su Shan, CEO of Singapore's DBS Group; Rob Speyer, CEO of US-based Tishman Speyer; Jacob Wallenberg, chairman of Sweden's Investor AB; Joakim Weidemanis, CEO of US-based Johnson Controls; Elliott Hill, president and CEO of Nike Inc; and Phil Witherington, president and CEO of Canada's finance group Manulife.

Gong encouraged international enterprises to expand investment, strengthen partnerships, and help attract more global businesses to the city.

He reaffirmed Shanghai's commitment to a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, with improved services to support sustainable business growth.

The executives said the IBLAC provides a valuable platform for global leaders to exchange ideas and deepen cooperation.

They added that their companies will continue to expand investment and deepen collaboration in areas including finance, trade, technological innovation, green transition, urban renewal, health, and sports.