CKGSB Hosts 2025 Women in Leadership Forum in Beijing

• CKGSB's 2025 Women in Leadership Forum was held on December 2, 2025, in Beijing
• It was the 12th year that this forum has provided the platform for discussion on women's leadership in China

CKGSB Dean Li Haitao said that the Women in Leadership Forum have become an important platform for policymakers and business leaders to exchange insights and explore new ideas.

The Dean underlined the school's ongoing commitment to developing women leaders, citing the fact that women now make up 49 percent of CKGSB's MBA cohort, compared to 16 percent in 2003.

He also referred to the school's Women in Leadership Program, known as Juanyong, considered China's first comprehensive education program for women leaders.

Chu Q. Wang, head of office (a.i.), UN Women China, highlighted the positive impacts of gender equality in business, when companies have more women in board positions; they usually report better performance and less volatility.

CKGSB Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior Zhang Xiaomeng unveiled new research into AI at work. She said women adopt AI tools more frequently than men, as do those with higher education and more work experience.

She added that even though 85 percent of respondents reported being afraid that AI will take away jobs, habitual use of the technology helps assuage the anxiety.

President of FedEx China, Poh-Yian Koh shared her thoughts on how AI has changed the way leaders think about themselves and their roles within businesses.

She believes that the flexibility and resiliency of women will be more important in the future than ever before. According to Poh, women's ability to empathize with others, think strategically over the long term, and see the connection between technology and the human experience make them leaders of the future.

The forum concluded with a keynote address by Yang Lan, Chairwoman of Sun Media Group and originator of the Beijing Declaration 30 years ago. Yang stated that by enabling more women to fully utilize their capabilities, our society will become stronger and more resilient.

A bilingual report, She Innovates: Women Shaping China’s Digital Future, was launched during the event that highlights seven female entrepreneurs who have graduated from CKGSB and are currently working in the fields of artificial intelligence, healthcare technology, and e-commerce, as well as the research of Professor Zhang on how artificial intelligence is changing workplace wellbeing.