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Gong Ho! Pizza Beijing co-founder Jade Gray fascinated and
intrigued the audience with his enterprising spirit, varied commercial
involvements, resourcefulness and creativity in grabbing market
opportunities and responding effectively to challenges in building
and running businesses in China since the mid-1990s. He began his
colourful journey first working as a ski instructor in China’s Heilongjiang
Province, then managing a cattle ranch in Liaoning Province, and later
running a supermarket in Yunnan Province. From 2000 onwards, he
went into setting up his own ventures in Beijing, which included a gym
franchise and several food and beverage establishments. In 2010,
Prime Minister John Key cut the ribbon of his Gong Ho! Pizza chain in
Beijing. During his twenty odd years in China, he always incorporated
public-good initiatives into his business activities, ranging from
collecting rubbish on the Great Wall to starting an organisation to fund
Dog Shelters in China’s capital. Jade’s rich and successful business
development experiences in China attracted the attention of the New
Zealand government, which appointed him to its Business Beachheads
Advisory Board (China) in 2009. His “three P’s” business motto, i.e.,
profits, people and planet, was covered by China Daily, which was
also his advice to those in the audience who planned to engage in
commercial activities in Asia.
Nova Mercier, a Policy Advisor from the Ministry of Business, Innovation
and Employment, told her story of how a chance opportunity of
teaching English in South Korea in 2008 inspired her to learn the Korean
language, get a scholarship to complete her MA in Sungkyunkwan
University in Seoul, tutor North Korean refugees in English, and work
for a digital site sharing their insights. She believed that her extensive
exposure to Korea widened her horizons, polished her skills, provided a
springboard for her career in New Zealand, and enabled her to envision
connecting with the broader region beyond Korea. Nova invited
interested members of the Asia Savvy community to check out the
Kimchi Club, a network of young professionals having ties with Korea,
which went global soon after its opening in New Zealand in 2009.
Jade Gray, Co-Founder, Gung Ho! Pizza Nova Mercier, Policy Adviser, MBIE