Time and Location

Sunday, March 20, 2016
Registration: 2:30 – 3:00pm
Talk and Q&A: 3:00 – 4:30pm

Yale Center Beijing
8 Jianguomenwai Avenue, 36th Floor, Tower B, IFC Building (Yong’anli Station, Exit C)

Registration and Fees

Ticket: Free for students; RMB 60 for others.

Click HERE to register via EventBank.

Please email yalecenterbeijing@yale.edu if you have any questions, or call Yale Center Beijing at (10) 5909 0200.

The Event

Zhang Mei will share her stories of bringing innovation into China's tourism industry 16 years ago through her first entrepreneurial ventures, WildChina and Beshan, both of which provide off-the-beaten-path journeys while emphasizing premium-quality service. She will discuss how WildChina trips have enabled clients to explore the remote corners of China in a sustainable and responsible manner.

Zhang Mei and Leo Li will then talk about the birth of NewUGo ("Avocado" in Chinese) Travel, their most recent innovation following WildChina and Beshan. They will share the stories of a few interesting locals who are popular "Avocados" on the NewUGo platform, and how the company's economic sharing model empowers local communities.

During Q&A, attendants will enjoy a selection of local snacks made by Avocado guides in Yunnan and Guizhou.

LANGUAGE

The language of the event will be Chinese.

The Speaker(s)

Leo Li
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of NewUGo Travel

Leo is primarily in charge of product development and business partnership building of NewUGo Travel. Prior to NewUGo, Leo worked at the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs China where he gained a broad IPO transaction experience in Consumer & Retail and Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors.

Leo obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Yale University with honor in 2013. He is also a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum-Global Shapers Community. Leo has lived and studied in China, the United States and Japan.

Mei Zhang
SFounder of WildChina, Beshan Travel, and NewUGo Travel

Zhang Mei left her humble roots as an electrician’s daughter to pursue a Harvard Business School MBA, and later worked for McKinsey & Company as a consultant until she found her true passion in sustainable travel. She has built WildChina, a trendsetting travel company founded in 2000 providing off-the-beaten-path travel experiences in China, into one of the world’s BEST Adventure Travel Companies awarded by National Geographic Traveler. In 2011, she started another venture, Beshan Travel, to introduce chic travel lifestyle to sophisticated Chinese travelers, and in December 2015 launched NewUGo Travel, a unique online platform enabling people to discover, buy and sell authentic tour experiences, local activities and extended trips.

Zhang Mei lives in Beijing with her husband and three children. She is an avid marathon runner and has completed 14 full marathons across the globe.