LIASE Group Managing Director Asia Pacific Vanessa Moriel Participates in GAF 2018 in Chongqing

LIASE Group Managing Director Asia Pacific Vanessa Moriel participated in the Global Automotive Forum (GAF) 2018 in the margins of Chongqing’s International Auto Industry Fair at the Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center on June 5-6, 2018.
 
The Global Automotive Forum has been held in Chongqing for four years in a row. The event gather global industry elites to discuss the hot topics in the automotive sector.
 
Of the more than 820 attendees, one third come from OEMs; one third from suppliers, distributors, and automotive-related areas; and the other third from the Chinese and Foreign media. LIASE Group was pleased to sponsor GAF 2018.
 
GAF 2018 revolved around the theme of Shaping the Future of an Industry in Transition. The forum kickd off with an opening statement from Wang Xia, Chairman, of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Committee; Chairman, China Chamber of International Commerce Automotive Chamber.
 
Vanessa Moriel, Managing Director Asia Pacific, LIASE Group moderated a panel discussion on how the banking and private equity community is changing its approach towards the auto industry against the continuing backdrop of outbound investment by Chinese companies and traditional M&A activity with domestic and international automotive executives. The Panelist included:
– Patrick Steinemann, Managing Partner of A1 Capital
– Jim O’neill, Chief Operation Officer of JFP Holdings, Ltd
– Diao Shu, Vice President, Xiamen Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
 
The event was very well attended by leading domestic and international automotive executives. Some of the main speakers included:
– Zhu Huarong, President of Changan Automobile
– Yang Hongze, Chairman of Beijing Auto Link World Technology Co. Ltd
– Xia Heng, Co-founder and President of XPeng Motors
– Liu Xiaozhi, Founder and CEO, ASL Automobile Science & Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
– Bill Russo, Founder and CEO, Automobility Limited
– Ashvin Chotai, Managing Director, Intelligence Automotive Asia, UK
– Shashikant Vaidyanathan, Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Abraxas Motors Limited (UK), India
– Li Shufu, Chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, China

VIP dinner at GAF 2018 in Chongqing.

Mr. Li Shufu, Chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Mr. Li Shufu speaking during the closing plenary session.

Xia Heng, Co-founder and President of XPeng Motors.

Panel discussion on New Energy Vehicles: Driving the Next Phase of Growth.

The opening plenary was titled Changing Industry Landscape: Making a Transition from a Traditional Auto Industry to the New Era.

Patrick Steinemann, Managing Partner of A1 Capital.

GAF 2018 featured a designer roundtable on Auto Design and Styling: How are Electric Cars, Smart Cars, and New Mobility Concepts Changing the Role of Design and Styling?