On May 16, two successful, high-profile business leaders, Margaret Chen and Janet Desilva, came to Tsinghua SEM to speak to International MBA students about how they succeeded in China's business environment. 

Ms. Chen was named one of the most influential women in the telecom industry in China in 2006 by Communication Weekly magazine. Ms. Chen began her career in China as a faculty member of the first management school of that kind in Shanghai, Jiao Tong University. Her background includes software development in B2B application platforms, telecom consulting, IT strategy, marketing and sales. She has lived and worked in China, Spain and the US. She has a bachelor’s degree in computer science, a MBA with a focus on foreign trade, and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering. 

Ms. DeSilva was named Asian Business Executive in the 2006 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Her background includes life insurance, pension, asset management and trust. She is currently Chairman of the Canada China Business Council, Beijing and was previously Chairman and President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. She holds a MBA from the IVEY School of business of the University of Western Ontario and sits on their Asian Advisory Board. In 2006 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Thompson Rivers University in Canada and a guest professor designation by Tianjin University of Technology in China.

The event also included a Question & Answer session after the presentation.