AmCham China is pleased to announce that Sean Stein has been elected as Chair of the Board of Governors for 2024, while Roberta Lipson and Colm Rafferty have been elected as Vice Chairs. All three will serve one-year terms, commencing January 1, 2024. As per the Constitution, the three Officers were elected by the full 2024 Board of Governors, a list of whom can be found here.
“Advocating for American business interests with the Chinese government, guiding US policymakers to a deeper comprehension of the commercial landscape in China, and empowering our members to operate with greater intelligence and efficiency – these pillars anchor the mission of AmCham China. Now, more than ever, our role is pivotal. It’s a privilege to work with Roberta, Colm, and the entire board in steering AmCham China towards delivering substantial value and benefits for our members, while also standing as a robust, articulate champion for a balanced and pragmatic US-China relationship.”
Sean Stein, 2024 AmCham China Chairman
Sean Stein is the Co-Chair of Covington and Burling’s China Public Policy Practice, advising international businesses on political risk, public affairs, communications, and US and China government relations. He regularly assists companies resolve acute or long-term issues in China and to navigate challenges caused by conflicting US and Chinese policies and perceptions. Sean provides strategic advice to US and international clients on market access, safety and security, risk, and compliance.
Prior to joining Covington, Sean served for nearly three decades as a US diplomat, including stints as Consul General in both Shanghai and Shenyang and in leadership positions at the former Consulate in Chengdu, the office of Chinese Affairs in Washington, DC, and various countries throughout the Asia Pacific region.
He also has a particularly long history of working with AmChams. In the early 2000s when the Sichuan authorities threatened to close the AmCham office in Chengdu, Sean helped negotiate an agreement that allowed it to continue to operate. Nearly a decade later, Sean supported the establishment of AmCham in NE China. His second term as Chair of AmCham Shanghai concludes at the end of this year. Now based in Beijing, Sean is looking forward to channeling his energy and experience to serve AmCham China and its members around the country.
Roberta Lipson is the founder of United Family Healthcare (UFH) and the Vice Chair of New Frontier Health. She has over 40 years of experience as a pioneer in the healthcare industry in China. She originally co-founded UFH’s predecessor company Chindex in 1981, expanding the business from China’s top medical equipment distribution company into China’s first and largest foreign-invested healthcare system. UFH now runs 11 hospitals and almost 20 clinics in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Qingdao, Hainan and Shenzhen.
Roberta is an active leader in the business community in Beijing, currently serving for the tenth year as a director and audit committee chair of the US-China Business Council, and enters her eighth term on the AmCham China Board. In 2009, her outstanding contributions in China earned her “The Great Wall Friendship Award”, and in 2014 Roberta was named the inaugural recipient of the AmCham China Pioneer Award.
Colm Rafferty is Vice President – Developing Markets and Chairman – China for Vermeer Corporation. Vermeer is a global manufacturer of innovative solutions used to help connect people to the necessities of life, to help manage precious natural resources, and to help feed and fuel the world. Vermeer products are used in a variety of applications from underground utility infrastructure development, to precision mining, to solar field installation, waste material processing, and agricultural mechanization. Prior to joining Vermeer, Colm worked with Cummins and Alibaba.com. He holds a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies from Brown University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.
Colm has served on the Board seven times previously, including as Chair in 2022 and 2023, after four terms as Vice Chair. In 2019, he received the Chairman’s Service Award.
Following the conclusion of the 2023 Board of Governors Election, incumbents whose terms continue in 2024:
Colm Rafferty, Vermeer
Roberta Lipson, United Family Healthcare
Alan Beebe, Urban Land Institute
Isabel Ge Mahe, Apple
Jerry Guo, KKR
Tony Jiang, Intel
Candidates (re)elected to the 2024 Board of Governors for 2024 and 2025:
Su Cheng Harris-Simpson, Women Empowerment Council
Alvin Liu, Boeing
Malone Ma, MetLife
Min Qin, Mars
William Yu, Honeywell
Bessie Yuan, Microsoft
Kenneth Zhou, WilmerHale
Finally, one Board of Governors’ Member from the 2023 BOG will step down after completing one year of a two-year term. Taking that place to complete the remaining one-year term will be:
Sean Stein, Covington and Burling
The new Board and Officers will take up their appointments on January 1, 2024.