IBSS Alumni Conference Explores Cuting-Edge Trends in Sustainability AI Innovation and Future Skills

The International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi¡¯an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) recently hosted its Alumni Conference, featuring three parallel forums with distinct themes. Guests and alumni from the business community and academia engaged in in-depth dialogues around three core topics¡ª"Re-Examining ESG and Sustainable Business," " The Future of Work: AI Innovations in Industry ," and " Navigating the Future of Career Skills "¡ªproviding cutting-edge insights for industry development and personal growth.

Re-Examining ESG and Sustainable Business

Sustainability took centre stage in a thought-provoking parallel session on ¡°Re-Examining ESG and Sustainable Business.¡± Chaired by Nuno da Camara, the panel brought together voices from business and academia to address the challenges and opportunities of embedding ESG principles into corporate strategy.
David King, Board Director of the China Britain Business Council, stressed that ESG must be ¡°achievable, profitable and credible,¡± advising businesses to focus first on compliance and quick wins before moving towards broader goals. Pavel Castka, Associate Dean for Professional Engagement, highlighted the proliferation of ESG frameworks and reporting standards, noting that innovation is essential while much current reporting remains flawed. He argued that technology and automation could ease the reporting burden, allowing firms to concentrate on real impact.

Associate Professor Yameng Zhang provided an academic perspective, distinguishing between CSR, sustainability and ESG, and encouraging businesses to balance ¡°necessary¡± and ¡°desirable¡± actions according to their level of risk exposure. Across the discussion, panellists agreed that consumer expectations and legislative pressures are reshaping priorities, often turning desirable initiatives into necessities. Despite the lack of global consensus, ESG was presented as an indispensable pillar of modern corporate practice.

The Future of Work: AI Innovations in Industry

Another sub-forum of the IBSS Alumni Symposium focused on the core topic of " The Future of Work: AI Innovations in Industry." Hosted by Dr Jia Zhai from IBSS, the sub-forum invited three industry experts from different fields: Shirley Wang, Market Lead of AppleCare Greater China; Yanjun Yang, Executive Director of Tiandi Juhe (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd.; and Yiren Xu, CTO of Soochow (Suzhou) FinTech Co., Ltd. Combining their professional experiences, the guests shared insights into AI¡¯s impact on the consumer electronics, data services, and fintech sectors, and discussed how professionals can adapt to technological transformations.

Shirley Wang, with over 20 years of experience in Fortune 500 foreign enterprises and leading companies, first shared insights into the consumer electronics industry¡¯s exploration amid the AI wave. She stated that Apple, as one of the companies focusing on AI, is continuously exploring how AI reshapes customer service and ecosystems, but "not all questions have answers¡ªmore often, we learn and adjust through practice." She put forward the core view of "change and constancy": what changes is the wave of technology¡ªfrom traditional technology to digitalisation and then to AI, technological iteration never stops, and enterprises must adapt embrace transformation; what remains constant is humanistic needs¡ªeven if AI can replace some services, consumers still crave "warm human-to-human interaction." Taking Apple as an example, she explained that the company¡¯s relatively cautious approach to AI advancement stems from its commitment to "high-quality customer experience"¡ªit does not rush to launch initial products to gather feedback, but instead ensures that when technology is implemented, it genuinely enhances life rather than replacing human thinking.

Yanjun Yang, who has over a decade of experience in the investment and data fields, shared her journey of transitioning from the traditional industry to the technology sector. She mentioned that she had identified "big data and AI as the future direction" many years ago, and ultimately joined Suzhou Juhe ¡ªa company that leads the nation in the API field and participates in formulating data element circulation standards. Today, the company has become the first listed company in the data sector and has gained a first-mover advantage in the AI wave thanks to its strength in "data infrastructure." She encouraged students with entrepreneurial aspirations to focus on AI niche scenarios and explore industry opportunities to "create new value in specialised and in-depth fields."

As the head of a fintech subsidiary under Soochow Securities, Mr Yiren Xu shared practices of AI application in the fintech sector. He noted that since its establishment in 2015, Soochow FinTech has always focused on "empowering traditional finance with technology." Particularly in AI application, the company has chosen to pursue "vertical optimisation starting from large model foundations"¡ªbecause the securities industry involves wealth management, IPOs, and non-standardised financial businesses, general large models cannot meet niche needs. It is necessary to integrate unique industry data and corpus to build exclusive vertical large models, so as to better understand customer needs.

Navigating the Future of Career Skills

At the parallel sub-forum "Navigating the Future of Career Skills," the moderator Rui Yin, Chairman of the XJTLU Off-Campus Mentor Committee, joined business mentors in discussing the core question: "The future is here¡ªhow can our professional skills remain unbeatable in a changing future?" Rui Yin pointed out that the key to coping with the future lies in "competence, not just skills," emphasising that continuously improving comprehensive capabilities is more important than simply mastering specific skills.

Lijun Bai from Dongtai Precision Mould (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. put forward the view of "simultaneously developing hard skills and soft skills," arguing that "both strategic thinking and courage to act are indispensable." He also shared his method of continuously accumulating experience through "review" and building a personal "customised encyclopedia." Jie Yao, Head of the Strategic Client Department at China Minsheng Bank Suzhou Branch and in charge of Huawei¡¯s supply chain business, emphasised the theme "Action is the best remedy for all anxiety." Combining practical supply chain cases, he elaborated on the practical concept of "daring to act and dynamically optimising in the process."

Jianchun Sun from Luofusi Auto Parts (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., drawing on his years of experience in supply chain, procurement, and production management, emphasised "seizing the unchanging amid changes" and advocated for "living in the present and winning the future." He shared approaches to balancing interests and livelihood, as well as paths to cultivating foresight and independent thinking abilities. Yinfeng Gao, Chairman of Gaojian Education Technology, put forward the "Future of Super Individuals" model from the perspective of talent evolution in the AI era. He systematically elaborated on three levels from technology mastery to ecosystem reconstruction¡ªtechnology, thinking, and transformation¡ªproviding the on-site audience with a comprehensive growth framework covering concepts, capabilities, and applications.

Many guests agreed that in the face of an AI and technology-driven future, only by continuously upgrading cognition, deepening systematic capabilities, taking proactive actions, and continuously optimising through practice can one build an irreplaceable competitive advantage.

By bringing together and practical case studies, the three parallel sub-forums provided a platform for participants to connect with cutting-edge industry trends and exchange growth experiences. Looking ahead, IBSS will continue to leverage the advantages of university-enterprise collaboration to promote sustainable industry development and nurture outstanding talent equipped for the future.