On 22 April, the 2016 Sushang Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Summit Forum and the first Sushang “Golden Jasmine” Award Ceremony was held at the Jiangning Exhibition Centre. The event was organised by the Jiangsu Sushang Development Promotion Association and the Jiangning district government. It revolved around the theme of “launching the 13th Five Year Plan and entrepreneurship and innovation for a new future,” and aimed to bear witness to the energy of Jiangsu entrepreneurs, innovators and wealth-makers, harnessing the power business in Jiangsu and shining a light on the province’s economy.

On that day, provincial and municipal leaders including the Standing Committee member of the Jiangsu provincial Party committee and secretary of Nanjing municipal Party committee Huang Lixin, Nanjing Municipal Standing Committee member and Jiangning District Secretary Li Shigui, Nanjing Municipal Standing Committee member and secretary-general of the municipal Party committee Chen Yong met with Sushang representatives chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances Dong Mingzhu, president of Sanpower Group Yang Huaizhen and chairwoman of LAD Group Huang Litai, among others. Secretary Huang Lixin encouraged the Sushang Association to play a leading role during the period of the ‘13th Five Year Plan’ and actively promote the healthy development of the smart manufacturing industry, injecting a new momentum into Nanjing and even Jiangsu’s economic turnaround based on innovation and development.

Standing Committee member of the Jiangsu provincial Party committee and secretary of the Nanjing municipal Party committee Huang Xinli met with President Yang Huaizhen and other Sushang representatives

As the main organiser of the event, the Sushang Association took the original step of publishing a list of Sushang “Golden Jasmine” honourees, aiming to make full use of the power of role models, highlight the strength and style of Jiangsu’s female leaders from different angles, and show off the indomitable force of the Jiangsu business community. Yang Huaizhen, president of Sanpower Group and chairwoman of two listed companies, Nanjing Cenbest and Hiteker, was awarded “Outstanding Sushang Female Entrepreneur During the ‘12th Five Year Plan’”. Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances from Nanjing, was awarded the Sushang Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

Li Shigui (6th from left), Nanjing Municipal Standing Committee member and Jiangning district secretary, and Zhou Yibiao (4th from left), deputy inspector of the Jiangsu Economic and Information Technology Commission, presented an award to Yang Huaizhen (5th from left) and other outstanding Sushang female entrepreneurs.

The first Sushang “Golden Jasmine” award ceremony was a starry event which Yang Huaizhen attended on behalf of many other outstanding female entrepreneurs from Jiangsu. “The iron lady” in the business community Dong Mingzhu was invited to make a keynote speech and share her entrepreneurial journey and enterprise management methods to give guidance to Jiangsu people and even more women entrepreneurs.

Dong Mingzhu made a keynote speech

As the head of two listed companies and president of a private enterprise worth RMB a hundred billion, Yang Huaizhen has turned around the fortunes and brought energy to the two listed companies in a few years using her remarkable courage, insight and fortitude. She has also cemented her position in the business community. In 2014, Yang Huaizhen was elected as vice president of the Sushang Association. In 2015, she was selected as the “China Retail Industry Person of the Year” for the second time.

In this year’s vote for “Golden Jasmine Award - Outstanding Sushang Female Entrepreneur During the 12th Five Year Plan” held by the Sushang Association, Yang Huaizhen led the list. She spoke on behalf of other women who made the list after receiving the award, saying to her fellow sisters in business, “Sister Dong Mingzhu is my idol, and I hope that all female entrepreneurs see her as an example and like her, achieve great things.”

President Yang Huaizhen spoke on behalf of those honoured with awards