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<\/a><\/p>\nWith e-commerce booming across China, traditional retailers face incredibly challenging and disruptive competition. It is increasingly difficult for strictly offline brick and mortar retailers to survive in China, and soon there might be very few left at all. China\u2019s retail landscape is undergoing a major transformation, a convergence of offline and online channels, all happening at a rapid pace.<\/p>\n
To provide insight on these important trends, China Institute is pleased to present an interactive conversation with Franklin Yao, Managing Partner and Co-founder of SmithStreet, a China-focused strategy consulting firm based in Shanghai. Mr. Yao is an expert on selling to the Chinese Consumer and on developing successful business strategies. He advises global clients on their China market entry, market growth, value chain optimization and e-commerce strategies. His insights into the China market have been featured in The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, WWD, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Deal, Crain\u2019s New York Business, and FOX Business News.<\/p>\n
Prior to co-founding SmithStreet, Mr. Yao was General Manager at Opera Solutions. He also held earlier positions as a strategy consultant at Mitchell Madison Group, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, and Inductis. He received a B.A. in Economics and East Asian Studies from Yale University.<\/p>\n