Recognising the wide ranging achievements and successes of Australian alumni in China was the main emphasis of the Australia China Alumni Association Awards held in early November writes Sophie Loras.

It was a night to remember – a celebration and recognition of just how far graduates from Australian universities can go in China. Candidates in this year’s inaugural Australia China Alumni Association Awards included members of China’s political elite, some of the country’s richest business people, presidents of major Chinese and multinational corporations, peacekeepers and judges to leaders of China’s renewable energy sector, philanthropists, art directors, creative designers, heads of universities and academics researching and developing cutting-edge technologies.
For Susan Dietz-Henderson, the Chief Representative Officer of Capital Strategy Research, and a former Australian Consul General in Shanghai, being part of the judging panel at this year’s Alumni Awards was a “pleasure and a privilege.”
"In their own way each of the candidates are making a contribution and not doing it for the limelight – the creativity behind the decisions they make and then making it real – it was a great privilege to learn about what each person is doing here,” Ms Dietz-Henderson said.
"They have set good examples for all those out there doing similar things,” she said. Also participating on the judging panel was Asia-Pacific editor of The Australian, Rowan Callick, who was also hugely impressed by the quality of the finalists for the awards.
"The awards underline the central role being played in the development of the relationship between Australia and China, of the alumni of Australian universities - and, we would hope to see more in the future, of Australian alumni of Chinese universities as well,” Mr Callick said.

CPA Australia Alumni of the Year

Taking out the hotly contested top award – the CPA Australian Alumni of the Year – was Shimao China Holdings founder and Executive Director Hui Wing Mao (Xu Rong Mao). Born in SiShi, Fujian Province in 1950, Hui Wing Mao began his career as a textile import / exporter, going on to become one of Asia’s most prominent real estate developers. The University of South Australia graduate was recently ranked China’s third richest man by the Hurun Report – and is worth an estimated US$4.7 billion.
His prominent role as chairman of the Shanghai Overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce has been credited with raising investment into the Mainland from its members of more than RMB 3,000 billion. He is also a member of the National Committee of the Eleventh Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and holds other influential posts. His charitable work has won him numerous awards including Most Socially Responsible Chinese Business Leader in the Asia Pacific. The judging panel praised Hui Wing Mao for using his personal and political links to better the lives of the people around him, and inspiring others with his personal drive.

Other standout finalists in the category included University of New South Wales graduate and solar power king, Dr. Shi Zhengrong, the founder, chairman and CEO of Suntech Power and University of Western Australia’s Colin Giles, who, as Nokia China President has been credited with bringing the telecommunication giant’s market share in China to 40 percent.

Australian Education International Young Australian Alumni of the Year

Several contenders stood out in the young Alumni of the Year category which encompassed alumni under the age of 35 in any field of employment, community service or voluntary work. Judges made special mention of Macquarie University graduate Feng Gao, who at 31 is the Executive Director of Century Concord Holdings – a company specialising in energy resource investment and wind farms. "Clean energy and wind energy fits in with China’s commitment to reducing global warming,” said Australian Education International's Quentin Stevenson-Perks, Counsellor (Education) at the Australian Embassy Beijing and Alumni Awards judge. “Feng Gao is making a difference to China’s contribution to the reduction of global warming and as the title of the category suggests – a young guy – who at just 31 is already in such a senior position,” Mr Stevenson-Perks said.

Another notable mention went to The University of Sydney and UNSW graduate Jenny Zhu, the host of ChinesePod Chinese lesson podcasts and Manager of the ChinesePod Learning Centre.
"Jenny Zhu is pioneering new media in a highly competitive climate, and taking a leading role in providing not only platforms but also content as well,” said judge Rowan Callick.

But the big winner was University of Technology, Sydney graduate and head of Mallesons Stephen Jaques’ Shanghai office, Martyn Huckerby. At 32, Martyn is the firm’s youngest partner and was praised by the judging panel for the “outstanding achievements he has made in his professional career” facilitating Chinese investment into Australia and helping Australian businesses establish offices and make acquisitions in China.
"When you think of Chinese alumni in China you think of Chinese graduates – but what this shows here is you’ve got an Australian graduate working extremely well in China and on the Australia – China relationship,” said Mr Stevenson-Perks.
"It shows the transition of the qualifications of the Australian universities as global,” he said.

Award Winners

Deakin University and University of Southern Queensland graduate, Lawrence Lau took out the ANZ Alumni Award for Banking and Finance, a standout for the judging panel for his long succession of management roles with several major international firms including L’Oreal and General Motors. Lawrence is currently the Vice President, Finance, for Mary Kay Cosmetics in China and is the President of CPA Australia’s Shanghai Committee.

The AusAID Scholarships Alumni Award category comprised of candidates engaged in a wide range of jobs – from a former judge of the PRC Supreme People’s Court to peace keepers, and high-level Party officials. This year’s winner was University of Queensland graduate Lu Xiaoping, the Deputy Director, International Co-operation, Ministry of Agriculture. Lu was praised for his more than 20-year involvement progressing Sino- Australia relations in the agriculture sector.

The Austrade Australian Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship went to UNSW (AGSM) graduate Matthew Ng – the Group CEO and President of Et-China.com International Holdings. Based in Guangzhou, Matthew has watched his online travel service expand exponentially after establishing a joint venture with China Southern Airlines, becoming a significant shareholder in GZL – the largest travel service provider in southern China, acquiring one of north China’s leading online travel companies, Yoee.com and becoming a major player in organising group travel from China to Australia.

Qiao Luqiang, commended by the judging panel for his role as Director of International Arts Co-operation at China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts (the “Egg”) and a graduate of the University of South Australia, took out the Australian Alumni Award for Culture and Arts.
"Qiao Luqiang represents colour, movement, outstanding talent, originality and cultural flair,” said judge Quentin Stevenson-Perks.
"He has studied exactly his field – arts management – in combination with English language and has forged strong Australian links through cultural exchange.” 

Standout Achievements

Queensland University of Technology graduate Dr Chao Zhao overwhelmingly impressed the judging panel in his role as Deputy Head, Industrial Design Department, Tsinghua University to take out the Qantas Alumni Award for Research and Innovation.
Dr Zhao, who was recently awarded the Chinese Government's Award for Outstanding Students Abroad, is credited with establishing his department as one of the top 60 design studios in the world and has an outstanding record of achievements. “Dr Zhao is making the brand 'Created in China' a reality," said Stevenson-Perks of the panel’s decision.
"Dr Chao Zhao’s inventiveness in designing such a broad range of products is quite bewildering – each of them enough for a lifetime's achievement for most of us,” said fellow judge, Rowan Callick.

The judging panel also awarded standout candidate Jenny Zhu, a finalist in the Young Alumni of the Year category, for her contribution in the IT and media and communications sphere with a newly created award – the Alumni Award for Media and ICT. As host of ChinesePod, Jenny’s Chinese language podcast reaches 300,000 registered users around the world, and has been on Time Magazine’s list of the top 10 podcasts in the world. The company is also the sole supplier of podcast Chinese lessons to China’s growing international network of Confucius Institutes.

"In terms of Australian education, the awards are a recognition of not just the Chinese graduates who’ve come back to China and enhanced the relationship with Australia in their niche of experience, but also the Australian graduates too who have made China their home,” Ms Dietz-Henderson said.

"That the finalists live and work all over the country, is an added bonus and testimony to the rapid establishment of the Alumni Association as an effective national agency," said Mr Callick.

Australia China Alumni Awards - 2009 winners:
 
The CPA Australia Alumni of the Year:
Mr Wing Mau Hui - Chairman and Executive Director, Shimao Property Holdings

Australian Education International Young Alumni of the Year:
Mr Martyn Huckerby - Partner, Chief Representative, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Shanghai Office
 
Australian Alumni Award for Media and ICT (Judge's award):
Ms Jenny Zhu - Lead Host, Chinesepod.com
 
ANZ Alumni Award for Banking and Finance:
Mr Lawrence Lau - Vice-President, Finance, Mary Kay Cosmetics (China) Pty. Ltd.
 
AusAID Scholarships Alumni Award:
Mr Lu Xiaoping - Deputy Director, International Co-operation, National Ministry of Agriculture
 
Austrade Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship:
Mr Matthew Ng - Group CEO and President, ET-China.com International Holdings Ltd.
 
Qantas Alumni Award for Research and Innovation:
Dr Chao Zhao - Deputy Head, Industrial Design Department, Tsinghua University
 
Australian Alumni Award for Culture and the Arts:
Mr Luqiang Qiao - Director of International Arts Cooperation, China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts

To read more about Jenny Zhu click here.
To read more about Dr Chao Zhao and his Australian study experience click here.
To read more on how the Australian education experience has shaped the career of Lawrence Lau click here.
To read a profile on Qiao Luqiang click here.

For more information on the Australia China Alumni Awards visit: www.austchinaalumni.org/awards