Club Breakfast: The War for China’s Wallet

Post-financial crisis, China has emerged as the largest or second largest trading partner for most countries. It has become the second largest market for Fortune 500 companies like Starbucks, Apple, and Nike and drives growth for Hollywood and commodity products. Yet the profits come at a price for countries and companies alike—they must adhere to the political goals of Beijing or else face economic punishment or outright banishment.

Using primary research from interviews with hundreds of business executives and government officials, Mr. Rein, author of a new book, “The War for China’s Wallet”, shared his insights on how to profit from China’s outbound economic plans as well as a shifting consumer base that is increasingly nationalistic. The countries and companies that get it right will benefit from China’s wallet but those that do not will lose out on the world’s largest growth engine for the next two decades.

Based in Shanghai, Mr. Rein is the founder and managing director of the China Market Research Group, a leading strategic market intelligence firm that advises leading international and Chinese companies, private equity firms, and hedge funds about profiting from China’s rise. He is a columnist for Forbes on Leadership, Marketing, and China and for BusinessWeek’s Asia Insight section. He has a Master’s degree focused on China’s economy from Harvard University.