Mitchell Coveney
Mitchell Coveney is the Head of Strategy & Public Affairs at the Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) where he is responsible for leading the organisation’s policy development, advocacy agenda and external relations. TTF is the leading peak industry group for the Tourism, Transport and Aviation sectors. Mitchell is also responsible for the development of submissions to all levels of government and has coordinated numerous research projects.
Prior to joining TTF, Mitchell worked as an adviser to politicians at state and federal levels, including as a policy adviser to the New South Wales Minister for Tourism, Aboriginal Affairs, the Arts & Regional Youth.
Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Government & International Relations. He is a strong advocate for a thriving visitor economy and is particularly interested in the return of Chinese tourists to Australia and supporting sustainability initiatives within the tourism and transport sectors.
Xinxi Wang
Xinxi Wang is an economist consultant with the World Bank, specializing in sustainable infrastructure investment and inclusive economic growth. She worked on project co-financed by World Bank and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid), focusing on sustainable tourism and climate-resilient infrastructure in the Pacific Region. Additionally, she authored a report on impact investment opportunities within the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus), emphasizing Australia's critical role in promoting sustainable development in this climate-vulnerable region. Cici holds a master's degree in public policy from the National University of Singapore and has been recognized as a Millennium Climate Fellow by Atlantic Council and as a Youth Climate Champion by the Asia Foundation. She is the VP of the Board for China Youth Climate Action Network, and also served on the impact advisory council to World Economic Forum Global Shaper Community.
Wenhao Deng
Wenhao Deng is a renowned expert in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies, dedicated to advancing climate solutions and enhancing global food security. As CEO of Zhongke Dynamics (Beijing Stock Exchange: 300286), he has led pioneering innovations in carbon capture, developing advanced materials and processes that significantly reduce costs and improve efficiency. His team is also transforming agriculture by utilizing captured CO₂ to enrich soil and boost crop yields.
Recognized with prestigious accolades such as Forbes China 30 Under 30 and Top Ten Outstanding Young Chinese Americans, Wenhao was the only representative from China to deliver a keynote address at the 2024 United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum.
Wenhao holds a Master of Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honors) from Ohio State University. As a former research fellow at the University of Melbourne, he advanced China-Australia collaboration in environmental innovation.
Minerva Inwald
Dr Minerva Inwald is a historian of modern China. Her research uses the visual arts and material culture as a lens to explore modern Chinese history. After completing her PhD at the University of Sydney in 2019, in 2021 Minerva was appointed Judith Neilson Post-doctoral Fellow in Contemporary Art at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. Her research has been published in the journal Modern China. She has taught courses in Chinese history and art history at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. Minerva has curated exhibitions related to Chinese modern and contemporary art, and her writing on Chinese art has been published in Art Monthly Australasia. Minerva began studying Chinese language when she was seven years old in community language school. She has completed exchange programs at Tsinghua University and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
Nicholas Burkett
Nicholas Burkett currently works on China policy in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) East Asia Division. Prior to working at DFAT, Nic was a research assistant in the Asian Power and Diplomacy program at the Lowy Institute and was a research intern at the think-tank China Matters. Nic has a Master of International Relations from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Security Studies from Macquarie University. He has participated in short-term study exchange programs in China and India. He has also completed Mandarin programs in Taiwan and at Middlebury College in the United States, where he was a Kathryn Davis Fellow for Peace. In his spare time, Nic enjoys running, swimming, and attempting to cook.
Leesa Chen
Leesa Chen is a first generation Australian-born Chinese. She is a strategy advisor in food and beverage manufacturing and has led top 20 Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed companies in mining, retail and telecommunications through large scale transformation across the Asia Pacific. Leesa is also an Associate Lecturer in strategic management at the University of Melbourne and sits on the Australian Government’s inaugural New Colombo Plan Alumni Consultive Group. In 2019, she was awarded the Westpac Future Leaders scholarship in recognition of her leadership towards strengthening Australia-Asia ties. Leesa holds a Master of International Business from Melbourne Business School and a Bachelor of Commerce with a Bachelor of Arts from Macquarie University.
Yu Jing
Dr Yu Jing is Scientia Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales. Her research is to develop innovative technologies to achieve net-zero emission. Her research focuses on characterizing subsurface formation rocks to unravel the flow dynamics within underground formation, which is pivotal for CO2 sequestration and energy resource extraction. She has led several Australia-China collaborative activities, working with researchers, educators, industry leaders and policy makers in the energy and resources sectors.
She is also passionate about empowering early- to middle-career females to achieve their career goals. She has been mentoring and advising both Australian and Chinese students and job seekers in terms of career advice, promotion tactics, and interview tips.
She is the winner of Asian-Australia Leadership award in 2024. She was recognised as “The Rising Star” by Asian Deans’ Forum in 2023 and won Future Women Leaders Conference award in 2019.
Jette Radley
Jette Radley is currently the Associate Director, Programming at CEDA – the Committee for Economic Development of Australia – an independent, member-based public policy think tank, dedicated to achieving sustainable long-term prosperity for all Australians. In her role, Jette leads the curation of programs across two of CEDA’s focus areas, productivity innovation and investment and workforce and skills. Prior to joining CEDA, Jette was the Program Director at Asia Society Australia where she led a vibrant program of events, visits and other activity, including the establishment of the Gen A young leader’s program and in Australia’s hosting of Asia Society’s global Asia 21 Conference. From 2013-2016 Jette was the Executive Officer at the Australia China Business Council, where she was responsible for ACBC’s annual Canberra Networking Day, the publication of the Australia China Trade Report and ensuring the successful delivery of a range of high-level events to coincide with the historic signing of the China Australia Free Trade Agreement and many other bilateral visits.
Matthew Heffernan
Matthew Ngamurarri Heffernan is a Pintupi-Luritja creative-technologist, ANU PhD student, and writer from central Australia. He is a champion of sharing Indigenous voices through technology and has worked extensively to share and conserve the knowledge of Indigenous peoples. Through his previous role as lead developer at Indigital, Australia’s first Indigenous tech education company, Matthew helped to make the digital landscape more accessible to and inclusive of Indigenous peoples. Matthew also worked on the development of Kaytetyemoji, the second iteration of Indigemoji, Australia’s first brand of Indigenous emojis designed by young Indigenous children and guided by Elders on Country. Matthew is also recently a co-writer alongside multi-disciplinary Cantonese artist Roshelle Fong on the Melbourne Theatre Company’s commissioned and produced show “The Robot Dog”. The Robot Dog will be part of the 2025 Melbourne Theatre Comapny’s program and presented in association with Asia-Topa.
Yifan Wang
Yifan Wang is a Tech Partner, Product & Portfolio at Haleon, the world's first standalone consumer health company listed on the London and New York Stock Exchanges. Before that, she was a digital transformation consultant at Capgemini Consulting. Beyond work, Yifan is passionate about social innovation, cross-cultural exchange, and youth development. She founded the Australia-China Youth Association Women's Network (ACYAWN), is president of B.L.A.C. Shanghai Toastmaster Club, a TEDx speaker, and a content creator on multiple platforms. Yifan pursues an MBA at Quantic School of Business and Technology on a full scholarship. She holds a Master's degree from the University of Melbourne, was selected as a finalist for the 2020 Young Australia China Alumni of the Year Award and McKinsey & Company Next Generation Women Leaders program.
Ivan Low
Ivan Low is a policy adviser and lawyer based in Canberra. He has worked in policy and program roles across the telecommunications, infrastructure, industry, energy and environment portfolios. During his time in the public service, he completed the Jawun Secondment Program.
Ivan has a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Laws (Legal Practice) from the Australian National University. He has completed the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Company Directors Course.
Outside of work and study, Ivan works on projects to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He has served as an UNLEASH Ambassador and a Thought for Food Ambassador.
Gabriel Steger
Gabriel Steger is currently an adviser to the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, Ged Kearney MP. Prior to this, Gabriel worked at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Attorney-General’s Department, and Asialink Business.
Gabriel holds a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma in Languages (Mandarin, Chinese) from the University of Melbourne, and undertook an Honours research year at the Australian National University.
Gabriel was previously the National Secretary of the Australia-China Youth Association and co-convenor of the Indo-Pacific Student Mobility Youth Dialogue. He has been involved with several community organisations, including the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, United Nations Association of Australia, Community and Public Sector Union and the Young Workers Centre.
Nadia Maunsell
Nadia Maunsell is a Yenching Scholar and Master’s student in Economics at Peking University, as well as a Research Consultant at an international development consultancy, where she has provided research and policy advice to a range of international organisations and multilateral development banks. Nadia has added research experience across think tank and not-for-profit sectors, including with Climate Energy Finance and the Foundation for Australian Studies in China. She recently served as Academic Director of the Yenching Global Symposium, an annual conference bringing emerging global leaders together for shared dialogue in Beijing, China. Nadia holds a dual degree in International Studies and Communications from the University of New South Wales. She was selected as a 2022 Westpac Asian Exchange Scholar and spent six months at the National University of Singapore studying economics and Chinese. Nadia is passionate about leveraging technology and policy advice to accelerate the global green energy transition.
Bill Lo
Bill Lo is a bilingual transactional corporate lawyer. Raised in Hong Kong, he holds dual qualifications in law and engineering, and is admitted to practise law in both Australia and Hong Kong. Bill specialises in mergers and acquisitions, advising clients across the Asia-Pacific region. His experience navigating the complex legal and business landscapes of various jurisdictions has provided him with valuable insights into Australia-China relations.
Bill’s multilingual abilities have been instrumental in bridging cultural gaps and facilitating meaningful exchanges. His unique skillset and experiences enable him to offer valuable perspectives on Australia-China relations and business practices.
Min-Shi Michelle Lim
Min-Shi Michelle Lim is an inquisitive and purpose-led leader, interested in effectively utilising behavioural psychology and ethics to gain insight into what drives human behaviour and decision-making. She has an academic background in Psychology and Neuroscience and also works within the Intersectional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) and Ethics fields.
Michelle is currently an Organisational Culture and Change Lead at the Reserve Bank Australia (RBA) and Director of the Asian Australian Professionals Collective (AAPC). Prior to joining the RBA, Michelle was a senior consultant for several years advising clients on Organisational Culture, Transformational Change, and Risk Culture and Governance.
Michelle focuses on the intersection of individual, environmental, societal, and cultural factors that inevitably shape an organisation's culture. Viewing these elements through psychological and behavioural lenses, she develops strategies to address and anticipate complex cultural challenges, ensuring effective and sustainable organisational change.
In addition to her work in organisational culture, Michelle is engaged in the ethics domain, working with executive leaders and focusing on the role of ethics in decision-making and governance. Michelle draws on her psychology background to bring a deep appreciation of human behaviour to her work.
Michelle is a LinkedIn Top Voice, an invitation-only program featuring a global group of experts on LinkedIn covering a range of topics across the professional world. She has been recognised as a 2022 40 under 40 Most Influential Asian Australian, is a Fellow of the Dr John Yu Fellowship for Leadership and Diversity (University of Sydney Business School) and is a William Ah Ket Leadership Scholar (Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership, Australian National University).
Belinda Loke
Belinda Loke is a dynamic professional with a career spanning law, governance, and leadership. Recognised in the Governance Top 100 (2024 and 2023) and awarded the Asian-Australian Leadership Award (2023), she is also a finalist in the 2024 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards.
As a Board Director of Kids Hope Australia, she chairs the Finance and Risk, and People and Remuneration Committees. Belinda is a Board Director of QEC, a Victorian public hospital and largest provider of parenting services where she contributes to the Quality, Risk, and Clinical Governance Committee and other key committees.
Belinda holds Advisory Council roles at the Monash University Health and Social Care Unit, The Royal Children’s Hospital, and the BoardEffect Expert Advisory Panel. Founder of Legalexa, a digital law firm, Belinda has over 17 years of legal experience.
Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance) and Graduate of the AICD.
Tong Tong
Tong Tong is a Senior Public Affairs Officer at the Australian Embassy. Using her expertise and experience, she regularly manages cultural activities and visits, and most recently has been instrumental in leading the Embassy's activities for NAIDOC week 2024. In her role at the embassy, she has made great efforts to strengthen partnership in Australia-China bilateral relations in arts and culture space.
Prior to joining the Australian Embassy, she was the Media and Public Diplomacy Officer at the Irish Embassy, Tong Tong managed the embassy communication campaign across all Chinese media channels and assisted media engagement for visits.
Tong Tong holds a Master Equivalent of Management Science and Engineering at Beijing Foreign Studies University and a Bachelor's degree of Interpretation from Shenyang Normal University. She is originally from Tieling, China. She loves arts, enjoys museums and music of all genres. Her latest passion is Art Healing and Mental Health study.
Simon Huang
Simon Huang is a well-rounded educator with a decade of proven teaching excellence in both independent and public schools, specialising in diverse disciplines across K–12, including Global Politics, Business Studies, Digital Technologies, Chinese, Mathematics, and Physical Education. Simon is an alumnus of the Teaching Excellence Program (TEP) and a recipient of the 2023 Teaching Innovation Fellowship at the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership. As an innovative language educator, he is committed to developing EduTech-related language learning programs and implementing evidence-based teaching and learning pedagogies in the classroom. He was also a speaker at the 2024 IEAA National Symposium on the future of Australia-China School Partnerships for the Australia-China Digital Bridge Project. Simon holds a double Master’s degree in International Relations and International Business, along with a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from La Trobe University, and has also studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), the Central University of Finance and Economics, and Beijing Normal University. Additionally, Simon holds a Postgraduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) from the University of Melbourne.
Bobby Sun
Yunqing (Bobby) Sun currently works as the Marketing & Communication Officer at the Museum of Chinese Australian History, bringing experience across the arts, cultural, tennis and international business sectors. Specializing in bilingual communication, stakeholder engagement, and digital strategy, he promotes stronger connections between Australia and China through cultural exchange. His previous roles at Bastion Asia and Tennis Australia further honed his ability to manage high-profile campaigns and foster international partnerships.
Bobby is passionate about enhancing Australia-China relations, promoting mutual understanding, and facilitating collaboration across industries. Through his involvement with the Australia-China Youth Dialogue, he aims broaden his perspectives and gain cross-industry insights to shape the future of bilateral relations, particularly in the fields of digital marketing, cultural and sports diplomacy, and youth engagement.
Bobby holds a master’s degree in Sport Management from Deakin University and is passionate about tennis, with aspirations to further contribute to the development and growth of tennis on a global scale.
Patrick Di
Patrick (Binyin) Di is a highly versatile agricultural professional, with extensive experience in Australia’s agriculture industry. Having worked in various organisations across Australia from an industry peak body to the public sector, he has sound knowledge of research development and extension into agriculture production. He is currently acting as the Ag Institute Australia (AIA)’s QLD & NT Divisional Vice-Chair and NT representative of the Researcher in Agriculture for International Development (RAID) network.
Patrick is passionate about current foreign affairs and the Australia-China bilateral relationship, particularly his keen interest in advancing agriculture co-operation and partnership. He believes that people-to-people exchanges are crucial to foster synergy in maintaining a healthy and positive international relation.
He attained his Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) from the University of Queensland.
Siyuan Yu
Siyuan Yu is a licensed attorney in both China and New York (United States), and she currently works as a practicing lawyer at one of China’s leading law firms, Zhong Lun Law Firm.
Siyuan has been specialized in providing legal advice to foreign investors on a broad range of issues, including those related to corporate law, mergers & acquisitions (M&A), intellectual property, data security and cybersecurity, dispute resolution, etc.
Siyuan has been a dedicated advocate for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, which have been included in ACYD’s sessions in the past few years. She is passionate about fostering cross-cultural understanding and strengthening bilateral relations between Australia and China by adding to the dialogue on environmental sustainability and ESG issues.
Xue Bai
Dr Xue (Sophia) Bai is a Postdoctoral Fellow at China International Business & Economic Law (CIBEL) Centre, Faculty of Law and Justice, University of New South Wales. Her research explores different government restraints on competition, with a particular focus on how state-owned enterprises (SOEs) interact with competition law and policy. Other research areas include the interaction between sustainability and competition law, the application of competition law in the digital market, competitive neutrality policy, and competition impact assessment. She has published widely in the field, including her recent article ‘Competitive Neutrality: OECD Recommendations and the Australian Experience’ with Dr Rhonda L Smith and Professor Deborah Healey.
Dr Bai was awarded the International Award for her thesis ‘Reform of Chinese State-Owned Enterprises - What China Can Learn from the Practice of Competitive Neutrality Policy in Australia’, and her book based on the thesis was published in June 2023.
Yanni Liu
Yanni Liu is a Project Officer at the Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture (IAC) at Western Sydney University, where she promotes cultural exchanges between Australia and the broader Chinese-speaking world. The projects she deeply involved in include the My China Story series, fostering mutual understanding through personal narratives, and the IAC Culture Talks and Art Talks Series, featuring scholars and artists on significant cultural topics. Over the past three years, Yanni has fully contributed to 15 exhibitions highlighting artistic and cultural exchanges between Australia and China, fostering a deeper understanding of both nations' shared heritage and contemporary issues. These efforts have strengthened bilateral ties through cultural diplomacy and collaboration.
Before joining IAC, Yanni worked at the Aurora Museum in Shanghai, participating in curating exhibitions and developing bilingual educational programs focused on ancient Chinese artifacts. Yanni holds a Master’s degree in Museums and Collections from the Australian National University, awarded through the China Scholarship Council (CSC), and a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from the China Academy of Art.
Olivia He
Olivia He is an experienced Renewable Development Manager with over six years of experience in leading large-scale solar and BESS projects. She brings a strong technical and financial acumen to her work, from initial feasibility studies to securing permits and build strong partnerships with stakeholders. She has worked with teams in delivering clean energy solutions that meet strict regulatory standards while optimizing project costs and timelines. Known for her collaborative approach, she works closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to ensure every project achieves its environmental and commercial targets. She is driven by a commitment to sustainable growth and believe in the power of renewable energy to shape a cleaner future.
She is a University of Melbourne alumni with a Master of TESOL. In my free time, I enjoy Pilates and spending time in the outdoors.
Chris Li
Chris Li is a seasoned mining executive with a proven record in leading mining projects from exploration through to production, excelling in both open-pit and underground operations. With a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from Curtin University’s WA School of Mines, he has held leadership roles at top international mining companies. As Vice President of a major multinational firm, he managed the acquisition and turnaround of a key gold mine, elevating it to one of Queensland’s top producers. Currently, as corporate and board level executive, he drives strategic growth and profitability for a notable mining enterprise. Mr. Li holds several industry credentials, including the First Class Mine Manager’s Certificate, Chartered Professional status, and is a Fellow of AusIMM, RPEQ-certified, and a qualified Site Senior Executive. He also contributes to industry development through his involvement in various committees.
Ling (Elly) Wang
Ling (Elly) Wang is a marketing professional with extensive experience in tech and consumer electronic industry with a master degree of Marketing Communications from Melbourne University. From coordinating product marketing in DJI to working as a Senior Marketing Program Manager in OPPO and in charge of OnePlus branding and marketing programs in APAC/LATAM/MENA and South Asia currently, she contributes to bring the beauty of Chinese technology to the world. Elly’s growth experience makes her a multi-cultural and cross-national person. She has been studied and worked in Mainland China, Taiwan, Australia, USA, Malaysia, México and Bangladesh. This is also why she is interested in international relations and culture interaction. For example, she has joined UN Headquarter as an intern, been a delegate of Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations.
Thomas Kite
Thomas Kite is a solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons, Asia's top tier international law firm. His role includes advising large foreign companies, funds and trusts on their acquisition of Australian assets and navigating Australia's foreign investment regime. Tom has also worked with Federal Government bodies developing cutting edge technological infrastructure and assisted Australian companies with defence exports and national security issues. He is actively involved in the firm's community impact program, taking the opportunity to build on his interests fostered at the Australian National University by volunteering with the Youth Law Centre and Youth Law Australia.
Prior to KWM, Tom worked for the Attorney General's Department (AGD) and the Embassy of Mexico. While at the AGD he focused on issues in public international law, investor state arbitration and international trade, drawing on his studies at the London School of Economics. With the Embassy he conducted the first study of Australian perceptions of Mexico to support the Embassy's public diplomacy initiatives.
Huibo Zhang
Huibo Zhang is a Visiting Academic Researcher at the China International Business & Economic Law (CIBEL) Centre, Faculty of Law and Justice at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
His research project involves an analysis of the economic and trade developments in Australia and China, including Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
He has notable experience researching international economic and trade developments. He is an expert on the Rules of Origin and is experienced in writing recommendation reports for law enforcement, particularly on the topics of anti-dumping and countervailing duty actions.
In 2016, he was awarded the Chevening Scholarship by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom in recognition of his achievements, expertise and excellence in the field. He also has knowledge about several FTAs, including The China–Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).